Amateur Radio (Ham Radio)
Frequently Asked Questions about
Amateur Radio for INDIANS
Compiled by Raj VU2ZAP
WHAT IS AMATEUR RADIO?
Amateur radio is a non-commercial radio communication
service. Amateur radio aims to provide emergency public
service communication; technical training and experimentation.
Amateur radio operators are commonly known as hams.
The term "Ham radio"
is used to describe the hobby of Amateur radio and not
the equipment. Similarly the term "Ham" is
used to describe a radio amateur enthusiast and not
the equipment.
Indian Wireless telegraph rules
1978 Quote G.S.R 1499-78:
2(a) " 'Amateur service' means
a service of self training intercommunications and technical
investigation carried on by Amateurs that is, by persons
duly authorized under these rules interested in radio
technique solely with a personal aim and without pecuniary
interest."
WHO CAN BECOME A HAM?
Any citizen of INDIA who is above 12
years of age can become a ham by qualifying in the Amateurs
station operators' examination (ASO) and obtaining a
valid Amateur wireless telegraph station license.
WHAT CAN I DO WITH A LICENSE?
You can:
- talk to other hams using voice, Morse
code or computers.
- build radios, antennas and learn electronics.
- help in emergencies by providing communications.
- help others become hams.
- participate in contests and field days
events.
- participate in transmitter (fox) hunt
games.
- transmit and receive pictures.
- experiment with satellite communications.
WHAT CAN'T I DO?
You can't:
- use it for transacting business.
- cause interference to other hams or
radio services.
- use indecent language or profanities.
- broadcast music.
- send messages to
or on behalf of non hams.
HOW DO I GET A LICENSE?
You have the pass one of the grades
of Amateur station operators examination and then apply
for the license.
WHAT GRADES OF LICENSE ARE THERE?
Advanced, grade-1, grade-2 and restricted.
These grades have different examinations and Morse code
requirements.
WHAT ARE THE ASO EXAMINATIONS
LIKE?
If you have passed your high school,
then the exam is very easy. Some 12 year old have passed
the exam and abtained a license.
The examinations consist of a written
paper and a Morse code test. The written paper consists
of two parts, the first on electronics and the second
on rules and regulations for amateur service. The Morse
test has two parts, the receive and sending test, both
at the same speed.
Amateur
service examination requirements
License
Class |
Written
exam
time in hours |
Pass
% |
Morse
in words
per minute (wpm) |
| Advanced grade |
3 |
60 |
12 |
| Grade 1 |
2 |
55 |
12 |
| Grade 2 |
1 |
50 |
5 |
Restricted
Grade 2 |
1 |
50 |
Not required
to pass (fail) |
Morse pass requirement: Receive without
mistakes for 1 minute
WHAT DOES IT COST?
Cost of attending classes for ASO exam
depends of the organization conducting classes. Fees
are mainly for notes and materials for the classes.
To take the exam it cost Rs. 20 to 25 and the license
costs between Rs. 12 and 25 per year.
The cost of the radio equipment depends
of what you want to do. You can either build your own
radio equipment or buy ready manufactured. Ham radio
equipment is not made in INDIA so it has to be imported.
Due to the poor value of the rupee, you can expect to
spend upwards of Rs. 10,000/-. Since our late prime
minister Shri Rajiv Gandhi VU2RG introduced duty concessions,
hams equipment is imported under a concessional duty
on your ham license. You can build your own equipment
for a much smaller amount. Second hand equipment can
be bought from hams at a cheap price.
How do I join ARSI?
Download and fill the ARSI application form.
[PDF]
[MSWord]
Send the filled form along with the payment
for the appropriate membership category.
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VU2ZAP - Raj
Founder member - Repeater Society of Bangalore (RSB
- VU2RSB, VU2TWO)
Life member - Bangalore Amateur Radio Club (BARC - VU2ARC)
Life member - Amateur Radio Society of INDIA (ARSI)
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