Amateur radio is the use of a wireless transmitter for communications with some other amateur somewhere else, and is done for fun and personal enjoyment, and not for money. Amateur radio was founded in stages during about 1920-1940.

People who were unprofessionally linked to electronics built their own transmitters and receivers which they wanted to use. So certain frequencies where given to them where these people could talk. This gave birth to amateur radio.

Licence

Laws and Regulations

There are certain laws which apply for amateur radio e.g.

Bad language is prohibited, as is politics and propaganda
Playing records or cassettes for fun is prohibited.
The use of an amateur transmitter for business is prohibited.
The use of secret codes is prohibited.
The transmitter is to be used only on the allowed frequencies
A Log-Book must be kept in every station. In this Log-Book all the details of contacts made must be written.
There are more laws which are set by the Ministry of Communications and Works
 

To be able to understand what another amateur is saying, the following means of help have / been devised:

The I.T.U. phonetic alphabet
The Morse code
The Q-Code
The RST-Code

When somebody says his name, for example, it is not easy to write it down. Even if he spells it out letter by letter, it may seem difficult, especially when the signal is not good. So the International Telecommunications Union (l. T. U. ) created the phonetic alphabet. Each letter in our ordinary language is represented by a word, so in this way one can spell his name using words, not letters. This is very efficient and everybody uses it. The phonetic alphabet exists in many languages like English, French, German, Spanish, etc.

So the name NICOLAS would be spelt like: "NOVEMBER ,INDIA,CHARLIE,OSCAR,LIMA, ALPHA, SIERRA ". The callsign 5B4ES is like: "FIVE, BRAVO FOUR ECHO, SIERRA". And NICOSIA is spelt like: "NOVEMBER, INDIA, CHARGIE, OSCAR, SIERRA, INDIA, ALPHA".
Note: Different words other than those recommended by I.T.U. can be used, but it is best that the I.T.U. phonetic alphabet is used.

The Morse Code

In the past, amateurs did not have microphone operated transmitters. Their transmitters could only send one signal, but by interrupting it on and off, they could still communicate using the Morse code.(CW mode)

By changing the length time the signal is sent, they could send long and short periods, so they were in effect sending 'dots' and 'dashes'. By combining these dots and dashes, the Morse code was created. This is as follows:

A . _ F . . _ . K _ . _ P . _ _ . U . . Z _ _ . . 1 . _ _ _ _ 6 _ . . . .
B _ . . . G _ _ . L . _ . . Q _ _ . _ V . . . _  2 . . _ _ _ 7 _ _ . . .
C_ . _ . H . . . . M _ _ R . _ . W . _ _  3 . . . _ _ 8_ _ _ . .
D _ . . I . . N _ . S . . . X _ . . _  4 . . . . _ 9 _ _ _ _ .
E . J . _ _ _ O _ _ _ T _ Y _ . _ _  5 . . . . . 0 _ _ _ _ _

So the name NICOLAS would be sent like:
" _ . . . _ . _ . _ _ _ . _ . . . _ . . . "

The Q-Code

Using Morse code, it takes time to send messages such as: "Who is calling me ", since Morse is sent letter by letter. So it was decided to create a type of code in which the common phrases used in amateur radio were shortened to a three-letter code. So instead of sending "Who's calling me?", we send "QRZ". This code has lasted, and is now also used in phone communications microphone) too. A few of these codes are shown below:

When somebody presses his microphone switch and starts making a QSO with another station all the way around the world, he cannot be sure whether the other station can hear him, and if he can, how well he can hear him. To find this out both stations exchange signal reports, telling each other how clear, strong and in the case of Morse, what the tone of the signal is.

What is exchanged is called the signal report, and consists of two or, when in Morse, three units. The first number given represents the readability of the signal, and is represented by the capital letter R. The second number gives the signal strength, and is represented by the letter S. The third number is used only in Morse, RTTY (Radio TeleTYpe) and a few other modes, is not used with the microphone, and shows the tone of the signal. It is represented by the letter T.

Readability - R
RI - Unreadable.
R2 - Barely readable, occasional words distinguishable.
R3 - Readable with considerable difficulty.
R4 - Readable with some difficulty.
R5 - Perfectly readable.

