Radio Merit Badge JOTA 2012

Counselor Information Mr. Steve Back Amateur Radio Extra Class Operator Call sign: WB2OGY Authorized Volunteer Examiner (VE) with W5YI and ARRL COR for Venture Crew 73, chartered by the Gwinnett Amateur Radio Society Email: sb@sback.org Phone: 770 712 9069 2

Example Slide Worksheet Clue Some stuff Some more stuff The number in this circle matches a section on your worksheet. Use this clue to fill in your worksheet as we go. 3

Radio Merit Badge Section 1 - Radio Basics

Section 1 Topics What is Radio? Types of Radio Services Regulations Call Signs & Identification Electromagnetic Spectrum and Radio Frequency Assignments Propagation 5 5

What is Radio ? 1 A way to electronically communicate from one place to another without wires. Used in FM radios Walkie talkies TV Cell phones Wi-Fi BlueTooth 6 6

Types of Radio Service Broadcast Commercial Radio Hobby Radio One-way transmissions to the public. Commercial Radio Two-way communication Local agencies and private companies Hobby Radio Communicate with others or control models. Amateur Radio Family Radio Service (walkie-talkies) 7

NOAA Weather Radio Broadcast radio service National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Continuous Weather Forecasts & Warnings Essential for boating, hiking and camping. Most Ham radios can also receive this. Specific Area Alert Encoding (SAME) 8

Local and DX Stations Local station DX station 2b Local station Located in the same country or region DX station Located outside the country or region 9

Two-Way Radios Radios that both send (transmit) and receive messages. Examples Walkie-talkies Amateur Radio Citizen Band Radio (CB) Cell phones Fire, police, aviation, marine, military 10 10

Regulation of Radio FCC (USA) ITU (Other Countries) 2b FCC (USA) Federal Communication Commission Set Frequency Assignments in US. Issues Licenses & Call Signs. Enforces Radio Laws in the US. ITU (Other Countries) International Telecommunication Union Meets every few years. Sets International Frequency assignments. Assigns prefixes to countries. 11

Radio Call Signs 1c A short identification which shows you have a license to transmit Indicates station’s identity and country of origin Assigned by the FCC in US Broadcast Call Signs WSB, KDKA, KORA, WNBC Ham Call Signs WW3Y, KB3BOY, WW9Y, N3YVH, JA1ABC 12

Some Call Sign Prefixes W, K, N, A United States VE, VO, XJ Canada XE Mexico PY Brazil G Great Britain F France I Italy 4X, 4Z Israel JA Japan ZL New Zealand 13

Station Identification Rules Broadcasters Once per hour. Amateurs Every ten minutes At end of a conversation. 14 14

Radio Waves 3 Electromagnetic energy Travels at the speed of light 15

Radio Waves 3 16

Frequencies (One Hertz is one cycle per second) 3 DC Power AC Power Audio (Sound) LF MF HF or Shortwave VHF UHF Microwave Visible Light 0 Hertz (goes in one direction only) 60 Hertz (Hz) 100 Hz to 20 KHz (100 - 20,000 Hz) 30-300 kHz (30,000-300,000) .3-3 MHz (300,000-3,000,000) 3-30 MHz (3,000,000-30,000,000) 30-300 MHz (30,000,000-300,000,000) 300-3,000 MHz (well, you get the idea) Frequencies above 500 MHz 400-800 THz (400,000,000- 800,000,000 MHz) 17

Radio Frequency Assignments AM Broadcast Radio FM Broadcast Radio Short Wave Broadcast Television Broadcast CB Radio Police Radio Amateur Radio 540 - 1600 kHz 88 - 108 MHz 5 - 22 MHz Channel 2 = 54-60 MHz 27 MHz 450-470 MHz 3.5, 7.5, 10, 15, 21, 30, 50, 146 MHz 80, 40, 30, 20, 15, 10, 6, 2 meters Freq=C/meters C=300,000,000 or Freq (MHz)= 300/meters 18

The Electromagnetic Spectrum 3b Medium Frequency (MF) High Frequency (HF) Very High Frequency (VHF) Ultra High Frequency (UHF) 19

How High Frequency (HF) Radio Waves Travel (Propagation) 20

VHF & UHF Propagation 2a VHF and higher frequency waves are limited to line of sight 21

VHF Propagation with Repeaters Range of very high frequency waves can be extended with a repeater 22

NIST WWV and WWVH 2a Provides accurate frequencies, time, and HF propagation forecasts. WWV & WWVH transmit on 5,10,15 and 20 MHz WWV is in Ft Collins, Colorado. WWVH is in Kauai, Hawaii Propagation info can be used to determine from where in the world signals can be received 23

