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Getting on the air is what amateur radio is all about. Whether you are making your first nervous contact on a local repeater or chasing a rare DX station on the other side of the world, good operating practices make the experience enjoyable for everyone.
This section of the wiki covers the practical side of amateur radio — how to make contacts, which bands and modes to use, proper etiquette, and the many different ways operators get on the air.
Amateur radio spans a wide range of frequencies, each with different characteristics:
The HF bands are where long-distance communication happens. Signals on these frequencies can reflect off the ionosphere and travel hundreds or thousands of kilometres, making worldwide contacts possible with modest equipment. HF is home to SSB voice, CW (Morse code), and many digital modes.
VHF and UHF are primarily used for local and regional communication. Most new operators start here, using handheld or mobile radios on the 2-metre (144 MHz) and 70-centimetre (430 MHz) bands. Communication typically happens through repeaters or on simplex (direct radio-to-radio).
Advanced experimenters use microwave frequencies for point-to-point links, moonbounce (EME), and other specialized applications.
Amateur operators use several different methods to communicate:
Voice — The most common way to operate. Voice modes include FM (used on VHF/UHF repeaters), SSB (single sideband, the standard for HF voice), and AM (still used by enthusiasts on certain HF bands).
CW (Morse Code) — One of the oldest modes in amateur radio and still popular today. CW is efficient, works well with weak signals, and requires minimal equipment. A licence is no longer required to use CW in most countries, but many operators enjoy learning and using it.
Digital — A rapidly growing area. Modes like FT8, PSK31, RTTY, and JS8Call use a computer connected to a radio to send and receive data. Digital voice modes like DMR, D-STAR, and System Fusion use internet-linked networks for wide-area coverage on VHF/UHF.
A contact between two amateur stations is called a QSO. The QSO Basics page covers this in detail, but the essential flow is:
Good operating practices are essential to sharing the bands effectively:
Amateur radio offers a remarkable variety of operating styles:
| Activity | Description | Learn more |
|---|---|---|
| Ragchewing | Casual, extended conversations | QSO Basics |
| DXing | Contacting distant or rare stations | DX Operating |
| Contesting | Competitive events to make many contacts quickly | Contesting Overview |
| Net operations | Organized on-air meetings with a specific purpose | Net Operations |
| Portable operating | Setting up temporary stations outdoors (POTA, SOTA, etc.) | Portable Operating |
| Mobile operating | Operating from a vehicle | Mobile Operating |
| Maritime mobile | Operating from a boat or ship | Maritime Mobile |
| Emergency communications | Providing communications during disasters or events | EmComm Overview |
| Satellite | Communicating through amateur radio satellites | Satellites Overview |
Many operators keep a log of their contacts, either because it is required by regulation or simply because it is good practice. Modern logging software makes this easy and can automatically submit contacts for award programs and contest scoring. QSL cards — paper or electronic confirmations of contacts — remain a cherished tradition in the hobby.
If you are just getting started, these pages are a good next step: