Ham

Radio
How To Set Up A Ham Radio
















All photos used in this book, including the cover photo were made available under a
Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0) and sourced from Flickr.

Table of content
Introduction 3
Chapter 1. Equipment, and safety precautions 5
Chapter 2. Necessary hand tools and soldering equipment needed for setting up, running and maintaining your Ham
radio 8

Chapter 3. Setting up your Ham Station 12

Chapter 4. Setting up your Ham Radio station for HF (High Frequency) use 19
Chapter 5. Other helpful tips for Ham Radio success 21
Conclusion 23

Introduction

Having the basic knowledge of Ham radio can help you get on air and start having fun.
Thousands of new ham radios are springing up on daily basis, from different countries of
the world, and you can start off your own, with little or no training, education and
background in operating such a radio. Ham radio can be technical, and knowing some
little bits of electronics, and simple laws of physics can help.

Starting a Ham radio of your own is not a rocket science, just follow some simple steps
and you will be on air having fun. If you dont have education or background in elements
of ham radio, you may be referred to as an appliance operator with a license, and that
means you are a newbie, but you can still operate a ham radio, therefore you must not be
mad when the older and more experience ham radio operators refer to you as appliance
operator.

To become a good ham radio operator, you need to learn something new on daily basis as
your ham radio goes into full operation. You dont have to be overwhelmed by what you
are about to do, this book is a comprehensive guide that will lead you through to success.

In order to get your Ham radio started , you need to familiarize yourself with basic safety
precautions, equipment and tools. Most ham radio operators start with the technician class
license, and this license opens the door to most types of Ham radios. With this license ,
you have an operator license that covers 6 meter ham band. This license also gives you
some limited privileges on some high frequency (HF) bands including the CW privileges
on 15, 40, and 80 meters. You will also get some CW and Voice privileges on a portion of
the 10 meter ham band.
As a beginner you may be advised to start on a 6 meter HF, or on lower frequency Ham
bands.

Chapter 1. Equipment, and safety precautions

Most new Ham radio operators begin with 2 meter Ham station and this comprises of a
small radio transceiver, SWR/power meter, a power source or supply, A coax that leads
externally to the antenna and the connecting cables that run through each piece of
equipment , as well as the station ground where the ham station is set upon. Do not forget
that you need a comfortable chair, a writing pen and pad.

The first thing to do is to familiarize with your ham radio equipment and tools. These
should include everything from the antenna, everything on your desk, and the transceiver
button, knobs and switches. It is important to memorize the functions of each component,
then you will be ready to get the ham station on air. Having adequate planning for
everything will help you get use to the functions of the equipment.

When setting up your ham station, your last step is tuning the antenna but before then ,
you need to find the best position or location for it, but dont mount it at its final position
yet, because it will require some adjustments later on. Make sure the antenna is tuned to
the required instructions that come with it, before transmitting. Make sure you have an
SWR meter; it will help you check all information needed to ensure that your equipment
are in order.

In addition to the reading of the SWR meter, you will have to run a 50 ohm low loss
Coaxial cable from your ham radio antenna to the location of your radio (your shack).
Low ohm coaxial cable should measure a minimum of 15ft (LMR 400 type is highly
recommended). A 15ft LMR type of coaxial cable is ideal if you plan to run your radio on
2 meter band, though it might be a little more expensive than the rest but it reduces losses
of signals at low and high frequencies. The bottom line is that you must get the lowest
lost per foot coax for the band and frequency at which your ham radio is operating.

It is also important that you install the ideal station ground at the entry point of the coax.
You need to find a good copper rod , specifically designed to withstand the ground
structure, this should be 8 ft. long at least, and must be driven into the ground. The
distance between the ground copper rod and the equipment outside must be as short as
possible. Make sure you run a large or heavy conductor (size #8 for instance), this will
help you achieve the least resistance to the flow of current, and the larger the wire, the
more resistance. Try as much as possible to use the right connectors in connecting wires
to your equipment, then connect all equipment to the ground wire and make all
connections as short as possible.

Install a surge protector with numerous AC outlets for all AC connections to your station

equipment. Make use of metal water pipes, if you dont have access to a ground rod.
Install a switch to your antenna feed line that switches the antenna to the ground- this step
will protect it from lightning problems.

You need to dedicate a place where your ham radio equipment will be set, or an operating
position, inside your shack. Make sure the operating position is located close to the
window or somewhere you can easily access the ground rod, as well as an external area
for the antenna coax. Your operating position can be a table top or desk, but you must
leave enough space between the desk and the wall to create sufficient space for the wires.
Similarly, you need to have a layout for your operating desk, in order to create space for
future expansions. Try and start out with a small operating area because you will need
more spaces later.

Now that your Ham radio equipment has been set up, you need to refer back to all
instructions as regards the operation of your Ham radio equipment, likewise you must
refer back to your power supply and antenna just to ensure that you do not miss out any
step and to ensure that all equipment are put in place.

If your antenna is perfectly connected to the SWR meter, then you are ready to tune the
antenna to achieve the best performance. You need to stick with the instructions attached
to the antenna for this step, and also make use of low power voltage when adjusting it.
Once the antenna has been adjusted for best performance, then you can mount it in its final
position. Once again, check the SWR once again, with the aid of a low power , and then
mount it in its final position before getting on air.

Chapter 2. Necessary hand tools and soldering equipment needed for setting
up, running and maintaining your Ham radio

There are quite a number of necessary tools, test equipment and accessories you will need
to have before you can operate a Ham radio successfully. The most important tools you
will need for your Ham radio are;

An excellent SWR or power meter rater this is needed to test your Ham stations
frequencies, and its power level.

An excellently working Volt, Ohm milliamp meter or a digital meter that can measure
and monitor the resistance, continuity, current and Voltage of your radio equipment. A
local Ham station operator may help you get the right digital meter appropriate for your
station. A digital meter can be handy when checking for problems with the Coax system or
power.

Assorted hand tools/soldering equipment- as a Ham station operator, you will need a
soldering gun , and it must have a minimum rating of 150 wax. A soldiering gun is used in
soldering of coax connectors, and it comes with a soldering iron- the rating you choose in
this case will depend largely on your needs.

Accessories- accessories such as wire cutters, assorted screw drivers, assorted pliers,
socket sets, assorted wrenches, and electrical tape is also needed. Several other hand tools
may be required later on , especially when you are expanding or you need to access the
antenna. While most of the hand tools you need for your Ham radio should be available
locally, you may need to get some outside of your region.

Headphones- you may need to have two sets of headphones for better hearing
coordination. It is also important that you maintain a complete control over your Ham
station , make sure the microphone is disconnected whenever you are not around, and if
you have kids. You will always be held responsible for anything happening in an around
your Ham station.

Image: Connector

Image: connector

Image: cable

When you are on air
If your Ham station has been set up correctly, you definitely want to go on air as soon as
possible. You need to keep in mind that the first few contacts on the air will be absolute
strangers who will love to make use of the call sign you handed down to them or probably
they remember you by your first name. Your first callers may probably not interested in
testing you , they dont care whether you have a Ham radio license or not they are just

interested in making new contacts and new friends on the air.

They may want to find out about your technical abilities, and your personal background.
You need to be careful in handing out your personal information on air. If you are
underage, you must not give out your physical address on air, or make sure your parents
are there with you. If callers or other Ham radio operators want your address, there are
alternative ways they can get it , aside from the air.

Take note of the fact that your first few contacts after you launch your Ham station may
not be aware of the fact that you are a newbie until they start asking you questions. In
order to avoid unsolicited embarrassment, it is important that you learn all that you can ,
especially about your stations equipment, before going on air. Learning about some basic
electronics for instance can help you a lot. Learning how to solder, for instance, is one of
the most important basic things you must learn, you can learn some phrases, abbreviations
and unfamiliar radio terms on the internet.

PL259, SO239, VFO and VOM, for instance, are terms you must understand before going
on air through your Ham Radio. You need to understand what a Coax is, and the
differences between antennas.

Chapter 3. Setting up your Ham Station

When setting up your Ham station, you need to answer the following questions;
What band or bands should my station operate on?
What bands are the most appropriate for a technical operator?
What kind of power supply will be Ham station needs most?
What type of antennas should I consider?
Do I need Lightning protection and Grounding?
How will I get my family involved in this Ham station?