Section 2 - Amateur Radio Radio Merit Badge Section 2 - Amateur Radio

Section 2 Topics What is Amateur Radio? Amateur Radio Licenses Types of Amateur Stations Amateur Radio Activities Q Signals and Abbreviations Emergency Procedures Call Signs and Station Identification Phonetic Alphabet Making and Logging Contacts 25

What is Amateur Radio? A type of two-way hobby radio Cannot be used for profit. A place to learn about radio! Also known as “Ham Radio”. An important part of disaster response. A lot of fun! 26 26

Why does the FCC have an Amateur Radio Service? Volunteer service International goodwill Experimentation Communication skills Self-training Emergency communication 27

Amateur Radio License Classes Technician Class General Class Extra Class 28 28

Technician Class License Entry level license. 35 question multiple choice test Full VHF & UHF privileges, Radio merit badge covers half of the test! Books available with all the possible questions and answers. Practice tests can be found at: QRZ web page: WWW.QRZ.COM 29 29

Who gives Amateur Radio Exams? Volunteer Examiners (VEs) give the exams for the FCC. Exams and free study classes are given by local radio clubs The Gwinnett Amateur Radio Society The Atlanta Radio Club Lots of other information on ham radio can be found at the ARRL web page: www.arrl.org 30

Amateur Radio Activities Jamboree On The Air (JOTA) DX Contests Service at parades & special events Emergency communication Skywarn Camping communications 31

Ham Radio Station Types Handheld radios (HT) Base station radios Mobile radios Repeaters Which kind of radio is best? 32

Repeaters Receive on one frequency and transmit on another. Usually in the VHF and UHF bands Allow much longer range for small radios. Located on mountains, towers, buildings and in space. 146.07 MHz Input 146.67 MHz Output 146.67 MHz Output 146.07 MHz Input 33

Q Signals & Amateur Terms QRM Man-made interference   QRN Natural noise or interference QRP Low Power (< five watts) QRS Slow down Morse code speed QRT Quitting - off the air QSB Signal is fading QSL Acknowledge receipt (card) QSO Conversation ("cue-so") QSY Change frequency QTH Location (think H for Home) Log Record of QSOs   CW Morse code (means Continuous Wave) DX Distant (foreign stations) CQ Calling any station ("seek you") OM Old man (male ham) YL Young lady (female ham) Rig Radio Shack Room the radio is in HI Laugh in Morse code 73, 88 Best regards, love and kisses 34

Emergency Radio Calls Speak clearly and give complete information "MAYDAY" or "EMERGENCY“ May need to find high ground Morse code SOS di-di-dit dah-dah-dah di-di-dit 35 35

Call Signs & Station Identification Rules Initially assigned by FCC Can be changed later (vanity call sign) Station Identification Every ten minutes At the end of a conversation. When audio conditions are poor, use phonetic call letters. 36 36

Phonetic Alphabet Letter Pronunciation A Alfa (AL fah) N 1d Letter Pronunciation A Alfa (AL fah) N November (no VEM ber) B Bravo (BRAH VOH) O Oscar (OSS cah) C Charlie (CHAR lee) P Papa (pah PAH) D Delta (DELL tah) Q Quebec (keh BECK) E Echo (ECK oh) R Romeo (ROW me oh) F Foxtrot (FOKS trot) S Sierra (see AIR rah) G Golf (GOLF) T Tango (TANG go) H Hotel (hoh TELL) U Uniform (YOU nee form) I India (IN dee ah) V Victor (VIK tah) J Juliet (JEW lee ETT) W Whiskey (WISS key) K Kilo (KEY loh) X X Ray (ECKS RAY) L Lima (LEE mah) Y Yankee (YANG key) M Mike (MIKE) Z Zulu (ZOO loo) 37

Calling and Answering CQ 38 38

Log Book Essentials 9a2 39

Radio Merit Badge Section 3 - Radio Theory

Section 3 Topics Conductors and Insulators Types of Electrical Circuits Schematic Diagrams Electronic Components and Symbols Radio Safety Block Diagrams of Radios How Radio Carries Information 41

Conductors & Insulators Conductors conduct (carry) electricity. Most Metals Many Liquids Insulators insulate (don’t carry) electricity. Air Most Rubber and Plastics Most Ceramics Wood and cloth (when dry) 42 42

Types of Electrical Circuits Closed Circuit Circuit is complete. Electricity flows Open Circuit Circuit is incomplete. Electricity doesn’t flow. Short Circuit Circuit is complete through an unplanned shortcut. Electricity flows where it shouldn’t! Dangerous – parts can get hot, start fires or even explode! 43

