Radio Merit Badge Boy Scouts of America Key Topics in This Module Module 1 - Radio Basics BSA National Radio Scouting Committee 2012 1 - What is Radio? 1a,1b - Types of Radio Services 1c - Radio Call Signs & Identification 1d - The Phonetic Alphabet 2a - Radio Wave Propagation, WWV & WWVH 2b - The FCC & ITU 3a - The Electromagnetic Spectrum What Is Radio? Where Radio is used Electronic communication from one location to another without wires 1920s-era Radio Receiver Radio is used in: broadcast receivers two way radios televisions cellular telephones wireless LANs garage door openers car locks EZPass satellites pagers radar microwave ovens etc, etc Broadcast Radio Broadcast - One-way transmissions to the public Could be commercial (music, news, sports with advertisements) or non-commercial (National Public Radio, school radio stations, Voice of America) Two-Way Communications Two Way Radios both send (transmit) and receive messages walkie-talkies Amateur Radio cell phones fire and police aviation ships military, etc 1
Amateur Radio Why Amateur Radio? A volunteer non-commercial radio service devoted to educational, recreational and emergency purposes HAM Radio Hobby Radio A place to learn about radio! Called the Amateur Radio Service because it can t be used for profit An important part of disaster response A lot of fun! Radio Call Signs US Call Signs Call Signs are identification They show you have a license to transmit Broadcast Call Signs WHO, KDKA, KORA, WNBC Ham Call Signs WW3Y, KB3BOY, VR2DK, 9N1MM, JA1ABC A92EB/OZ, G4RZC/MM All ham call signs contain a number Every US station has a call sign issued by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Broadcast call signs begin with K or W KXAS WBAP Amateur call signs begin with A, K, N or W Special Event Amateur call signs Amateur Radio Call Signs Phonetic Alphabet Alfa AL fah Bravo BRAH VOH Charlie CHAR lee Delta DELL tah Echo ECK oh Foxtrot FOX trot Golf GOLF Hotel hoh TELL India IN dee ah Juliet JEW lee ETT Kilo KEY loh Lima LEE mah Mike MIKE November no VEM ber Oscar OSS cah Papa pah pah Quebec keh BECK Romeo ROW me oh Sierra see AIR rah Tango TANG go Uniform YOU nee form Victor VIK ter Whiskey WISS key X-Ray ECKS RAY Yankee YANG kee Zulu ZOO loo Example: My name is Tom tango, oscar, mike Tom 2
How High Frequency (HF) Radio Waves Travel (Propagation) How VHF & UHF Radio Waves Travel - Line of Sight Ground Wave Sky Wave Ionosphere Skip Local DX Ionosphere (80 km) Sky Waves Skip Zone Requirement 2 Radio Station WWV Regulation of Radio Transmits on standard frequencies If you can hear WWV, the HF bands are open 25, 5, 10, 15 and 20 Mhz Fort Collins, CO ITU International Telecommunications Union Meets every few years Sets International Frequency assignments Assigns prefixes to countries FCC Federal Communication Commission Set Frequency Assignments in US Issues Licenses & Call Signs in US Enforces Radio Laws in US Requirement 2 Requirement 2 So, what frequencies are assigned to whom? The Electromagnetic Spectrum AM Broadcast Radio FM Broadcast Radio Short Wave Broadcast Television Broadcast CB Radio Police Radio Amateur Radio 540-1600 khz 88-108 MHz 5-22 MHz Channel 2 = 54-60 MHz 27 MHz 450-470 MHz 35, 75, 10, 15, 20, 30, 50, 150 MHz 80, 40, 30, 20, 15, 10, 6, 2 meters Freq=C/meters C=300,000,000 or Freq (MHz)= 300/meters Requirement 3 Sound Long Radio Wavelengths Frequency - Measured in Hertz (kilohertz, megahertz, gigahertz) Wavelength Measured in meters (cm) Short Radio Wavelengths Microwaves 3
The Electromagnetic Spectrum Medium Frequency (MF) DRAW the Electromagnetic Spectrum MF Marine AM Broadcast Marine / Navigation High Frequency (HF) 300 Khz 3 Mhz HF International Shortwave Broadcast 10m Ham Very High Frequency (VHF) 3 Mhz VHF 30 Mhz 6m Ham TV FM Broadcast Air VHF Ham P/F T V Ultra High Frequency (UHF) 30 Mhz UHF UHF Ham TV Cellular Police/Fire WiFi 300 Mhz 300 Mhz 3 Ghz Requirement 3 Radio Merit Badge Boy Scouts of America Module 2 Electronics, Safety & Careers BSA National Radio Scouting Committee2012 Key Topics in This Module 4 How Radio Carries Information 5a Radio Schematic Diagrams 5a, 5b Radio Block Diagrams 5c Types of Electrical Circuits 5d Electronic Components & Symbols 6 Radio Safety 8 Careers in Radio How Do Radio Waves Carry Sounds or Information? FM Continuous Wave (CW) The Oldest Digital Mode Works by simply turning the transmitter on and off in a pattern called Morse Code AM PM Requirement 4 Requirement 4 4
