Amateur Radio and SDR

Aaron Poffenberger

2016-06-11 Sat

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Outline

1 Introduction

2 What is Amateur Radio?

3 Notable Accomplishments by Amateur Radio

4 A Few Radio Notes

5 Privileges – What Can a Ham Do?

6 Getting a License

7 Hardware – What Do I Need?

8 SDR

9 Conclusion

10 License and Credits

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Introduction - Background

Software developer17+ years professionally30+ otherwiseSecurity softwareDesign and implementsecure APIs

IT BackgroundBoeing AerospaceOperationsISP (dial-up land)Consulting

Software DevelopmentPentaSafe TechnologiesNetIQTheAnimenetwork.comBRS Labs

CISSP 2005+BSD userAmateur radio enthusiast

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What is Amateur Radio?

Radio service operated by amateurs, i.e. non-professionalNot for monetary gainTypically a real personClubs can organize for amateurs to work together

Amateur Radio ServiceEstablished by the International Telecommunications UnionRegulated by international agreement

Regulations implemented through harmonizing of laws bynational governments

Three regions:Region 1 (Europe, Middle East, CIS, Africa)Region 2 (Americas)Region 3 (South and East Asia, Pacific Ocean)

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When Did Amateur Radio Start?

Officially, early 1900sHowever, amateurs have operated since the beginning

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Why "Ham"?

Believed to have begun as pejorative because amateurs were"ham fisted" on their key (Morse Code)Adopted by amateurs as badge of honor

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Notable Accomplishments by Amateur Radio

One of the oldest radio associations in the world, AmericanRadio Relay League (ARRL)

Begun in 1914 by Hiram Percy Maxim

Numerous satellite launchesLed development of packet radioLong-distance transmitting around the world using various

Skip propagationMoonbounce (Earth-Moon-Earth EME)Meteor scatter

Development of Slow-Scan and Fast-Scan TelevisionShortwave radio equipment to send television images usingnormal voice bandwidth

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A Few Radio Notes

Mhz vs wavelength

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Privileges – What Can a Ham Do?

Transmit in numerous bandsDepends on license class

Transmit using various modes of communicationVoiceImageText and Data

Continuous Wave (CW) – Morse CodePacket RadioPhase-Shift KeyingSpread SpectrumDigital

Operate stations in other countriesIf reciprocal licensing in placeLimited by country laws, not US

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3 License classes in US:TechnicianGeneralAmateur Extra

Technician35-multiple-guess-question examNo Morse code requiredVoice privilegesVarious modes allowedLimited in high-frequency bands

General35-multiple-guess-question examAll privileges of TechnicianAccess to 83% of all amateur HF bands

Amateur Extra50-multiple-guess-question examAll privileges allowed to amateurs

License good for 10 yearsAaron Poffenberger Amateur Radio and SDR 2016-06-11 Sat 10 / 21

Renewal fee, no additional testing

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Hardware – What Do I Need?

Technically, nothing. . . but that’s no funA receiver, better than nothing, but still no funA transceiver. . . ahh

A handy talkie like the BaoFengA mobile rig – not (!!!!) a CBA portable rigA beast

Handy TalkiesBattery poweredTypically 1 to 3 bands (70 cm, 2 m, 6 m)1 to 5 watts100 or so memoriesDTMF keypad

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Hardware Other

AntennaAntenna tunerComputerSky’s the limit

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SDR

Software-Defined RadioReplaces purpose-specific circuits with general purposecomputing and software algorithms

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Getting Started

Shoot for Technician class license firstLearn some basic electronicsLearn how to use Ohm’s LawMemorize some band-plan information

Get a study guideARRL books very good helpfulNumerous online resourceshttp://hamexam.org

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Once You Pass

Get an inexpensive radioNo easier way to lose interest than to not have a radioBaoFeng handy talkies are cheap (~$35.00 on Amazon)

Look for a clubJoin ARRL

QST Magazine has tons of info and articles

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SDR

Get an RTL SDRAbout $20.00

Get a HackRF, BladeRF or AirSpyGet the software

rtl-sdrgqrxGNU Radio

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Questions

Questions - You have them, I may have answers

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Contact Details

Aaron Poffenbergerakp@hypernote.comhttp://akpoff.com@akpoffThis presentation, look for blog post on http://akpoff.comKG5DQJ

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Ham Radio Clubs and License Info

FCCARRLARRL Club FinderGordon WestHamExamQST

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Radio Gear

BaoFengHouston Amateur Radio SupplyIcomKenwoodMotorolaYaesu

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SDR People and Resources

rtl-sdrGreat Scott Gadgets

Michael OssmannHackRFYardStick

BladeRFAirSpy

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License and Credits

Copyright Aaron PoffenbergerAttribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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