# Section 1 - The Nature of Amateur Radio

## What is Amateur Radio?

Amateur radio encompasses a wide range of activities. It is normally defined as a non-commercial service for self-training and experimentation in radio communications. So what does all that mean then? Well the hobby itself encompasses a wide range of activities from talking to people in your own town on a radio or sending them pictures to exchanging views with someone on the other side of the planet. You may build some of your own equipment and thus gain a better understanding of how it all works. Amateur radio is valued by governments the world over as a source of trained radio operators in times of emergency or need. Most nations' amateur radio operators have organisations dedicated to providing this kind of public service function.

Amateur radio stations may not be used for any business purposes.

## 1.1 The Nature of Amateur Radio

This is defined in the syllabus as follows

Amateur radio is for self-training and experimentation in radio communications and unlike other radio services is non-commercial in nature. Amateur radio is of value in areas of

- Technical innovation

- Emergency communications

- Development of skills for the United Kingdom

- International friendship

- Recreational activity in a time of increasing leisure time

Extracts from the syllabus ©Crown copyright Radiocommunications Agency

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