| Welcome to the Jacksonville
Amateur Radio Society K9JX "JARS" Club Website. |
| The Jacksonville Amateur Radio Society
Club is a not-for-profit amateur
radio "Ham
Radio" organization that provides support for its members in
all aspects of Amateur Radio, which is
regulated by the Federal Communications Commission FCC. |
| The Jacksonville Amateur Radio
Society K9JX conducts monthly amateur radio meetings,
training and establishes communications in emergencies,
disasters, and various drills. |
JARS K9JX is located in west central Illinois
and services the Jacksonville, South
Jacksonville and surounding areas, in Morgan
county.
For
more information. |
| The
Jacksonville Amateur Radio Society provides communicatios support for:
The American Red Cross, The Boy Scouts of America, The Salvation Army, The American Diadetes Association, Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) , National Weather Service (NOAA) , and many more... |
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| Join the Jacksonville
Amateur Radio Society Yahoo! Group |
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Interested in Amateur Radio?
Want to learn more about Amateur Radio?
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| You've come to the right place. Attend one of our meetings. Browse and explore our website. We can assist you with training
and licensing. Contact Us
with
any questions or request you many have. Start by clicking on the link
below to watch a brief video about amateur radio. |
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| What is Ham Radio? |
| A unique mix of fun, public
service and convenience is the distinguishing characteristic of Amateur
Radio. Although hams get involved for many reasons, they all have in
common a basic knowledge of radio technology and operating principles,
and pass an examination for the FCC license to operate on radio
frequencies known as the "Amateur Bands." These bands are radio
frequencies reserved by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
for use by hams at intervals from just above the AM broadcast band all
the way up into extremely high microwave frequencies. |
| Who is the Typical Ham? |
| Amateur Radio operators come
from all walks of life -- movie stars, missionaries, doctors, students,
politicians, truck drivers and just plain folks. They are all ages,
sexes, income levels and nationalities. They say Hello to the world in
many languages and many ways. But whether they prefer Morse code on an
old brass telegraph key, voice communication on a hand-held radio, or
computerized messages transmitted via satellite, they all have an
interest in what's happening in the world, and they use radio to reach
out. |
| What's the Appeal of Ham Radio? |
| Some hams are attracted by the
ability to communicate across the country, around the globe, or even
with astronauts on space missions. Others may like to build and
experiment with electronics. Computer hobbyists enjoy using Amateur
Radio's digital communications opportunities. Those with a competitive
streak enjoy "DX contests," where the object is to see how many hams in
distant locations they can contact. Some like the convenience of a
technology that gives them portable communication. Mostly we use it to
open the door to new friendships over the air or through participation
in one of more than 2000 Amateur Radio clubs throughout the country. |
| Why Do You Need a License? |
| Although the main purpose of
Amateur Radio is fun, it is called the "Amateur Radio Service" because
it also has a serious face. The FCC created this "Service" to fill the
need for a pool of experts who could provide backup during emergencies.
In addition, the FCC acknowledged the ability of the hobby to advance
the communication and technical skills of radio, and to enhance
international goodwill. This philosophy has paid off. Countless lives
have been saved where skilled hobbyists act as emergency communicators
to render aid, whether it's during an earthquake in Italy or a
hurricane in the U.S. |
| How to Become a Ham |
| Amateur radio is the premier
high-tech hobby. It's enjoyed by people from all walks of life from
around the world. The rules for becoming an amateur (ham) radio
operator vary from country to country around the world. On this page
we're going to tell you a little about the hobby and how you can obtain
the necessary license to operate in the United States. |
| It's never been so easy to get
into ham radio. All ham radio operators must be licensed before they
can legally operate. This differs a great deal from the CB (i.e.
truckers) and FRS (i.e. dimestore walkie-talkie) services which require
no licenses. |
| Amateur radio operators must be
licensed because they are given transmitting privileges on a wide
variety of frequencies and are allow to use just about any equipment
imaginable, even home built radios. Amateurs are allotted not single
specific frequencies but usually whole ranges (bands) of different
frequencies to operate on. These frequencies and methods of
transmission are are specified by FCC rules and so it is therefore
necessary to be generally familiar with your operating limitations in
order to transmit lawfully. |
| In order to qualify for an
amateur radio license, you must pass certain tests to determine that
you have the required knowledge. Fortunately, the tests are not
terribly difficult for most people. There are three license levels
(known as classes) where each class grants greater privleges to the
individual. There is a single written test for each license class. |
| The license classes are: |
- Technician Class -
this is the entry level license. It gives privileges on all amateur
frequencies above 50 Mhz and is the most popular. It requires only a
written test.
- General Class - this
is the mid-level license. It enables privileges on most amateur
frequencies below 50 Mhz and includes global HF (shortwave)
communications. It has its own written test and
requires that you also have passed the Technician class written.
- Extra Class - this
is the highest level license. It grants privileges on all amateur
frequencies. It has its own written test and requires that you also
have passed all of the Technician and General class written.
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| Okay, so where do I start? |
| This part is easy. The first
thing you should do is contact The Jacksonville Amateur Radio
Society. We will help you obtain the home study materials and
tutoring to prepare you for the test. This will give you the background
that you'll need to understand the gist of what the tests are about. |
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| Amateur Radio Public Service |
 Public
service communication has been a traditional responsibility
of the Amateur Radio Service since 1913. In today's Amateur Radio,
disaster work is a highly organized and worthwhile part of day-to-day
operation, implemented principally through the Amateur Radio Emergency
Service (ARES) and the National Traffic System (NTS), both sponsored by
ARRL. The Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES), independent
nets and other amateur public service groups are also a part of
ARRL-recognized Amateur Radio public service efforts. |
| Amateur Radio Emergency Service
(ARES) |
 The Amateur
Radio Emergency Service (ARES) consists of licensed amateurs
who have voluntarily registered their qualifications and equipment for
communications duty in the public service when disaster strikes. Every
licensed amateur, regardless of membership in ARRL or any other local
or national organization, is eligible for membership in the ARES. The
only qualification, other than possession of an Amateur Radio license,
is a sincere desire to serve. Because ARES is an amateur service, only
amateurs are eligible for membership. The possession of
emergency-powered equipment is desirable, but is not a requirement for
membership. |
| Skywarn
Program |
 Skywarn
is the National Weather Service (NWS) program of trained
volunteer severe weather spotters. Skywarn volunteers support their
local community and government by providing the NWS with timely and
accurate severe weather reports. These reports, when integrated with
modern NWS technology, are used to inform communities of the proper
actions to take as severe weather threatens. |
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