Your authorized bands
The 2 meter Ham band was the most popular Ham band allowed for Techs until the rules
changed recently, right now Techs are allowed to operate even on the 10 meter band, even
though the 2 meter band still remains the most popular. Operating a Ham station on 10
meter band will depend on some Ionospheric conditions which depends on the time of
the year and solar cycles. The technical explanation and demands of Band 10operations
may be too complex for newbie operators, therefore, as a beginner, it is better to start with
a Band 2 , that requires lower power, and simpler antennas.

As a beginner, you belong to the technician Ham category, and this gives you access and
privileges on some special HF , as well as all privileges available on the 50mHz and
higher frequencies. Having this in mind, you will have to choose whether you want to
operate your station on the upper VHF bands( this is also the 50mHz and above), or make
use of the new privileges you acquire on the HF . It is ideal to combine all your privileges
in order to get the best from both levels of operation.

You final choice on the authorized band you want to operate , will also depend on other
factors, these include; your lifestyle, your budget, the topography of the property you are
operating from, and your Ham station equipment needs- these must be sorted out before
you make your final choice.

If HF only is your choice, then you will be offered the 10meter voice as well as CW plus
CW-only privileges available on lower HF bands of 10meters, 15 meters, 40 meters , and
80 meters. With this Band authorization, you will not have any privileges on the HF band
except for those on the 10 meter band.

Now that you know what band you will transmit on, you need to ensure that your HF
transceiver, is capable of operating from a minimum of 80 meters through your 10 meter
band , with the aid of voice modes (SSB).

As an amateur licensed radio operator, the FCC requires that you have a copy of Part 97.
Most of the transceivers you will find in stock are designed for HF transmission and they
come with 100 Watts output. Take note of the fact that your operational outputs are limited
on HF bands because you are a tech-class Ham operator. The transceivers being described
here are radios that have 100 Watts as their standard output. Some transceivers with higher
Watts do have extra bells and whistles and are more expensive. You need to take some
precautions when choosing transceivers with more bells and whistles may not be the most
ideal choice for you. Try as much as possible not to be tempted to operate outside of your
legal band.

Image: antenna

Operating your Ham station on a 2-meter band
Assuming you decide to operate your Ham radio on the 2-meter band or the 440 Ham
bands, through a base station in your home , just for a start, and like most beginner Ham
radio operators will do, until they gain more experience and get promoted into the Genera
Class license.

First of all, you will require a transceiver that will cover the 2-meter Ham band , secondly,
such transceiver must also be capable of working through repeaters, with the aid of PL
tones. A single band radio will definitely be the best possible way out , whether the
transceiver are small and low to medium powered units, or an external power supply for
base station , or the more powerful mountable size transceivers.

The more powerful and larger radio, used for mobile transmission, must be powered by
vehicle-grade battery (DC), or, it can be used as a base station powered by an external
supply which is capable of converting the standard AC power to DC power , and supply it
directly to the Ham Radio. You will have to invest in an external power supply source if

you want to operate a mobile Ham radio.

What must you buy for the power supply in order to use your Ham radio in a base
station?
The operational voltage and current consumption of your radio when in full transmission,
is the first thing you need to know before you get a power supply for your Ham radio. If
you are lucky enough, you will have the instructions and operating manual for your Ham
radio, otherwise, you need to use the brand and model number of your Ham radio to check
its operating manual, and other specifications. With the model and brand number, you can
check for the transmitter current and voltage requirements online, but you should note that
most standard mobile radios will normally require between 12 and 15 Volts DC supply. If
your transmitter is capable of pulling up to 10 amps on full output transmission, then you
will need an external supply that can handle such a requirement on continuous basis. Do
not try to save money by purchasing a power supply that will only supply less than the
full-rated output for your Ham radio . One rule you must follow here is to purchase a
power supplier with 25-50% higher output than what your Radio station needs- this will
help you avoid overloading your power output. Never make use of a power source that is
not regulated. Likewise you must opt for a higher Amp rating than what your radio will
require to transmit especially on FM. It is also worth mentioning here that you should
consider buying an older HF ham radio from the market because they normally come with
their own power supplies.

