Carrickfergus Amateur 

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Foundation

The entry Level is the Foundation licence. This is a new licence that was introduced in January 2002. The Foundation licence is designed to get you involved in Amateur Radio as quickly as possible. But before you are allowed to transmit 'live' it is important that you know a little bit about how your radio works, the dangers of interfering with other radio users, how not to upset your neighbours or your parents (if you are a young person) and the rules and regulations of holding a radio transmitting licence.

You learn these new skills by taking the Foundation licence training course, which is an integral part of of obtaining a Foundation licence. Most of the training is practical. There is a small amount of radio and electronics theory but only enough for you to appreciate things like using the correct fuses in your equipment and how to build an antenna to get the most out of your radio station.

The courses are run in a friendly informal atmosphere by experienced radio amateurs. The course will take about 10 -12 hours to complete, at the end of which you will sit a twenty-five question multiple-choice examination. Your exam paper will be marked on the spot. Courses and examinations are regularly offered by Carrickfergus Amateur Radio Group over a period of Tuesday evenings at the Club venue. 

If you're a younger entrant a course may be provided at your school. Some clubs run the course over a weekend and some over a number of weeks. Once you have passed the exam you get your 'Pass' certificate and you are on your way. When you have been issued with your own individual M3 series callsign you will be able to operate on most Amateur Radio  bands with a maximum power limit of 10 Watts. This is a fairly low level of power but with the experience you will quickly learn that this can enable you to communicate around the world.

The Foundation level course and examination is designed to provide a basic radio course and get you on the air. You are strongly encouraged to proceed to the Intermediate and Advanced level radio courses in order to obtain a full licence and callsign.

To enrol on a Foundation course and for further information concerning Amateur Radio licencing courses offered by Carrickfergus Amateur Radio Group, please send an email to: CARG@hotmail.co.uk

Thank you for taking time to visit the Club website. 

Send mail to carg@hotmail.co.uk with questions or comments.
Last modified: January 08, 2009 17:34