Foundations of Amateur Radio

The other day I accidentally learnt something new. I know, it's crazy, sometimes I surprise myself.

I received an email that announced an activity from something called WWROF, more specifically, the World Wide Radio Operators Foundation. It caught my eye, because it was announcing a webinar about an upcoming contest, as it happens the largest annual amateur contest, the CQ World Wide. The time zone for the webinar put it firmly during my sleeping hours, so I asked about the availability of a YouTube video after the fact.

Got an email back from Founding Director, Mark N5OT, and you'll be pleased to learn that there is in fact a video, not only that, videos going back to the dawn of the organisation with topics focused on Amateur Radio Operating.

There's information about Receiving Antenna Metrics; Constructing a Horizontal Waller Flag; Ethics in Contesting; RTTY or Legacy Digital Contesting; Solar Spot Cycles; Dayton Hamvention; High Performance Receive Antennas for a Small Lot; World Radiosport Team Championships; Contest University; Operating two bands, using synchronised, interleaved QSO's; Remote Multi-Multi Contesting; and more, much more.

To think that I didn't know this group existed and I've been here for a while, turns out, they've been around since 2009 when the foundation was created by a group of radio amateurs who saw a need for an independent organisation devoted to the skill and art of radio operating.

Their motto is:

"Dedicated to improving the skills of amateur radio operators around the world, utilising education, competition, advancement of technology and scientific research, promoting international friendship and goodwill, and preparing them to better serve society in times of communication need."

Gotta say, if it weren't for the fact that it's on a web-page that I don't control, that could have been written by me.

The WWROF puts contesting front-and-centre in the art of operating. They believe, and I agree, that amateur radio contests provide a means of testing operating skill.

So, what have this group of radio operators been up to?

Well, they administer the Cabrillo log format, support Contest University, support webinars on topics of interest to Contesters, created the Contester's Code of Ethics, Sponsor the World Wide Digi DX contest, are developing wideband recording systems, manage contest awards and donate equipment to young contesters and developing-country contesters, and finally they support the World Radiosport Team Championship.

So, if this leaves you thinking that I'm advocating that you should check out this group, at wwrof.org, you'd be right.

If you're looking for something to learn and YouTube is your medium, then check out the WWROF channel. Lots to see and do.

One thing that might not be obvious from my glowing reports is that this is for you at whatever level of contesting you find yourself, not only that, it's not about contesting per-se, it's about operating as a radio amateur.

For example, you'll find a discussion by Craig K9CT who describes how to plan your station, from finding land, selecting antennas to the layout of your shack. There's information about how to contest as a Rover Station by Rick K1DS. There's outlines of rules for various contests. Carl K9LA describes how to use Grey Line Propagation on the Low Bands, and Ed N4II talks about how to use 80m to get from Florida to the Cocos Keeling Islands around the corner from me, well 2932 km and that's 300 km closer to me than Sydney.

I should mention that I have no relationship with the World Wide Radio Operators Foundation, but given their purpose of existence, I endorse their efforts. Their address is wwrof.org.

I'm Onno VK6FLAB