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Explains what amateur radio entails, detailing its dual role as a hobby and a public service, enabling communication among licensed operators using diverse radio equipment for self-training, recreation, and public service. It clarifies that ham radio operators require a government license, regulated globally by the ITU via the IARU, and outlines the privileges and responsibilities that come with operating an amateur radio station, including restrictions against commercial use and broadcasting to the general public. The resource then enumerates various activities hams engage in, such as worldwide HF communication, local VHF/UHF contacts, QRP operation, Packet Radio, Amateur Television, Slow Scan TV, contesting, and satellite communications. It also covers emergency and volunteer services, traffic handling, and the process of becoming a licensed amateur radio operator in the United States, mentioning local clubs, Elmers, and self-study as preparation methods for the FCC multiple-choice test.

The Voice of America (VOA) website serves as a primary digital platform for its international news and information services, broadcasting in 44 languages. The resource presents a wide array of current events, geopolitical analyses, and cultural reports, reflecting a global perspective on news originating from the United States. Content spans various regions, including Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and specific country-focused reports from VOA's language services, such as VOA Uzbek, VOA Kurdish, and VOA Russian. The site features top stories, special reports, and sections like "All About America" and "VOA Explains," providing in-depth context on US-related topics and global issues. The VOA platform offers a continuous stream of updated news articles, covering political developments like government shutdowns, diplomatic relations, and international conflicts, alongside social and economic issues. It also includes sections for "Worth Watching" videos and "From VOA's Language Services," highlighting the breadth of its multimedia output. The content is designed to inform a worldwide audience, often presenting multiple perspectives on complex international events and US foreign policy, making it a significant reference for those monitoring global news and shortwave broadcast content.

Aspiring radio amateurs in the United Kingdom preparing for their licensing examinations can utilize this resource, which offers mock exam questions covering the Foundation, Intermediate, and Advanced license levels. The site provides access to question pools, including associated images, designed for use with _Moodle_ learning management systems requiring PHP and MySQL. These question sets are available for non-commercial deployment by UK amateur radio clubs and organizations, facilitating local training initiatives. The original online mock test service ceased operations in August 2018 due to maintenance overhead. The current iteration serves as a repository, allowing other organizations to download the question databases. This approach enables broader access to the exam preparation material, supporting the UK amateur radio community in achieving licensing qualifications. The resource does not offer direct online testing but directs users to other sites, such as _Radio Tutor_, that implement these question banks.

This resource, a blog from the Penang Amateur Radio Club (PARC), offers insights into various aspects of amateur radio in Malaysia. One post details monitoring Automatic Terminal Information Service (ATIS) on the 2m band, providing specific frequencies like 122.750 MHz AM for Butterworth and 126.400 MHz AM for Penang, along with sample aviation weather and operational data. Another entry critiques the lengthy and costly process of obtaining an amateur radio license in Malaysia, contrasting it with the more streamlined FCC licensing system in the United States, citing a 1-year wait and RM 414 (USD 125) for 10 years in Malaysia versus 3 weeks and USD 14 for 10 years in the US. The blog also covers internal club matters, such as the 2007 Annual General Meeting (AGM) attendance and council elections, highlighting member dissatisfaction with outdated newsletters and a call for "reformasi." Additionally, it presents local phonetic alphabets in Bahasa Malaysia and Chinese, and discusses monitoring AM broadcast bands for international stations like Voice of America on 1575 kHz and Zhong Yang Ren Min Guang Bo Dian Tai on 1134 kHz, offering alternatives to local 2m repeater chatter. The author, "firstclass," shares personal observations and criticisms regarding the Malaysian ham radio landscape.

Appendix 42 to the Radio Regulations, published by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), serves as the authoritative global reference for assigning call sign series to countries. This essential resource allows radio operators, including those in the amateur service, to accurately identify the national origin of a station based on its callsign prefix. It is fundamental for DXers, contesters, and anyone involved in international two-way radio communication, ensuring correct country identification for awards like _DXCC_. The table details the specific blocks of call signs allocated to each administration, facilitating the unambiguous determination of a station's geographical location. For instance, prefixes like K, W, N, and AA-AL are assigned to the United States, while G and M series denote the United Kingdom. Understanding these allocations is crucial for logging contacts and verifying QSLs. This ITU publication is regularly updated to reflect changes in national assignments and new allocations, maintaining its accuracy as the definitive source for call sign series worldwide. It underpins the global framework of radio communication.

This page provides updated data and statistics about United States amateur radio operators, including historical totals, demographics, and geographic distributions. It also explains the Amateur Radio Service, highlighting its role in promoting wireless communication and technological advancements. The page is a valuable resource for hams interested in understanding the current landscape of amateur radio in the United States.