Cheat Sheet
Ham Radio For Dummies
If you're interested in ham radio or have already joined the fun, make sure you know the frequency privileges of your license; ham radio Q signals; and ham radio repeater channel spacings and offsets. Keep your radio emergency frequencies handy — and if you need amateur radio information, a variety of Web sites are available.
Ham Radio Emergency-Frequency Reference Chart
Take steps to prepare yourself in case of an emergency, so you can communicate on your ham radio. Fill out the emergency frequencies and names of leaders in your area and keep this reference chart handy:
| Net or Activity | Name | Frequency | Times |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local Emergency Net | |||
| Local Emergency Net | |||
| State Emergency Net | |||
| Regional Service Net | |||
| Regional Service Net |
Ham Radio Frequency Privileges: Technician Class, General Class
A frequency privilege is the permission granted by your ham radio license to use a particular group of frequencies. Of the three ham radio licenses permitted today (General, Technician, and Amateur Extra), two class privileges are represented below:
Technician-class frequency privileges
A Technician-class license (Tech license) is how nearly every ham starts. The Tech-licensee is granted access to all 17 ham bands with 50 MHz or higher frequencies.
| Band | Frequencies (In MHz) | Mode | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 80 Meters | 3.525 - 3.600 | CW | 200-watt limit |
| 40 Meters | 7.025 - 7.125 | CW | 200-watt limit |
| 15 Meters | 21.025 - 21.200 | CW | 200-watt limit |
| 10 Meters | 28.100 - 28.300 | CW, RTTY, Data | 200-watt limit |
| 28.300 - 28.500 | CW, Phone, Image | 200-watt limit | |
| Above 50 MHz | All amateur privileges |
General-class frequency privileges
A general-class license makes all the important frequencies on the HF bands available:
| Band | Frequencies (in MHz) | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| 160, 60, 30 Meters | All amateur privileges | |
| 80 Meters | 3.525 - 3.600 | CW, RTTY, Data |
| 3.800 - 4.000 | CW, Phone, Image | |
| 40 Meters | 7.025 - 7.125 | CW, RTTY, Data |
| 7.175 - 7.300 | CW, Phone, Image | |
| 20 Meters | 14.025 - 14.150 | CW, RTTY, Data |
| 14.225 - 14.350 | CW, Phone, Image | |
| 15 Meters | 21.025 - 21.200 | CW, RTTY, Data |
| 21.275 - 21.450 | CW, Phone, Image | |
| 17, 12, 10 Meters | All amateur privileges | |
| Above 50 MHz | All amateur privileges |
Ham Radio Q Signals
Amateur ham radio operators use Q signals (or Q codes) as shorthand to speed up non-voice communication. Each Q signal represents information: advice, an answer, or a call for action. You turn the signal into a question by adding a question mark right after the Q signal. This list of common Q signals shows the meanings of the codes as they'd appear with and without a question mark:
| Q Signal | Meaning |
|---|---|
| QRL | Is the frequency busy? The frequency is busy. Please do not interfere. |
| QRM | Abbreviation for interference from other signals. |
| QRN | Abbreviation for interference from natural or man-made static. |
| QRO | Shall I increase power? Increase power. |
| QRP | Shall I decrease power? Decrease power. |
| QRQ | Shall I send faster? Send faster (WPM). |
| QRS | Shall I send more slowly? Send more slowly (__WPM). |
| QRT | Shall I stop sending? Stop sending. |
| QRU | Have you anything more for me? I have nothing more for you. |
| QRV | Are you ready? I am ready. |
| QRX | Standby. |
| QRZ | Who is calling me? |
| QSB | Abbreviation for signal fading. |
| QSL | Received and understood. |
| QSO | Abbreviation for a contact. |
| QST | General call preceding a message addressed to all amateurs. |
| QSX | I am listening on ___ kHz. |
| QSY | Change to transmission on another frequency (or to ___ kHz). |
| QTH | What is your location? My location is ____. |
Common Ham Radio Repeater Channel Spacings and Offsets
A ham radio repeater station is an amateur station that retransmits the signals of other stations. The difference between the repeaters' input frequency (the frequency for listening for your signal) and the output frequency (the frequency you listen to) is called the repeater offset. The combination of the two is the repeater pair. Each input or output channel is separated by the same frequency, the channel spacing, so each pair leapfrogs its neighbor.
This list shows the most common output frequencies and repeater offsets to try.
| Band | Output Frequencies of Each Group (In MHz) | Offset from Output to Input Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| 6-meters | 51.62 - 51.98 | - 500 kHz |
| 52.5 - 52.98 | ||
| 53.5 - 53.98 | ||
| 2-meters (there is a mix of 20 and 15 kHz channel spacing) | 145.2 - 145.5 | - 600 kHz |
| 146.61 - 147.00 | - 600 kHz | |
| 147.00 - 147.39 | + 600 kHz | |
| 220 MHz | 223.85 - 224.98 | - 1.6 MHz |
| 440 MHz (local options determine whether inputs are above or below outputs) | 442 - 445 (California repeaters start at 440 MHz) | + 5 MHz |
| 447 - 450 | - 5 MHz | |
| 1296 MHz | 1282 -1288 | - 12 MHz |
Useful Ham Radio Web Sites
Ham radio users can tap into an abundance of online information from a variety of Web sites. These amateur-radio Web sites have details about ham radio contests, equipment, technical information, and tips on operating a ham radio.
| URL | Organization and Use |
|---|---|
| www.arrl.org | American Radio Relay League (ARRL): Many useful regulatory, educational, operating, and technical items and links |
| www.ac6v.com | General-interest Web site with many links on all phases of ham radio |
| www.qrz.com | Call sign lookup service and general-interest ham radio portal |
| www.eham.net | News, articles, equipment swap-and-shop, product reviews, mailing lists |
| www.hfradio.org/propagation.html | Real-time information on propagation and solar data |
| www.tapr.org | Tucson Amateur Packet Radio: Information on all popular digital data modes |
| www.amsat.org | Radio Amateur Satellite Corp: Main site for information on amateur satellites |
| www.hornucopia.com/contestcal | Contest calendar and log due dates |
| www.arrl.org/tis/ | ARRL Technical Information Service: Technical articles, literature, and vendor searches |
