About...

Ham radio is steeped in tradition, legend, codes, and symbols. Some of the most frequently asked questions are, "Where did the word Ham come from?" "Where did the Q signals come from?" "Does SOS mean Save Our Ship?" "What's a Wouff Hong ?" On this page we answer these questions and more--including, "How did the ARRL get started?"There are also articles of events and people who not only influenced amateur radio but changed the world.

Amateur radio, often called Ham radio, is a hobby and public service enjoyed by about six million people[1] throughout the world. An amateur radio operator, also known as a ham or radio amateur, uses advanced radio equipment to communicate with other radio amateurs for public service, recreation and self-training.Amateur radio operators have personal wireless communications with friends, family members, and even complete strangers. They support the community with emergency and disaster communications. Increasing a person's knowledge of electronics and radio theory and radio contesting are also popular.