Modern Components Older Components Requirement 5d Requirement 5d Record These In Your Workbook Properties Conductors & Insulators Resistor opposes or resists current flow measured in ohms Capacitor stores energy in electric field measured in farads Inductor stores energy in a magnetic field measured in henries Conductors conduct (carry) electricity Most metals (gold, silver, aluminum, copper) Many liquids (water) Insulators insulate (don t carry) electricity Air Most rubbers and plastics Most ceramics Wood and cloth (when dry and at low voltage) Types of Electrical Current Basic Electrical Terms Direct Current (DC) flows only one direction; produced by battery Alternating Current (AC) flows in first one direction then another; found in our home electrical outlets Voltage electrical pressure (volts) Current the flow of electricity through a circuit (amps) Power the ability to do work (watts) 5
Block Diagram vs Schematic Schematic Symbols Represent Individual Electronic Parts ( Components ) Input Pre Amp Radio Transmitter RF Oscillator Carrier Signal Final Amp Audio Modulated Signal RF Signal Mixer Output Block Diagram: Outlines the various functions within an electronic device Fuse Battery Resistor Contains a thin wire which is made to melt which protects the rest of the circuit from damage if there is too much current from a short circuit Stores electric energy Resists the flow of electric current, reducing its flow Schematic Diagram: Uses standard electrical symbols to describe an electrical circuit in detail + Switch 120 ohm 3V LED flashlight Variable resistor Earth ground Chassis ground Like a regular resistor, but adjustable For example, the volume knob on your stereo A connection between the equipment (radio) and the earth, usually through a copper pipe driven into the soil A connection of the negative side of the electronic circuit to the chassis, or steel frame, of the equipment Requirement 5 Schematic Symbols (cont) Draw Schematic Symbols In Your Workbook Schematic Symbols Capacitor Gets and stores an electric charge Lets alternating current (AC - like in your house) flow but stops direct current (DC - like from a battery) + Variable capacitor NPN transistor Same as a regular capacitor, but adjustable Amplifies a current Battery Capacitor Inductor Transformer Resistor SPST Switch Light-Emitting Diode PNP transistor Inductor Amplifies a current Also called a choke or coil, it works the opposite of a capacitor It lets DC flow but stops AC Earth Ground Variable Resistor (Potentiometer) Variable Capacitor Circuit Ground Transistor Diode Tube A vacuum tube made of glass with wire filaments inside Amplifies a current It has been replaced by transistors in most home equipment, but is still found in some high power radio transmitters Requirement 5 How Radios Send and Receive Information Microphone Takes in Audio or Digital signal input Transmitter Creates an RF carrier Modulates the carrier Receiver Receives a radio signal Demodulates the carrier Transceiver Both a transmitter and receiver in one box Amplifier Increases RF signal power Tuner Matches transmitter to antenna Feed line Provides path to antenna Antenna Radiates the RF signal Key or Paddle For sending Morse code TNC (Terminal Node Controller) A computers Radio Modem Microphone Transceiver Amplifier Tuner Key/Paddle TNC Computer Requirement 4 Detailed Block Diagram Shows how the radio works Requirement 5 6
Types of Electrical Circuits Safety With RF Energy Closed Circuit Circuit is complete Electricity flows like it should Open Circuit Circuit is incomplete Electricity doesn t flow Short Circuit Circuit is complete through an unplanned shortcut Electricity flows where it shouldn t! Dangerous parts can get hot, start fires or even explode! + + 3V 3V S1 S1 Current Flow LED flashlight Current Flow LED flashlight Fuse 120 ohm 120 ohm On Off Requirement 5 Never operate radios with the cover off The case keeps the RF radiation in Exposure to high levels of RF can cause burns and cancer Human eyes especially sensitive to RF Keep antennas out of reach Hams required to conduct a routine station evaluation to verify safe operation Usually done by consulting a chart Radio Safety Antennas & Towers Make sure the power is disconnected before