The antennas for the new Ham station
Your Ham Station antenna is probably the most important component of your Ham Radio
station. Your first decision is whether to transmit locally using the repeaters on your 2meter band or you want to combine your privileges on HF with the ones on 2-meter band.
When you communicate locally with your repeaters on the 2-meter band, it means your
Ham radio can only transmit within few miles (usually between 10-100 miles). You can
use the basic antennas for shorter distance transmission, but you can make use of excellent
repeaters with antennas adjusted at high elevations, if you want to reach longer distances.

Most homemade and commercial antennas that are inexpensive can be mounted outside
and at high altitudes to deliver what you want. In case your preferred antenna is restricted
for some reasons, then you should go for the ground-plane type of antennas because they
perform much better than the flat-terrain types of antennas. Try and look out for antennas
with extended range and higher coverage. When you are checking for the specs on the
antennas, make sure you look out for dbd rather than the dbi, the d in the dbi simply
means dipole, which means it has more gains than the same antenna of dbi specs.

You can throw in some creativity into this by building your own antenna because it can be
fun. Building your own 2-meter antenna can be easier than you think and may even outperform similar antennas, likewise it can be much cheaper than commercially-designed

antennas. In order to build your own antenna, all you will need is an excellent working
SWR/Power meter that can be used on a 2-meter antenna, alongside some hand tools and
your radio stations transceiver.

What type of antennas can I choose for mobile-only operating VHF/UHF repeaters?
The type of antennas you choose in this situation should depend on your personal
preferences but a mobile antenna will require some gains for better service. Choose the
gain-type antenna over the non-gain type antenna, in order for your listeners to hear your
transmission better; such an antenna will also help you hear other stations much better.

Do I choose vertical or horizontal or polarization antenna?
When it comes to polarity as regards antennas, you dont have to go into all technical
explanations. You need to note that good polarization in an antenna means very negligible
signals are lost during transmission. If your aim is to use repeaters strictly, and you want
to install simplex and mobile stations locally and operate on FM band, then a vertically
polarized antenna will be the best choice. The reason being that horizontally polarized
antennas can be difficult to erect on mobile station vehicles.

If you want to add more range to your repeaters in different directions, you should go for
vertically polarized beam that can be mounted as high as possible. Horizontal polarity is a
better option if you are planning on using SSB on the lower part of the 2-meter band. Try
as much as possible to have the transmitting and the receiver stations to use the same
polarity antenna structure. In order to increase the usable range of your Ham Radio, you
need to consider using the Yagi type of antennas (Beam)- this type of beam can provide
gains of more than 10 times than the Standard ground antennas or no-gain antennas.

A radio antenna with a gain of at least 10dBd can produce an ERP (effective radiated
power) of close to 500 Watts, using a 50 Watt signal to the antenna, and there will be
minimal or no loss of signals on such antennas. If you are choosing the Yagi type of
antenna, then you need to make use of the appropriate rotor that can take care of the
weight of the Yagi and focus the antenna on the other station.

Operating a Simplex Ham radio station
A Simple Ham radio station is a direct station to station transmission, without the use of
repeaters. Both receiving and transmitting stations in this case are on the same frequency
and no repeater is needed. The range here is usually less since no repeaters are needed.
You may set a portion of your 10-meter Ham band aside to operate a Simplex station, but
make sure you do not operate a Simplex mode using a repeater input or output
frequencies, if you do , you will cause massive interruptions to the operations of your Ham
radio.

Image: Ham radio setup

Chapter 4. Setting up your Ham Radio station for HF (High Frequency) use

You need to keep in mind that the output of your Ham radio and transceivers, will require
that you use a 50 ohm coaxial cable type between the connector and antenna- the coaxial
cable is the main line through which the RF energy used by the radio, is transmitted to the
antenna before it is radiated through the air. The coaxial cable is the next most important
component after the antenna, and if these two components are poor, then your received
and transmitted signals will be poor. Choose a Coaxial cable that produces the least dB
loss per square-foot (the LMR-400 is one of the best). A good Coaxial cable will also
produce a very low loss antenna signal.

In order to use your antenna properly, you will need an antenna tuner, which can be
accessed through a ladder line. You should consider the all band standard antenna for
HF, and this is a multi-band antenna that works perfectly with any antenna tuner for HF
Ham radio. You can also make use of commercial wire antennas for this purpose- you
need to consider the length of your antenna when choosing the type of wire for your
needs.