Signal Strength - S
S1 - Faint signals.
S2 - Very weak signals.
S3 - Weak signals.
S4 - Fair signals.
S5 - Fairly good signals.
S6 - Good signals.
S7 - Moderately strong signals.
S8 - Strong signals.
S9 - Extremely strong signals (anything above this is exceptionally strong signals).

Tone -T
TI - Extremely rough hissing note.
T2 - Very rough AC note. No musicality.
T3 - Rough, low pitched AC note. Slightly musical.
T4 - Rather rough AC note, moderately musical.
T5 - Musically modulated note.
T6 - Modulated note, slight trace of whistle.
T7- Near DC note, smooth ripple.
T8 - Good DC note, just a trace of ripple.
T9 - Perfect DC note.

Add
X - if note appears crystal controlled
C - if there is a chirp
D - if there is drift
K - if there are clicks.

Every station must have a Log-Book. The Log-Book is a book in which all the information for all the QSOs made is written. The information is:

DATE
TIME (START & FINISH)
MODE
FREQUENCY
CALLSIGN
SIGNAL REPORT
and REMARKS which are not necessary.

Nowdays we have replaced the hand written log books with logging software on computers. These help us to do the logging easier and quicker, and believe me with a lot more fun!

The QSL Card is a means of confirming that a QSO has been made between two stations. For example when station "A" contacts station "B" then station "A" sends a QSL card to station "B" and station "B" sends a card to station "A". The information which is written on the ard is the same as that written in the Log-Book.

The QSL cards are also required for awards. For example, certain organizations might ask for 100 different QSL cards from 100 different countries for a certain award. In most countries there are QSL-Bureaus which help in the cheap exchange of QSL cards.

The Callsign of a station is its characteristic. For example, there is only one 5B4ES station in all the world. The PREFIX of a callsign is the characteristic of a country. For Cyprus this is "5B4" and for Italy it is "I".
The SUFFIX is the characteristic of a station within a country. For the ENGLISH SCHOOL, this is "ES". There is only one "ES" suffix in Cyprus. There are other "ES" suffixes outside Cyprus, e.g. "SV1ES". "SV1" is the characteristic of Athens, Greece. "SVlES" is a station in Athens.

All callsigns are made of a prefix and a suffix. The prefix is always first, and the suffix is always second.

This is the type of signal which is sent. There are different types:
SSB (USB,LSB) - SINGLE SIDE BAND (UPPER SIDE BAND,LOWER SIDE BAND)
C.W. - CARRIER WAVE (MORSE)
F.S.K. - FREQUENCY SHIFT KEY (RTTY)
F.M. - FREQUENCY MODULATION
A.M. - AMPLITUDE MODULATION

The above are the most commonly used modes, and can be found on all modern transceivers The major mode used is SSB, which uses the microphone.

This has to do with the wavelength of the transmitted wave. It is measured in meters and can be, as far as us amateurs are concerned: 70cm, 2m,15m, 20m, 40m, 80m,160m and a few others. "20m" means the wavelength is 20 meters.

This is the number of complete waves which are transmitted every second from the antenna. It is measured in Cycles per second (C/s) or HERTZ (Hz), but we use the MEGAHER7Z (MHz) which means million HERTZ. E.g. a wave of wavelength 20m is approximately l4MHz. "l4MHz" means 14,000,000 Hz.

Note: If there is a station on 14.150 MHz, and you are listening on 14.160 MHz you will not be able to hear the other station. To hear him, you must be exactly on 14.150 MHz.

Language Used

According to the license, we are allowed to use any language we like. We usually use English when we talk to other amateurs but any language which can improve the contact can be used. So in Cyprus if we contact a Greek-speaking station, we can use Greek if we wish.

G. M. T. The time used is not local time for every station, but G. M. T. (GREENWICH MEAN TIME). This is done so as to avoid confusion.

DX is a rare or far away country. Cyprus is a DX. Most stations want to contact these DX, rare stations, since most awards require contacts with such stations.

CQ basically means "1 want to talk to somebody, I want to make a QSO"

SKED CALLS means an appointment on the air. For example two friends can arrange to meet on the air on a certain day, time (G. M. T.), frequency (MHz) and mode.

YL/OM When we don't know the name of an amateur, then we call him OLD MAN and this is written as OM. If the other amateur is female, we call her YOUNG LADY, written as YL.

