milton keynes amateur radio society (mkars) intermediate worksheets … · licensees may pass...

MKARS Intermediate Licence Course - 11,13,27,29: Intro, Licence, H&S, Op practices Andrew Thomas G8GNI/M5AEX V1.2 1

Intermediate Licence Course

IntroductionLicence conditions (Worksheets 11 & 27)

Operating practices (Worksheets 13 & 29)

Health & Safety (Worksheets 6 and 7)

Milton Keynes Amateur Radio Society (MKARS)


How much does it cost?

� Course costs� There are NO course fees

� Membership of MKARS of £15� Kit of parts for practical sessions - £12.50

� Examination fee of £32.50 that is paid to the RSGB


About the Intermediate Licence

� The Intermediate licence is the second level of a three tier licensing scheme for amateur radio in the UK� Foundation� Intermediate� Advanced (Full licence)

� On passing the Intermediate exam you may:� Build and use transmitting equipment� Transmit on ALL allocated amateur bands in the UK� Transmit with a maximum output of 50 watts (but varies)� Operate your station ‘unattended’� Operate your station by remote control (radio only)


Taking the Intermediate Licence course

� You MUST have passed the Foundation licence examination

� The Intermediate course BUILDS on the Foundation course� Coverage is very similar but in greater depth� Need to revise the Foundation course content� There is a little more Maths required

� There are numerous practicals that MUST be completed before the exam is taken

� A simple construction project is also required


Intermediate Licence Course Components

Exam – Multiple choice, 75 minutes, 45 questions, Pass mark is 27, marked on the night11

Assessment of Project, Revision and Mock Exam10

Propagation (3), Good Housekeeping9

EMC (5) and Harmonics8

Feeders, Antennas and Matching (3), Soldering coax connectors7

Receivers and Transmitters (7)6

Diodes, Transistors and Power Supplies5

Reactance, Impedance and Tuned circuits (8)4

Resistance, Capacitance and Inductance, Project briefing3

Basic circuits, Measurement and units, Soldering a simple circuit2

Introduction, Licence conditions (9), Operating practices (4), Health & Safety (4), Intro. to soldering and construction (2)

1

Course content [Numbers in brackets () = number of questions in exam]Component

Licence Conditions

(Worksheets 11 and 27)


� Ofcom are the licensing authority� Overall power for licensing / can revoke licence� Notify Ofcom immediately of change of address� Re-validate licence every five years� Ofcom may require the Licensee to keep a log of all

transmissions

� Amateur radio equipment must NOT be used for busine ss or advertising purposes

� Interference� Must not cause undue interference to other radio us ers� Must reduce any emissions causing interference� Must carry out tests to ensure the station is not c ausing undue

interference

Ofcom, purpose of amateur radio, and minimising interference


Callsigns

� There are three levels of licensing� Foundation – M6QQQ� Intermediate – 2E0QQQ� Advanced - M0QQQ

� The same Regional Identifiers are used� ‘E’ for England is always used for

Intermediate call signs

� Suffixes (optional)� /M - Mobile� /MM - Maritime Mobile (not allowed for

Intermediate licensees)

� /P - Temporary location� /A - Alternative address

J U

EW

D

I

M


� The same rules about transmitting the call sign app ly

� The same rules about ‘supervision’ apply

� The same message rules apply (codes etc.)

