All About Amateur Radio
Introduction
It may surprise you to know that there are nearly 74,000 licensed radio amateurs (hams) in the UK. Even more surprising is that there are 2.6 million licensed radio amateurs in the world. Amateur radio is a hobby for all ages and abilities; it transcends: age, culture, sex, religious beliefs, national boundaries and even language. Most of us have idly turned the dial on a radio looking for interesting radio stations or searching for the World Service whilst holidaying in foreign parts; maybe, even, eavesdropped on aircraft at the local airport, shipping in coastal regions or Citizens Band (CB) Radio. To be a listener requires no licence and if the listening extends to the short wave bands, you become known as a S.W.L (short wave listener). However, short wave listening can have a much wider scope, such as monitoring all of the amateur bands and amateur modes.
It may come as a surprise to discover how many different frequency bands are allocated to the world's radio amateurs. Equally, the range of operating modes permitted under an amateur licence is quite remarkable. These range from: simple Morse Code, speech using AM, FM or SSB, computer data, teletype, video, microwave, and amateur satellites. It is this range and opportunity that makes amateur radio such an absorbing hobby. If you took 12 of the 74,000 licensed amateurs and asked them what it was that they enjoyed about amateur radio you'd get 12 different answers.
Amateur radio is an ideal hobby for the newly retired, providing a perfect way of keeping 'the little grey cells' active. For the young, a pass in the Amateur Radio Examination on your C.V. can enhance your chances of getting a job ahead of other applicants.
Getting Licensed
To transmit on the amateur bands you must prove your technical competence by passing an amateur radio exam. There are currently 3 levels of licence: Foundation, Intermediate and Advanced. Each confers increasing privileges and is progressively more testing in the depth of knowledge required to demonstrate technical and operational competency.
We run courses designed to teach you the knowledge required to pass these exams and can tailor the courses to suit the capability and background of the students. The entry level Foundation Exam, is designed so that people with no radio background are able to reach a level of knowledge allowing them to get on air and experiment. Once their experience increases they can move to the higher qualifications gaining access to other bands, greater power and other privileges.
Our courses are run at a pace to suit the students abilities and take place at the South Bristol Amateur Radio Club on Thursday evenings from 8:00PM to about 9:00PM. Students are invited to turn up about 7:45PM or earlier and spend a bit of time talking with the wider membership, there is a wealth of knowledge to be tapped.
Foundation and Intermediate Exams can be held more or less on demand, subject to our own timetables and programmes. They are marked on the night so results are available immediately. Those who pass an exam can usually expect to be in possession of their new callsign within a week of the exam. Advanced Exams are held nationally on fixed dates and marked centrally resulting in a 2 – 4 week delay until results are available.
All About Our Club
The Beginning
For a long time amateurs in South Bristol had discussed the need for meeting facilities in the area. On each occasion, the lack of a suitable venue prevented any further action. Matters came to a head on 28th August 1983 when Len Baker (G4RZY) booked accommodation at the Whitchurch Folkhouse and formed the South Bristol Amateur Radio Group. Mark Goodfellow (G4KUQ) acted as temporary Chairman, and meetings were arranged for each Wednesday, starting 31st August 1983.
These meetings proved very popular, with membership rising to nearly 40 within 4 weeks. An informal meeting of paid-up members on 21st September 1983 agreed that a General Meeting should be held on 5th October 1983 to officially create the SOUTH BRISTOL AMATEUR RADIO CLUB (SBARC).
Since the formation of SBARC, the membership peaked at 90 but has now stabilised at around 45 – 50 members. We pride ourselves on being the largest and most friendly club that welcomes new members, whether experienced ‘old-timers’ or raw ‘newcomers’, licensed or unlicensed.
Up to the year 2000, SBARC sponsored and organised the Bristol Computer and Radio Rally on the first Sunday in September. All club members were mobilised to provide an excellent show for 1000 – 2000 visitors. We also take part in national events such as RotA and contests such as VHF National Field Day. Each week we have some form of activity or lecture that will appeal to a substantial part of the membership. Subject matter is not limited to Amateur Radio and suggestions are always welcome.
The Club Today
Extensions to the Whitchurch Folkhouse had meant extra space becoming available. Such that SBARC then had a wide range of facilities: bar, meeting room, lecture room, radio shack, RAE room and Morse training room. However, the Folkhouse Social Club also expanded and finally it became necessary to find new premises. From 1st June 2009 the Club relocated to the Novers Park Community Centre, restoring the space and facilities previously enjoyed.
Having established itself at the new premises, the Club is actively seeking new members and new challenges. Please come and meet us one evening for a drink and a chat, join us, take a course and become licensed – the world is your oyster. Events, and there is usally something planned for each week, normally start at 8:00PM however, the radio equipment is switched on at 7:30PM. Members attending are entitled to use the Community Centre Bar, where one will find a convivial atmosphere after (or before) the exertions of the hobby.
Membership of the Club costs £5.00 annually, although all OAPs receive a 50% discount. The charge at the door each week is a modest £1.00. Classes may require payment to help defray expenses and students will have to be responsible for their own exam fees payable to the Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB). Members are also required to take out Community Centre membership presently £5.00 per annum, although this conveys the additional benefit of 24/7 access to the Novers Park Community Centre and its facilities.
