Get familiar with Radio!

What use is an F-call? An F-call is an amateur license that you can obtain over a weekend with a little study. It's not particularly complicated and it will give you some knowledge and skills to get started in the hobby of amateur radio. It's the first of three license types, being foundation, standard and advanced, each with their own skill-set and requirements. In return, each license gives you access to more privileges with different requirements, restrictions and obligations. This is the way of Amateur Radio licensing in Australia, but it's not the only way to get on air. You're likely familiar with CB, or Citizens Band, in the Amateur community it can be referred to as the chicken band. Epitaphs not withstanding, having exposure to radio is another way to get into the hobby. Alternatively, you could purchase a commercial radio with a membership to one or more HF clubs, each with their own frequencies, nets, customs and communities. On the face of it, costs differ widely. Getting a little closer, they are six of one and half-a-dozen of another. You'll have to pay for a radio - new or second-hand, that or borrow one from a friend. For CB, that's really the only requirement. HF Clubs add their own requirements, as they are likely to have paid for their frequencies and need members to recoup their cost. Amateur Radio requires that you have an Amateur License, but you can operate an Amateur Radio legally if you're supervised directly by an appropriately licensed Amateur. These three broad groups, CB, HF Clubs and Amateur, all share technologies, skills and communities, so getting introduced to one community automatically introduces you to the others in more or lesser degree. There's no excuse not the get on air. I'm Onno VK6FLAB