working Electric shock can hurt or kill Even with the power off, some parts inside the radio can hold a dangerous charge If you don't know what you are doing, get help Disconnect radios when not in use Connect antennas to ground when not in use Requirement 6 Make sure antennas cannot touch power lines you could be electrocuted when using the radio NEVER OVER or UNDER power lines Where they could fall on a power line in any direction Where a person could touch the antenna Be careful working on towers and roofs You could fall or hurt someone on the ground Grounding Safety With Electricity AC Outlet Grounding Ground wire connected to house wiring Equipment uses 3 prong plugs to ground equipment case If wire inside touches case, house circuit breaker is opened Direct Current Grounding Hams add another ground rod and connect all of their station equipment cases to it as well Provides additional safety and grounds any stray RF Antenna Grounding Use lightning protectors where antennas enter the house These bleed off static electricity No protection to a direct strike Requirement 6 Minimum fatal voltage 30 volts Minimum fatal current if passed through the human heart 1/10 th of an amp Power lines are un-insulated and carry thousands of volts never touch them! 7
Radio Careers Education for Radio Careers Broadcasting Announcer/Personality Station Manager/Program Director/ Music Director Technical Radio Engineer Radio Technician Cellular Phone Technician Operators Public Safety Dispatcher Military Radio Operator Most jobs require high school diploma Colleges offer courses in broadcasting and communications Gain broadcasting experience at college radio stations Radio technicians attend trade schools or community colleges Radio engineers study electrical engineering at college Organizations such as APCO and NARTE offer radio licensing training courses and certifications Requirement 8 Requirement 8 Radio Merit Badge Boy Scouts of America Module 3 Amateur Radio BSA National Radio Scouting Committee 2012 Key Topics in This Module 9a(1) Why does the FCC have an Amateur Radio Service? 9a(1) Amateur Radio Activities 9a(2) Real / Simulated Radio Contact 9a(3) Q Signals & Abbreviations 9a(4) Amateur Radio Licenses 9a(5) Emergency Procedures 9a(6) Types of Amateur stations 9a(6) Repeaters NOAA Weather Radio Why does the FCC have an Amateur Radio Service? Amateur Radio Activities 1 Volunteer service - (community service and disaster help) A Scout does a good turn daily - here's another way International goodwill - A great way to talk to people in far away lands Experimentation - If you want, you can build your own radio equipment, and many hams build their own antennas Some hams have come up with new inventions, such as FM, SSB, Packet Radio, Automatic Position Reporting Systems Communication skills - Because only one person can talk at a time, you learn how to listen! Self-training - You can learn by doing DX Many hams talk to other hams around the world They can collect QSL cards (postcards) to prove they did it (Collect countries!) It's a great way to have fun and learn about geography Contests Held many weekends to contact as many people from a certain place or in a certain way Packet radio Some hams hook computers to radios to send electronic messages Rather like wireless e-mail Requirement 9 a (1) Requirement 9 a (1) 8
Amateur Radio Activities 2 Amateur Radio Activities 3 Camping Communications are easy even in the backcountry Can summon help or report back how things are going Fox hunting (Radio Direction Finding) Used to locate: Hidden transmitters Tagged wildlife Downed aircraft Life rafts Stolen cars Jamboree On The Air (JOTA) is the third weekend every October when Scouts all over the world talk to each other on ham radio Requirement 9 a (1) Public Service At parades & special events From small carnivals all the way to the Tournament of Roses Parade Ham radio operators are often the best to help with communication at large community events Disasters Hams are often called on to help during fires, floods, earthquakes, and other disasters At these times, telephone lines and cell phone sites are often damaged or overloaded, Ham radio is the only reliable communication Skywarn National Weather Service uses Hams to report severe weather Requirement 9 a (1) Q Signals and Amateur Terms Licensing QRM Man-made