The Coaxial cable for your HF Ham radio
The requirements for coaxial cable for HF are not as strict as the ones for the upper VHF
bands that operate on higher frequencies. You should consider choosing the 50 52 Ohm
type of coaxial cable. Do not use the 75 Ohm cable types, even though they are much
cheaper, but can cause a mismatch issue that can create problems. The 50-52 Ohm coaxial
cable should provide the lowest RF-loss per foot.

Make use of very high grade cable connectors
It is very important that you choose high grade cable connectors for your Ham radio. The
PL-259 connectors are mostly recommended because they are coated with high grade
silver materials, though they may have to be imported if not available locally, these
connectors also come with good insulation. Do not make use of old and worn-out,
corroded connectors. Make use of great RF connectors because they are pathways to
excellent signal output. Watch out for imitations, an excellent quality RF connector must
be made from brass and coated with good quality silver materials.

Noises, and ground safety
You need to consider your safety, as well as the safety of your equipment, family and
friends , when setting up your Ham radio station. If you find it difficult to monitor the
movements of everyone around your Ham station, then you must not compromise on their

safety.

Most Ham stations are usually erected in a small area, and many times, you may have to
change the layout of your station, until you are pleased with the setup. Most moderate or
large computer desks are ideal for Ham station setups. Dont forget to make use of
headphones especially when you need to turn down the noise. Most radio transceivers do
come with external speaker jacks or headphones that have some soft cushion that are
comfortable with the ears. Other noises that can be easily eliminated from your station,
through the use of headphones include; Data modes, and Morse codes.

You need to ensure that ground safety is of great priority. For instance, there must be
complete protection for all ground wires , especially those that are close to the entrance of
your Ham station. Most Ham radio wires are usually placed behind the operational desks
to protect them from human and equipment traffic.

Chapter 5. Other helpful tips for Ham Radio success

Now that your Ham radio has been successfully set up , make sure you have a complete
plan on how your Ham radio will be run from day today. For instance, you must have a
complete timetable of what will be aired at a particular time of the day. The type of
discussions you want to bring on air, your type of music, and whether listeners can call in.
In order to not to get your listeners bored, you should probably restrict your transmission
period between 6 and 10 hours. Obscenity can get you into trouble, and when your
listeners keep reporting you to your license regulators, then you may get such license
suspended immediately.

Make friends with more experience Ham radio operators within and outside of your
geographical zones, you can learn a lot from them and add your own unique styles. When
you make friends with other Ham operators, you will not only get involved with other
technician class Ham operators; you will also make contacts with higher-category licensed
operators such as; Tech Plus operators, Generals, Advanced, and Extra Class operators.
Most of these higher level licensed operators do have many years of experience that will
be of huge benefits to you. Many of these experience operators can help you with antenna
installations, or even expanding your band frequency, at no extra cost.

Sharing of information and ideas among Ham radio operators has been a tradition for over
100 years , since the invention of the Ham radio, and there are numerous Ham radio clubs
, existing both online and offline, do not hesitate to join any of such as there are lots of
benefits in such associations. There are quite a number of Ham radio awards and
competitions hosted on annual basis across some countries in North America and Europe,
with few of such available internationally- these can provide some avenues for creativity,
aside their financial rewards.

There is no need to rush into setting up a Ham radio, if possible, you should endeavor to
take some time to educate yourself and obtain your license before you contemplate about
setting up your own Ham radio.

Conclusion

It can be easier to set up a Ham station than maintaining it. More than 50% of new Ham
stations do fold up after few months of operation and the reason being that the operators
do not have a framework needed to take their radio stations to the next level. If your aim is
to set up and operate a Ham radio for few months, you should re-consider this thought,
because , the financial implications of setting up a Ham radio can be enormous. Though ,
you will start as a beginner Ham radio operator, nothing should stop you from upgrading
your license once you have mastered the basics of setting up, operating and maintaining
Ham radio. The more you learn, the more confidence you gain and the faster your Ham
radio license can be upgraded to higher levels.

Aside from a viable frame work, you need to ensure that you service , repair and replace
any worn-out, or broken appliance or component , immediately as you notice such.
Replacing and repairing components can save you the costs of severe damages to your
Ham radio equipment. As you can see, setting up a Ham radio is fun , and should not be a
difficult thing, especially when you follow the instructions and guidelines, highlighted and
explained in this book.

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