� Licensees may pass messages on behalf of User Servi ces / allow User Services to send messages� Police, Fire, Ambulance, Health authority, Coastgua rd, British Red

Cross, St. John Ambulance Brigade, Women’s Royal Vo luntary Service, Salvation Army, any Government Department, Chief Emergency Planning Officer

� Maritime Mobile and operation from an aircraft are NOT allowed

� Intermediate Licence is NOT recognised by foreign a dministrations

Operating rules


Unattended operation

� Unattended operation is allowed for:� A beacon� Direction finding

(beacon)� Packet station that

runs 24 hours a day� A remotely located

transmitter

The Shack

‘2E0NIR’


Remote operation

An Intermediate licensee may remotely control a tra nsmitter

The Shack (operations)

Remote transceiver

500mW maximum transmit power (erp)

Link to be above 30MHz

Link to be IN amateur band

Personal use only – not for general use

Radio link (NOT internet link)

Operating Practices



The ‘Q’ code (An example of a ‘code’ that is acceptable for use because it is commonly recognised)

My QTH is Bletchley Park, BuckinghamshireLocationQTH

Let's QSY up 5 kilohertzShift to Transmit on ...QSY

Thanks very much for the QSOA conversationQSO

QSL your last transmission. Please QSL via the bureau (i.e. please send me a card confirming this contact).

I Acknowledge receiptQSL

There's QSB on your signalFading of signalQSB

QRZ? You're very weak. (only someone who has previously called should reply)

Who is calling me?QRZ

Please QRX oneHang on a minute, I'll be right backQRX

I've enjoyed talking to you, but I have to QRT for dinner nowStop sendingQRT

I'm using a QRP transmitter here, running only 3 wattsLow-power transmission (usually 5 or 10 W, or less)

QRP

The band is noisy today; There's a lot of QRNNatural interference, e.g. static crashesQRN

There's another QSO up 2 kHz that's causing a lot of QRMMan-made interferenceQRM

…please find another clear frequencyThis frequency is in useQRL

Q Codes Commonly Used by Radio Amateurs


Abbreviations (also ‘acceptable codes’)

� CQ – general call� DX – long distance� SIG - signals� UR - Your� WX - Weather� DE – from (M0JSZ DE G8GNI)� K – Go ahead – your turn to transmit� R – Roger – received and understood

Used in Morse and data modes


Reception reports – RST

Readability 1-5

1 = Unreadable; 5 = Perfectly readable

Signal strength 1-9

1 = Barely detectable; 9 = Very strong signal

Tone (CW or RTTY) 1-9

1 = Extremely rough note; 9 = Pure DC note

Used by Radio Amateurs

Your signal is 2 by 2 (Barely readable and Very weak)

Your signal is 5 by 9 (Perfectly readable and Very strong)


Call sign prefixes

� UK� 2, G, M� 2E0ABC� G8GNI

� M0XYZ

Call sign prefixes are determined by the Internatio nal Telecommunications Union

They are different for every country and there may be more than one per country

� Rest of the world� EI – Irish Republic

� F – France� I – Italy

� JA – Japan

� PA – Netherlands

� VE – Canada� VK – Australia

� W – USA

� ZL - New Zealand


QSL cards, Radio awards, and Contests


QSL Cards / QSL Bureau

� Confirms contact� Usually paper but also

electronic systems• LotW, eQSL• eQSL NOT acceptable

for many awards� Many national societies

operate QSL Bureaux• RSGB, ARRL, G-QRP

Club, etc.� Some countries /

amateurs do not QSL via Bureaux

• Use Buckmaster / QRZ.com for route information

RSGB QSL Bureau

Foreign Societies

Cards from RSGB

members (only)

QSL Bureau Sub-

Managers

UK Amateurs who have provided SASE’s


Operational Advantages of different Transmission Modes

• CW (Continuous Wave) [Morse]. CW mode has a narrow bandwidth and greater range for a given transmitter power. CW will in 99% of cases make a contact in poor conditions when other modes fail.

• Data modes (RTTY, PSK) Narrow bandwidth and good range for a given transmitter power. Can be disrupted by QRM, QRN, Q SB but some error-correcting modes very successful.

• SSB (Single Side Band) Good for voice transmission over long distance. Ensure that on the receiver that the bandwidth is s et for SSB reception - 2.0kHz or 2.4kHz filter.

• FM (Frequency Modulation) Has the shortest range and maximum (Wide) bandwidth. For shorter range transmissions it offer s high quality speech.


