What Hams do with amateur radio
- QRP - Communicating with "very low power" is a challenge that many hams enjoy. QRP is usually practiced on the HF bands
- HF radio - Hams can talk to other hams in literally any part of the globe using HF radios
- VHF (2 meters) or UHF (70 cm.) transceivers hams enjoy extremely reliable communications within their local community. You can extend your VHF range up to 50 miles or more by transmitting through a local repeater.
- DXing. DX means distance communication and with the right equipment worldwide communication on the HF bands (10 through 160 meters) is a regular possibility.
- Emergency and other volunteer services - Floods, landslides, earthquakes, Cyclones, Accidents (Rail / Road / Air). when ever `normal' communications go out, hams are ready to use their radios to provide emergency communication services to their communities
- Technical experimenting. Hams come from all walks of life ranging from technicians to engineers, teachers to scientists, and students to retirees. For many of them the attraction to the hobby is to build their own equipment whether it is just a simple antenna, something as complex as a transmitter, or an interface between their radio and a computer.
- Contesting. Contesting is often called the "sport" of ham radio. Almost every all the time there is some form of amateur radio contest. Hams get on the air and compete to see who can make the most contacts in a limited period of time.
- Talk to an astronaut. Yes, it is really possible. Space stations do have ham radio equipment and licensed ham astronauts take the time to make contacts with amateurs on earth. Hams also have satellites where you can bounce a signal to communicate with other hams on earth.
- Use digital communication. Connect a computer to your radio and install some software and you can be communicating digitally over the air. Some of these digital modes can be more effective in marginal transmission conditions and some even sport error free transmission.
- Internet communication. Using some of the latest technologies hams can supplement a modest station with Internet connections. Using features such as URL or IRLP on a local repeater a ham in Toronto can talk to one in Vancouver or even Australia using a simple hand-held transceiver
- Amateur television - It's just like real television because it is real television.
- Slow Scan TV - Send pictures around the world for little or no cost.
- Contests - You can put your radio operating skills up against other hams and teams of hams.
- Satellite communications - Hams operate using their own satellites for world wide communication using Walkie-Talkies.... They are easy to use too.