Amateur radio, also known as ham radio, is a hobby enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of
Americans and millions around the world. They enjoy communicating with one another via
two-way radios and experimenting with antennas and electronic circuits.
All kinds of people are amateur radio operators, also known as “hams.” Hams are young, old,
men, women, boys, and girls. Kids as young as seven years old have gotten amateur radio
licenses, and many hams are active into their 80s and beyond. You never know who you'll run
into on the amateur radio bands: young and old, teachers and students, engineers and
scientists, doctors and nurses, mechanics and technicians, kings and entertainers.
For example, did you know that most of the astronauts sent up to the International Space
Station (ISS) in the last five to ten years have been licensed radio amateurs? They use the
amateur radio station on board the ISS to communicate with school groups all over the world
as they are flying over.