An amateur radio operator, also known as radio amateur, ham or HAM,
is a person who uses amateur radio equipment to communicate with other
amateur operators, on radio frequencies (bands) assigned to the
Amateur Radio Service. For the use of these frequencies, they have been
granted a licence by their local governmental regulatory authority, after
passing an examination on electronics, radio theory, radio operation and
regulations. As part of their licence, amateur operators are assigned
a call sign that they use to identify themselves during communication
[1].
Most countries have one or more national radio societies of which amateur radio
operators can become a member. The national organisations are commonly
involved in liaison with the national regulatory body for telecommunications.
At a global level, the national societies are united in the
International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) — the liaison between amateurs and
the International Telecommunication UnionITU. The IARU is divided into
the same three regions as the ITU:
IARU
International Amateur Radio Union
Established on 27 April 1925.
➤ IARU website
National organisations
Below is a non-exhaustive overview of amateur radio societies and
related organisations.
Below is an overview of the frequency bands that have been
allocated to the Amateur Radio Service. Licenced Amateur Radio
Operators can use these bands for transmission, subject to
international and national regulations. For each band, a detailed
bandplan is applicable [5][7].
Deutsche Amateur-Radio-Club
National amateur radio society of Germany.
➤ DARC website
AATiS
Arbeitskreis Amateurfunk und Telekommunikation in der Schule
Working Group for Amateur Radio and Telecommunications in Schools.
➤ AATiS website
Netherlands
Amateur organisations
VERON
Vereniging voor Experimenteel Radio Onderzoek in Nederland
Established in October 1945 by merging the pre-war NVVR, NVIR
and VUKA.
➤ VERON website
VRZA
Vereniging voor Radio Zend Amateurs
Established in 1951 by a number of disaffected VERON members.
➤ VRZA website
QRP
Benelux QRP Club
Organisation for the promotion of low-power (QRP) radio amateurism
in Belgium, The Netherlands and Luxemburg (Benelux).
➤ Website Benelux QRP Club
Former organisations
NVVR
Nederlandse Vereniging voor Radiotelegrafie
Established in 1916. In 1945 dissolved into the VERON.
NVIR
Nederlandse Vereniging voor Internationaal Radio-amateurisme
Established in 1929. In 1945 dissolved into the VERON.
VUKA
Vereniging voor Ultra Korte Golf Amateurs
Established in 1934. In 1945 dissolved into the VERON.
WWII
At the beginning of WWII, the Netherlands
had approx. 400 licenced radio amateurs. Together with the naval marconists,
they belonged to the small group of people that were capable of giving and
taking 1 messages in morse code.
Because of the cameraderie and close friendships between the HAMs throughout
the country, many of them were recruted by one of the secret underground
movements. During the war, there were
three important clandestine resistance organisations:
Each of these organisations had its own clandestine radio service, 2
although the first two, OD and RVV, probably had the largest ones,
with direct links to the Dutch Government in exile in London.
The clandestine radio services were largely populated by HAMs, many of which
lost their lives when captured.
According to the VERON — the main Dutch amateur radio association —
about 60 licenced amateur radio operators (15%) were active in
resistance organisations,
21 of which lost their lives as a result of it, which is 5% of the total
number of amateurs in the country.
In telegraphist speak, the word 'giving' is commonly used for
'transmitting' or 'sending' messages in morse code,
whilst 'taking' is used for 'receiving' or 'reading' messages in
morse code.
There were overlaps. Some operators worked for more than one organisation.
United Kingdom
UK
RSGB
Radio Service of Great Britain
National amateur radio organisation of the United Kingdom (UK)
➤ RSGB website
United States
USA
ARRL
American Radio Relay League
National association for Amateur Radio in the United States of America (USA).
➤ ARRL website
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