73, 88 These are two numbers used in amateur radio and they mean:
73 - Best Regards
88 - Love and Kisses

A4 - Uman	HA - Hungary	PY - Brazil
A9 - Bahrain	HB - Switzerland	SM- Sweden
AP - Pakistan	HE - Liechestein	SV- Greece
CE - Chile	HM - Korea	U- USSR(ex)
CP - Bolivia	I - Italy	UG6- Armenia
CR6 - Angola	OE - Austria	VK- Australia
CT1 - Portugal	J - Japan	YB- Indonesia
CT2 - Azores	JY - Jordan	YU- Yugoslavia
D - Germany	X - Jan Mayen	ZC4 - Cyprus (British Bases)
EA - Spain	K/W - USA	ZE - Rhodesia
EA6 - Balearic Is	KL7 - Alaska	ZS- South Africa
EAS - Canary Is.	KZS - Canal Zone	4U1- I. T. U. Geneva
ET - Ethiopia	LA - Norway	5B4- Cyprus
F - France	LU - Argentina	5Z4- Kenya
FI8 - French Somalia	OH - Finland	9J2- Zambia
G - England	ON - Belgium	9K2 - Kuwait
GW - Wales	OZ - Denmark	9H1 - Malta

Note #1

(2) 5B4ES:          Hello CQ CQ CQ; Hello CQ CQ CQ; This is Five Bravo Four Echo Sierra; Five Boston Four England Spain #3, calling CQ on 20#4, meters. Calling CQ CQ CQ; CQ CQ CQ from Five Brazil Four Ecuador San-Diego; Number Five Baker Number Four Easy Sugar calling CQ on 20 meters and standing by....#5

{2} LYlBXT:           5B4E5 from LYlBXT. Roger, Roger#14 ,Nicolas#15.The handle here is Arvis #11 spelt like America, Rome, Venezuela, India, Sugar#3 Arvis is my name, and the QTH here is Kiev City #16, spelt like Kilo, India, Echo, Victor. Your signal report is 5 and 9+10, 59+10. Please go ahead my friend Nicolas. 5B4E5 this is LY1BXT#13

(4) 5B4ES:           LYlBXT this is 5B4ES#13.Fine copy, Arvis #15.Your signal report is 5 and 9+40, 59+40 #17, a very strong signal indeed, my friend. Anyway, Arvis, thank you very much for the nice call, and hope we meet again on the air. Bye-bye and best 73's#18

{3} LYlBXT:           Okay, Nicolas#18 thanks for the short QSO; 73's.

Notes:

#1: Pre-operating procedure: connecting equipment, tuning, testing mic etc.
#2: Listen & wait; if frequency in use then change frequency and retry. Otherwise continue.
#3: Non-ITU phonetic alphabet can be used, as long as words are easy to recognize -this adds variety to QSO.
#4: It is obvious!!! Often added for variety.
#5: Listen and wait. If no amateur answers then try step (2) again.
#6: LY1BXT is an example! Any station from any country could reply.
#7: Usually both callsigns are at first spelt out phonetically.
#8: Before and after conversations ALWAYS the other station's callsign FIRST...
#9: …and your callsign SECOND
#10:As long as we do not know amateurs name, we call him 'Old Man', or 'Young lady' if a female operator.
#11:First pronounce normally: Then use the phonetic alphabet.
#12:Our QTH in always Nicosia!!! Also spell with phonetic alphabet.
#13:At this stage (if the signal strength permits), callsigns can be pronounced normally   (no phonetic alphabet).
#14:Using 'Roger'(=understood),'Fine' etc., makes conversation sounds more naturally, and flows easily.
#15:Knowing 'Old Mans name, we can now usually call him by it.
#16:OM's QTH; first normally; Then using phonetic alphabet. Usually we note it down with his name under 'Notes for this QSO' in the logging software .
#17:The signal report is usually give in the two forms shown.
#18:QSO does not have to end here. You can also talk about equipment, WX, PX, school etc., etc., etc., etc., etc., etc., etc. ....

ALSO NOTE:In the above QSO, certain things are hypothetical, they will change from QSO to QSO (apart from your name of course!).

This is the end of the Preliminary Notes of the Radio Club.The Practical Notes of the Radio Club follow, that have to do with practical skills and knowledge of how really things work, either these are a tranceiver and its settings or how a QSO is made.