Things to do with amateur radio

What operators actually do, from contests to satellites to hunting for hidden transmitters.

Everyday operating

The core of the hobby.

RagchewingConversation as a hobby.NetsScheduled on-air gatherings.DXingChasing distant stations.DX etiquette and split operationWorking a pile-up.ContestingTimed competitions: rules, strategy and scoring.Awards and certificatesDXCC, WAS, WAC and more.Logging and contest softwareKeeping track and avoiding dupes.

Portable and outdoors

Taking the station outside.

Parks on the AirOperating from parks and activating them.Summits on the AirRadio on mountaintops.Field DayThe annual emergency-readiness exercise.Special events, IOTA and lighthousesTemporary stations and award programs.Mobile and maritime mobileOperating on the move.

Space and the sky

Operating through and off things in orbit.

Amateur satellitesOrbiting repeaters and transponders.Working satellitesTracking, Doppler and a pass.ISS and ARISSTalking to astronauts.EME (moonbounce)Reflecting signals off the Moon.High-altitude balloonsHam radio payloads in the stratosphere.Radio astronomy and solar monitoringListening to the sky.

Weak-signal and microwaves

Pushing detection and distance records.

Weak-signal VHF/UHFSSB, CW and digital at the edge of detection.Six meters: the magic bandSporadic E and openings on 50 MHz.Microwave operating1.2 GHz and up.LF and MF experimenting2200 m and 630 m.

Direction finding

Finding where a signal is coming from.

Radio direction finding basicsBearings, triangulation and null techniques.Fox hunting and ARDFCompetitive transmitter hunting.

Experimenting and technology

Where radio meets computing.

AREDN and mesh networksHigh-speed data on amateur spectrum.SDR listeningRTL-SDR and software radios as receivers.Raspberry Pi and Arduino projectsComputing for radio.Remote stationsOperating a station over the internet.