Index club competition, 40 • A • club listings, 32 AA5AU RTTY page, 328 Contest Update, 195 abbreviations, 115 defi ned, 11, 36 AC power, grounding, 267 DXCC Award program website, 175 AC6V website, 134, 250, 325 emergency communications, 39, 162 access tones, 128–129 equipment insurance program, 221 accidents, reporting, 164 exploring, 36–39 adapters, 280 Field Day Station Locator web page, 11 Advanced license, 61 Field Organization, 156 Airmail, 153 Ham Radio License Manual, 68 Amateur Data Interchange Format Hamfests and Conventions Calendar, 47 (ADIF), 273 international operating information, 15 Amateur Electronic Supply, 222 Logbook of the World (LoTW), 274, 275 Amateur Extra class license national and division conventions, 49 active population, 61 National Contest Journal, 195 defi ned, 60 net-search page, 132 test, 60, 66 Online Net Directory Search, 328 upgrading to, 84 operating awards, 109 Amateur Radio Emergency Public Service, 328 Communications Training, 328 QST magazine, 36, 37 Amateur Radio Emergency Services (ARES) radiogram form, 170 ARRL management, 36 RF Exposure and You, 266 defi ned, 156 RFI Information page, 290 Field Resource Manual, 160 RFI website, 294 volunteering for, 158 searching database, 84 Amateur Radio Mobile Handbook, 331 special bulletins, 141 Amateur Radio Newsline, 326 study guides, 61 Amateur Radio on the Move, 331 sub-bands chart, 95 Amateur Radio SATellite Corporation Tech Q&A, 68 (AMSAT), 41–42, 209, 211 technical awareness and education, 39 Amateur Radio Service,COPYRIGHTED 14, 55 Technical MATERIAL Information Service, 134 amateur service technical references, 39 FCC rules, 56 VEC exams, 74 frequency allocations, 57–61 as VEC organization, 38 overview of, 56–61 VHF/UHF Century Club, 186 amateur television (ATV), 213 W1AW station, 37–38 AmateurLogic.TV, 326 website, 36 American Radio Relay League (ARRL) Worked All States (WAS) program, 186 activities, 36–37 amplifi ers advocacy, 38 HF, 226 benefi ts to the hobby, 37–38 linear, 229 benefi ts to the public, 38–39 VHF/UHF, 229 330_9781118592113-bindex.indd0_9781118592113-bindex.indd 337337 77/30/13/30/13 22:19:19 PMPM 338 Ham Radio For Dummies, 2nd Edition AMSAT (Amateur Radio SATellite ARES. See Amateur Radio Corporation), 41–42, 209, 211 Emergency Services antenna switches, 24 ARRL. See American Radio Relay League antenna tuners ARRL Antenna Book, 242, 332–333 defi ned, 24, 249 ARRL Classics and Compendium series, 333 dummy load, 250 ARRL Handbook for Radio Communications, manufacturers, 249 39, 211, 331 types of, 249 ARRL Operating Manual, 124, 171, 211, 327 Antenna Zoning for the Radio Amateur ARRL Propagation Bulletin, 334 (Hopengarten), 332 ARRL Repeater Directory, 106–107, 327 antennas ARRL RFI Book, 290 beam, 24, 233, 237–238 ARRL Satellite Handbook, 330 caring for, 305 assistant section manager (ASM), 158 choosing, 232–242 ATV (amateur television), 213 connectors, 240–242 audience, this book, 1–2 delta loops, 237 audio fi lters, 27 dipole, 24, 234–235 aurora, 29, 184 experimentation with, 9 automatic key, 149 feed lines, 240–242 Automatic Packet Reporting System full-wavelength loop, 236 (APRS) ground-plane, 233 defi ned, 208 HF, 233–238 position reporting by, 208 inverted-V, 235 resources, 209 masts, 244 use of, 9, 208–209 mobile and portable, 238–239 autopatch. See also repeaters multiple-band dipole, 236 calls as not private, 135 omnidirectional, 233 defi ned, 134 polarization, 233 limits, respecting, 135 proper connection, 116 making phone calls with, 135–136 in QSOs, 118 switching to, announcing, 135 quads, 237 awards in radio shacks, 16 applying for, 196 radio waves and, 20 defi ned, 13 random-length wire, 236 DX programs, 181–182 references, 332–333 examples of, 194 screwdriver, 238 fi nding, 194 supporting, 243–250 fun and, 312 system types, 9 General Certifi cation Rules, 196 towers, 244–246 getting involved and, 34 trap dipole, 236 recording qualifying contacts, 196 trees and, 243 VHF/UHF DX, 185–186 tripods, 244 azimuthal-equidistant (az-eq) map, 175, 176 vertical, 236–237 VHF/UHF, 232–233 • B • Applegate, Alan (KØBG), 220 APRS. See Automatic Packet Backyard Antennas (Dodd), 333 Reporting System band maps, 192 330_9781118592113-bindex.indd0_9781118592113-bindex.indd 338338 77/30/13/30/13 22:19:19 PMPM Index 339 band plans call letters, 63 defi ned, 95 call signs fl exibility around, 95 as on-air identity, 63 list of, 96 associating with FRN, 86–87 outside United States, 96 availability by license class, 88 bands. See also HF (high frequency) bands; in calling CQ, 120 UHF (ultra high frequency) bands; VHF changing, 63 (very high frequency) bands class and, 64 defi ned, 57 database searches, 81–84 high, 176 defi ned, 61 identifying by ear or eye, 100 fi nding, 81–84 listening on, 94 inability to fi nd, 85 