interference QRN Natural noise or interference QRP Low Power (< five watts) QRS Slow down Morse code speed QRT Quitting - off the air QSB Signal is fading QSL Acknowledge receipt (card) QSO Conversation ("cue-so") QSY Change frequency QTH Location (think H for Home) Log Record of QSOs Morse code (means Continuous Wave) CW DX Distant (foreign stations) CQ Calling any station ("seek you") OM Old man (male ham) YL Young lady (female ham) Rig Radio Shack Room the radio is in HI Laugh in Morse code 73, 88 Best regards, love and kisses Requirement 9 a (3) License required to transmit, but not to receive Tests given by volunteer examiners No age limit No distance limit Amateur Radio License Classes Amateur Radio License Classes Technician Class Starter license Simple 35 question multiple-choice written test All privileges above 30 MHz (VHF, UHF) Mostly line-of-sight (but includes repeaters and satellites) General Class Standard license Additional 35 question multiple-choice test Adds HF (long distance) Extra Class Highest class of license Detailed 50 question Radio Theory Test A few more HF frequencies Short Call Sign Requirement 9 a (4) Requirement 9 a (4) 9
Sending Out An Emergency Call - Voice Emergency Radio Calls You may use any radio at any time to get help during an emergency Break Break followed by your call sign to interrupt a radio conversation in progress Mayday Mayday Mayday followed by your call sign to call on a clear frequency "MAYDAY" is the international word for requesting help by radio In the US, "EMERGENCY works too In Morse code, send SOS ( _ ) slowly Speak clearly and give complete information Similar to a 911 telephone call Give detailed location of the emergency The person helping you on the radio may be in another state or even in another country! Just because you have a radio doesn't mean someone will be able to hear you You might have to climb higher up a hill FRS radios and cell phones have less power than ham radios Requirement 9 a (5) Ham Radio Station Types Types of Radios - Handhelds Handheld Transceivers (HT): Small, light, portable, but not much power Some can fit in your pocket Using repeaters, they can be quite useful, and they can go on your hike easily Base Station Transceivers : Permanent station in a building More power, easier to use, more features Mobile Transceivers : Permanent station in a vehicle More power That HT antenna doesn't work well inside a metal car Bands VHF / UHF Power Up to 5 watts Range 1 to 5 miles without repeater, much more with repeater Repeaters: Located on high points (Mountains, tall buildings, satellites) to automatically relay signals Some have connections to the telephone system or the internet Which kind of radio is best? It depends on what you want to do You wouldn t backpack with a heavy base station radio, but that base station radio will let you talk farther when you are at home Price $100 to $350 Single Band or Dual Band Types of Radios Mobiles Types of Radios Base Station Single Band Bands VHF / UHF Power Up to 50 watts Range 5 to 10 miles without repeater, much more with repeater Price $150 to $500 Dual Band Bands HF (Sometimes VHF / UHF also) Power Usually 100 watts Range Worldwide Price $700 to $10,000 10
Family Radio Service (FRS) Get On The Air For Free With Echolink FRS is a radio service in the UHF band for use by the general public 14 channels ½ watt of output power Range limited to couple of miles line-of-sight No license required General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) 22 channels higher output power Range up to 10 miles, line of sight License required Free software lets you link into distant repeater towers over an internet connection Only a computer, headset and internet connection required This is called VoIP communications wwwecholinkorg Repeaters Receive on one frequency and transmit on another Usually in the VHF and UHF bands Allow much longer range for small radios Located on mountains, towers, buildings and in space 14607 MHz Input 14667 MHz Output Repeater 14607 MHz Input 14667 MHz Output NOAA Weather Radio Continuous Weather Forecasts & Warnings 16255, 162475, 16240, 16245, 16250 MHz Essential for boating, hiking and camping Most Ham radios can also receive this Special SAME (Specific Area Alert Encoding) receivers actually turn themselves on when a warning is sent for your county! 11