Schematic Diagram 5a Shows how to build a radio from components. 44

Schematic Symbols 5d 45 Fuse Contains a thin wire which is made to melt which protects the rest of the circuit from damage if there is too much current from a short circuit. Battery Stores electric energy. Resistor Resists the flow of electric current, reducing its flow. Variable resistor Like a regular resistor, but adjustable. For example, the volume knob on your stereo. Earth ground A connection between the equipment (radio) and the earth, usually through a copper pipe driven into the soil. Chassis ground A connection of the negative side of the electronic circuit to the chassis, or steel frame, of the equipment. 45

Schematic Symbols (cont) 5d Capacitor Gets and stores an electric charge. Lets alternating current (AC - like in your house) flow but stops direct current (DC - like from a battery). Variable capacitor Same as a regular capacitor, but adjustable. NPN transistor Amplifies a current. PNP transistor Coil Also called a choke, it works the opposite of a capacitor. It lets DC flow but stops AC. Tube A vacuum tube made of glass with wire filaments inside. Amplifies a current. It has been replaced by transistors in most home equipment, but is still found in some high power radio transmitters. 46

Schematic Symbols (cont) 5d Antenna Sends radio frequency signals into the air. SPST switch Single-pole single-throw switch. Has two positions, on and off. Like most light switches DPDT switch Double-pole double-throw switch. A double-throw switch has three positions. It can switch one input to one of two outputs - sort of like the switch you put on your television to switch between watching TV and playing your video game. The double-pole means it can switch a pair of inputs to either of two pairs of outputs. 47

Radio Safety Electrical shock can hurt or kill 6 Electrical shock can hurt or kill Some parts of a radio are dangerous with the power off Radio Frequency (RF) energy can burn Strong RF radiation can be unhealthy Make sure antennas can't touch any power lines Ground radio and antenna to protect from lightning Follow safety procedures when working on towers and roofs 48 48

Simple Radio Block Diagram Antenna Microphone Transceiver Amplifier Tuner Shows how station components are connected together. Key/Paddle TNC Computer 49

How Radios Send and Receive Information 4 Microphone Audio or Digital signal input Transmitter Creates an RF “carrier” Modulates the carrier Receiver Receives a radio signal Demodulates the carrier Transceiver Both a transmitter and receiver in one box Amplifier Increases RF signal power Tuner Matches transmitter to antenna Feed line Provides path to antenna Antenna Radiates RF signal Key or Paddle For sending Morse code TNC (Terminal Node Controller) Microphone Transceiver Amplifier Tuner Key/Paddle TNC Computer 50

How Radio Waves Carry Sound or Information 4 FM AM PM 51

Continuous Wave (CW) The Oldest Digital Mode 4 Works by simply turning the transmitter on and off in a pattern called Morse Code. 52

“CW” or Morse Code 4 No longer required to know, but still popular among ham radio operators. Needs less power and bandwidth than other ‘modes”. 53 53

Section 4 - Real World Applications Radio Merit Badge Section 4 - Real World Applications

Section 4 Topics Careers in Radio Amateur Radio Emergency Service Radio Navigation 55 55

Radio Careers Broadcasting Technical Operators Announcer/Personality 8 Broadcasting Announcer/Personality Station Manager/Program Director/ Music Director Technical Computer Network Engineer Radio Engineer Radio Technician Cellular Phone Technician Operators Public Safety Dispatcher Military Radio Operator Marine and Aircraft 56 56

ARES / RACES ARES - Amateur Radio Emergency Service Health and welfare Work with government, NGO (Red Cross, Salvation Army), and support services When activated, you are still a civilian RACES – Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service Work with local, state, and federal government only When activated, you work for the government (Restricted) When activated, mission participants are covered by government insurance 8 57 57

Radio Navigation 8 Establishment of a direction from a transmitted radio signal Used by aircraft and ships for navigation Used during search and recovery operations Finding the “black box” after an airplane crash Locating a lost skier after an avalanche HAMs hold challenge games called “fox hunts” Requires Radio receiver tuned to the transmit frequency A special directional antenna 58

Section 5 - Other Sources of Information Radio Merit Badge Section 5 - Other Sources of Information

Amateur Radio Organizations Amateur Radio Relay League (ARRL) Governing organization for amateur radio www.arrl.org QRZ.COM Ham call sign database Practice exams www.qrz.com Gwinnett Amateur Radio Society (GARS) www.gars.org Venture Crew 73 www.venturecrew73.org 60