Two-Way Radios and Scanners for Dummies - H Ward Silver

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Résumé :
Discover a fun new hobby with helpful possibilities

Get directions, talk to folks overseas, or find out whether the fish are biting

Want to check out the morning news in London, help out in emergencies, or tune in to the big race? Two-way radios open up a world of possibilities - literally. This handy guide tells you about the equipment you need, fills you in on radio etiquette, shows you how to stay legal, and gives you lots of cool ideas for family-friendly radio activities.

Discover how to
* Use the right radio lingo
* Choose and operate different types of radios
* Get a license if you need one
* Communicate in emergencies
* Program a scanner
* Tune in to sporting events...

Biographie:
H. Ward Silver has experienced a 20-year career as an electrical engineer developing instrumentation and medical electronics. He also spent 8 years in broadcasting, both programming and engineering. In 2000, he turned to teaching and writing as a second career, producing Ham Radios For Dummies in 2004. He supports Seattle University's Electrical and Computer Engineering Department in laboratory instruction. He is an avid Amateur Radio operator, Extra Class, first licensed in 1972. Each month, his columns and articles can be found in the national ham radio magazine, QST, published by the American Radio Relay League (ARRL). He is the author of the ARRL's online courses in Antenna Design and Construction, Analog Electronics, and Digital Electronics. When not in front of a computer screen, you will find him working on his mandolin technique and compositions....

Sommaire:

?Introduction 1

About This Book 1

What You're Not to Read 2

Foolish Assumptions 2

How This Book Is Organized 3

Part I: Making Radio a Hobby, a Habit, or a Helper 3

Part II: Two-Way Radios at Home, Work, and Play 3

Part III: Listening In: Scanning and Shortwave Listening 3

Part IV: Getting Technical with Your Radio 4

Part V: The Part of Tens 4

Appendix 4

Conventions Used in This Book 4

Where to Go From Here 5

Part I: Making Radio a Habit, a Hobby, or a Helper 7

Chapter 1: Introducing Radios and the Wireless World 9

Understanding How Radios Fit into a Wireless World 10

Radios, PCs, and phones - Oh, my! 10

Why get enthusiastic about radio? 11

Communicating person to person 11

Communicating in an emergency 13

Using your radio for fun 14

Putting radios to work 14

Introducing Radio's Unique (And Magical) Forms 15

What You Can Do with a Radio 16

Roger: Sharing information 17

Using your radio at work 17

Listening in with a scanner 18

Chasing broadcasts 19

Knowing Radio Rules and Regulations 19

Getting Training (If You Need To) 20

Books and videos 20

Online training 21

In-person training 21

You, Too, Can Build and Fix Your Own Radio 21

Limitations on opening the hood 21

Kits and homebrewing 22

Chapter 2: Discovering the Art and Science of Radio 25

Doing the Wave: How Radio Waves Work 25

Introducing frequency 25

Measuring frequency across the spectrum 26

Understanding wavelengths 28

Getting From Here to There: Propagation 30

Signals on the ground and in the sky 30

Reflections 31

The weather, the sun, and the seasons 32

What You Hear Is What You Get: Modulation 33

Amplitude modulation (AM) 34

Frequency modulation (FM) 35

Terms of Endearment: Using the Language of Radio 35

Understanding controls and features 36

The antenna 36

The contact 37

Chapter 3: Making Radio Fit Your Life 39

Seeing What Makes Radio Services and Allocations Different 40

Characterizing services by frequency and modulation 40

Characterizing services based on equipment limitations 42

Comparing Two-Way Radio Services 43

Choosing Between the Services 45

Buying Equipment to Fit Your Budget 45

Getting a License When You Need To 46

Who made them king? - The FCC 46

Registering with the FCC online 47

Accessing the ULS and applying for a new license 48

Coloring Inside the Lines: Basic Rules 50

Broadcasting (one-way transmissions) 51

Identifying your station 51

Recognizing power and antenna limits 51

Modifying your radio 51

Avoiding naughty talk 52

Where to Find All the Rules and Regulations 52

Part II: Two-Way Radios at Home, Work, and Play 53

Chapter 4: A Radio in Your Pocket: FRS/GMRS Radios 55

Introducing the FRS and GMRS Services 55

Getting a GMRS License 57

Understanding Basic Radio Features 59

Operating controls 60

Indicators 61

Introducing privacy codes 62

Rings and beeps 64

Table of Contents ix

Basic Operating Skills 64

Holding the radio correctly 65

Using a PTT radio 65

Learning how to speak 66

Using a headset 67

Scanning 67

Using call signs 67

Participating in public communications 68

Using Your Radio at Public Events and Places 68

Using Your Radio in the Great Outdoors 69

Maximizing Your Range 71

Repea...