low, 177 1-by-1 (1x1), 88 magic, 182 1-by-2 (1x2), 88 microwaves, 23, 94, 333 picking own, 87–89 open, 105 prefi x, 64 shortwave, 174–182 suffi x, 64 sub-bands, 95 2-by-3 (2x3), 88 top, 178 ULS database search, 81–83 tuning, 93 understanding, 63–64 WARC, 144 vanity, 87–89 band-scope display, 224 callbooks, 47 Basic Antennas, 232 calling frequencies, 94 Batteries in a Portable World, 331 capacitors, 26, 283 baud rate, 288 casual operating Baudot, 204 chewing the rag, 140–147 beacons, 105 on FM and repeaters, 124–134 beam antennas HF message systems, 151–153 defi ned, 24 pounding brass, 147–151 HF, 237–238 CB (Citizens Band), 30 rotators, 238 CEPT, 15 square-loop, 237 Certifi cate of Successful Completion of VHF/UHF, 233 Examination (CSCE), 79–80 Begali, 150 challenges, as club activity, 35 Bencher, 150 challenging yourself, 312 Beringer, Paul (NG7Z), 259–260 channel spacing, 126, 128 bonding, at RF, 267–269 character spacing, Morse code, 197 brag macros, 109 chassis punch, 282 breaking in, 117 chewing the rag Broadband-Hamnet, 207 defi ned, 12 broadcasting, 30 good times for, 143–144 bugs, 149 HF bands, 140–141 busted spots, 193 knowing when, 142–145 knowing where, 140–142 • C • not-so-good times for, 144–145 ragchewer identifi cation, 145–147 cables, building own, 309 UHF bands, 142 Cabrillo format, 191 VHF bands, 142 330_9781118592113-bindex.indd0_9781118592113-bindex.indd 339339 77/30/13/30/13 22:19:19 PMPM 340 Ham Radio For Dummies, 2nd Edition Circuitbuilding Do-It-Yourself For Dummies components, for repairs and (Silver), 332 building, 282–283 Citizens Band (CB), 30 computers classes for licensing exam choosing, 250–253 fi nding, 67 digital modes and, 251 material absorption and, 68 hardware considerations, 253 mentors and, 70 interfaces, 25 single weekend, 67 PC versus Mac, 250 cleaning equipment, 280–281 radio control (R/C), 251 cloning radios, 229 in radio shacks, 16 closed repeaters, 133 remote control and, 251–252 clothing, go kit, 161 for sending/receiving digital data, 25 CLOVER modes, 206 in shack ergonomics, 256 club activities connectors, 241–242 benefi ts of, 36 construction projects, as club activity, 35 showing up for, 34 contacts taking part in, 35–36 awards, 13 types of, 36 breaking in, 117 clubs common information exchanges, 118–119 benefi ts of, 32 contest, logging, 189–190 checking out, 32 contest, making, 189–190 choosing, 32–33 contesting, 13, 110–111 competitive, 40 defective, 293 contest, 40 defi ned, 12 defi ned, 10 via digital mode, 115 example listing, 32 DX station, 13, 178–179 fi nding, 32–33 DXing, 110–111 in fi nding mentors, 71 endings, 122 hams participation in, 31 failed, 115–117 insignia, 34 further discussion, 120 joining, 31–36 having, 118–120 libraries and equipment, 35 on HF band, 113 meetings, participating in, 33–34 long-distance, 143 QRP, 44–45 making, 113–122 specialty, 31, 39–45 mapping online, 106 station, 35 Morse code, 115, 150–151 volunteering services for, 34–35 nets, 12–13, 110 website, 35 ragchews, 12, 109–110 coaxial cables (coax), 16, 26 repeater, 105–108, 114 Codec2, 207 simplex, 105 Coffey, Sterling (NØSSC), 260–261 structure, 15 commercial mobile ratio, 30 topics to avoid, 120 Commission Registration System types of, 12, 108–109 (CORES), 84, 85–86 weak-signal, 108 community participation, 10–11 Contest Corral, 111 competitive clubs, 40 Contest Update, 330 The Complete DXer (Locher), 175, 329 contesters, 40 330_9781118592113-bindex.indd0_9781118592113-bindex.indd 340340 77/30/13/30/13 22:19:19 PMPM Index 341 contesting copying the code, 148 certifi cates, 195 CORES. See Commission Registration complexity, 190 System contacts, 111 countersink, 282 defi ned, 110 courtesy, 301 dupe lists, 190 CQ cycle, 121 exchange, 111 CQ magazine, 40, 41, 195, 334 listening and, 193 CQ VHF magazine, 40–41, 334 politeness in, 193–194 CQ World Wide DX Contest, 187 references, 329–330 CQs resources, 195 as advertisement, 121 rules for, 111 anatomy of, 120–121 serial numbers, 111 call sign, 120 Contesting.com, 330 calling, 120–121 contests calling in contests, 191–192 band maps, 192 CQ itself, 120 benefi ts of, 187 on CW, 146 calendars, 188 example, 121 calling CQ in, 191–192 length of, 146 calling rate, 192 Morse code, 146 choosing, 187–188 for ragchews, 145–146 as club activity, 35 tips, 121 contacts, logging, 190–191 tone of, 146 contacts, making, 189–190 crank-up towers, 245 defi ned, 13, 40, 186 crimpers, 242, 279 fun and, 311 crystal fi lters, 231 logging software, 191 CSCE (Certifi cate of Successful Completion PSK31, 203 of Examination), 79–80 QRP, 200 CubeSats, 210–211 scoring, 190 current, 20 searching and pouncing in, 192–193 CW. See also Morse code spotting networks, 193 AGC control, 147 taking part in, 186–194 calling CQ on, 146 tips from winners, 191–194 copying