11/09/06

Ham Radio Games for Kids!

What are some games that I can play to increase my interest in ham radio?

Using a shortwave radio, listen to ham radio stations on the frequencies listed below. Learn how they identify their station with it's call sign, listen to where they are located and how they share the frequency with others. The games I found the most fun were:

• SWL all US States; All bands combined or individual Bands

• SWL 100 Countries (foreign call signs); All bands combined or individual Bands

• SWL Counties in my own State; All bands combined or individual Bands

• SWL Counties in all US Sates; All bands combined or individual Bands

Take a US or World Map and hang it up near your radio or place it in a notebook. Each time you hear a unique station, put a pin in or record a dot on the map. Use different colored pins or ink to represent difference bands (frequencies) that were used to hear the station. Keep a journal with Date, Time, Station Call Sign, Frequency, Mode (SSB, CW, FM, AM) and Name/Location.

An example of a log is as follows:

What is the US Power and HF/MF bands (frequencies)?

US Amateur Transmitter Power Limits

At all times, transmitter power must be the minimum necessary to carry out the desired communications. Unless otherwise noted, the maximum power output is 1500 watts PEP. All classes are limited to 200 watts PEP in the 80, 40, and 15 meter Novice/Technician Plus subbands. Geographical power restrictions apply to the 70 cm, 33 cm and 23 cm bands.

US Amateur Bands

The US Amateur Bands can be printed by selecting this US BAND MAP, or you can view the frequencies listed in text form below:

160 Meters

General, Advanced, Amateur Extra licensees:

1.800-2.000 MHz: CW, Phone, Image, RTTY/Data

80 Meters

Novice and Technician Plus classes:

3.675-3.725 MHz: CW Only

General class:

3.525-3.750 MHz: CW, RTTY/Data
3.850-4.000 MHz: CW, Phone, Image

Advanced class:

3.525-3.750 MHz: CW, RTTY/Data
3.775-4.000 MHz: CW, Phone, Image

Amateur Extra class:

3.500-3.750 MHz: CW, RTTY/Data
3.750-4.000 MHz: CW, Phone, Image

60 Meters: Five Specific Channels

The FCC has granted hams secondary access on USB only to five discrete 2.8-kHz-wide channels. Amateurs can not cause inference to and must accept interference from the Primary Government users. The NTIA says that hams planning to operate on 60 meters "must assure that their signal is transmitted on the channel center frequency." This means that amateurs should set their carrier frequency 1.5 kHz lower than the channel center frequency.

Amateurs may use USB *only* with a maximum effective radiated power (ERP) of 50 W. Radiated power must not exceed the equivalent of 50 W PEP transmitter output power into an antenna with a gain of 0 dBd. For details, see the 60 Meter FAQ page.

40 Meters

Novice and Technician Plus classes:

7.100-7.150 MHz: CW Only

General class:

7.025-7.150 MHz: CW, RTTY/Data
7.225-7.300 MHz: CW, Phone, Image

Advanced class:

7.025-7.150 MHz: CW, RTTY/Data
7.150-7.300 MHz: CW, Phone, Image
 

Amateur Extra class:

7.000-7.150 MHz: CW, RTTY/Data
7.150-7.300 MHz: CW, Phone, Image

Note: Phone and Image modes are permitted between 7.075 and 7.100 MHz for FCC licensed stations in ITU Regions 1 and 3 and by FCC licensed stations in ITU Region 2 West of 130 degrees West longitude or south of 20 degrees North latitude. See Section 97.307(f)(11). Novice and Technician Plus licensees outside ITU Region 2 may use CW only between 7.050 and 7.075 MHz. See Section 97.301(e). These exemptions do not apply to stations in the continental US.

30 Meters

Maximum power, 200 watts PEP. Amateurs must avoid interference to the fixed service outside the US.

General, Advanced, Amateur Extra classes:

10.100-10.150 MHz: CW, RTTY/Data

20 Meters

General class:

14.025-14.150 MHz: CW, RTTY/Data
14.225-14.350 MHz: CW, Phone, Image

Advanced class:

14.025-14.150 MHz: CW, RTTY/Data
14.175-14.350 MHz: CW, Phone, Image

Amateur Extra class:

14.000-14.150 MHz: CW, RTTY/Data
14.150-14.350 MHz: CW, Phone, Image

17 Meters

General, Advanced, Amateur Extra classes:

18.068-18.110 MHz: CW, RTTY/Data
18.110-18.168 MHz: CW, Phone, Image

15 Meters

Novice and Technician Plus classes:

21.100-21.200 MHz: CW Only

General class:

21.025-21.200 MHz: CW, RTTY/Data
21.300-21.450 MHz: CW, Phone, Image

Advanced class:

21.025-21.200 MHz: CW, RTTY/Data
21.225-21.450 MHz: CW, Phone, Image

Amateur Extra class:

21.000-21.200 MHz: CW, RTTY/Data
21.200-21.450 MHz: CW, Phone, Image
 

12 Meters

General, Advanced, Amateur Extra classes:

24.890-24.930 MHz: CW, RTTY/Data
24.930-24.990 MHz: CW, Phone, Image
 

10 Meters

Novice and Technician Plus classes:

28.100-28.300 MHz: CW, RTTY/Data--Maximum power 200 watts PEP
28.300-28.500 MHz: CW, Phone--Maximum power 200 watts PEP

General, Advanced, Amateur Extra classes:

28.000-28.300 MHz: CW, RTTY/Data
28.300-29.700 MHz: CW, Phone, Image

6 Meters

All Amateurs except Novices:

50.0-50.1 MHz: CW Only
50.1-54.0 MHz: CW, Phone, Image, MCW, RTTY/Data