Getting started

What is amateur radio?

Amateur radio is a popular technical hobby and volunteer public service that uses designated radio frequencies for the non-commercial exchange of messages, wireless experimentation, self-training, and emergency communications

Amateur Radio: an introduction

To become a radio amateur, licensed to transmit, you will need a brief period of study, and to pass a simple practical and theory examination

First steps

In this section we look at your first steps into the hobby - working other local hams, getting contacts from further afield, and a brief introduction to some of the main HF bands

RadCom Basics

The aim of this bi-monthly newsletter is to help RSGB members progress with their hobby by answering all those niggling questions that you might have

New to amateur radio? From training to licensing, to setting up your equipment for the first time, it’s all covered here. Plus if you’re a member, you can read the latest edition of our popular New Starters Newsletter, along with all the previous issues