Data Modes

FROM SOUND CARD OR DATA PORT

INTERFACE

PTT Rx Audio

Tx Audio

TRANSCEIVER

� Packet – uses similar protocols to the internet. Sh ort range. Usually uses a TNC (a type of modem).

� PSK31 - Narrow band transmission mode suitable for e ither data or text on HF. Look for these modes around 14.070.

� RTTY – RadioTeleType. Narrow band width. Five-bit code using two tones. Look around 14.080.

� SSTV Slow Scan Television is like facsimile and can transmit pictures over a HF or VHF voice channel, with a 2.4kHz bandwidth. The pic tures are generated either by computer or video camera. Look for these around 14. 230.

Careful not to over-drive


RTTY ----- screens ----- PSK31

BARTG – a good source of information


Amateur Television – Fast Scan

Fast scan TV repeaters extend coverage

Analogue and Digital TV

Wide bandwidth

Appropriate only to UHF+

BATC useful source


Amateur Television – Slow Scan

Nowadays usually software based

Many programmes available

MMSSTV – good and free

Pictures builds up slowly, line by line

Narrow bandwidth 1.1KHz

Appropriate for HF

Spot frequency – 14.230MHz USB


Amateur Satellites

• Most Amateur Satellites orbit the earth in a short time span (less than 24 hours). Each satellite will complete several orbits per day.

• Depending upon the relative position of the satellite to earth each appearance above the horizon will be of a short duration.

• Some satellites have elliptical orbits to maximise time above the horizon.

• To communicate with the satellite each station needs a clear line of sight path.

• Satellites have limited power (from solar panels). Excessive Uplink Powers can result in wasteful and unfair use of the satellites limited power

• AMSAT-UK a good source of information

MINIMUM 150 kms

Orbit


Satellite Operating

• Uplink and downlink frequencies are often in differ ent amateur bands. For example: uplink on 70cms, and downlink on 2m.

• Transmitting Stations need to receive both up and d ownlink frequencies.

• Typically use FM, SSB, Packet.

• Movement of the satellite in relation to earth will cause the Receive frequency to change. This is called Doppler Shift, and needs to be allow ed for.

TRANSMITTTER

UPLINK DOWNLINK

RECEIVER

Health & Safety issues

A review



Tools

� Sharp – cutters, screwdrivers, etc. – use sensibly

� Hot – soldering irons, molten solder – use a stand

� Dangerous – drills can produce sharp ‘swarf’ and wrench metal out of your hands – use a vice or clamp

� Take care of eyes – use eye protection


Working at heights

� Ladders� Always secure the ladder properly� Never work alone� Remember the ‘three-point’ rule� Falls from one foot can cause

serious damage� Be carful not to drop tools� Avoid overhead power lines


Electrical safety

� Beware of overhead power lines

� Use Residual Current Devices (RCDs)� Trip with only small imbalances (due

to leakage) between live and neutral

� Use appropriately rated fuses

� Use a single ‘shack switch’ that is easily accessible


Mains plugs

� Remember how to wire a plug!� Brown is live� Blue is neutral� Yellow/green is earth� Make sure cable clamp in plug is clamping the outer insulation and not the

individual wires� Have no “whiskers” protruding inside plug

Blue

BrownGreen / Yellow

There will be a practical session later in the cour se


RF Safety

� RF can damage human tissue

� Higher frequencies are more readily absorbed and power limits are lower

� The eyes are particularly susceptible to RF damage

� Don’t touch cables / antennas when transmitting

� Don’t stand in front of high gain antennas or dishes

� Don't look down microwave waveguide

Guidance is available from the Health Protection Ag ency


Soldering

� Heat – use an appropriate stand

� Ventilation – fumes can cause breathing difficulties

� Eye protection – to prevent damage from solder ‘spits’

milton keynes amateur radio society (mkars) intermediate worksheets … · licensees may pass...

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