Ham radio, also known as amateur radio, requires a great number of tools in order to create a broadcast. Ham radio equipment includes practically everything that a professional radio station requires but often on a smaller scale. From microphones to transmitters, antennas, amplifiers and more, ham radio operators need to acquire a lot of material to get started. These various elements are essential to create a radio signal and share it with the world.
The most basic pieces of ham radio equipment are microphones. These take the operator's voice and help send it out to anyone listening. There are a range of prices and types of ham radio microphones that vary in quality. More expensive microphones tend to have professional, three-pronged coaxial cable input plugs, and less expensive models utilize the quarter-inch jack plug. The type of microphone that is needed depends on the transmitter being used.
A transmitter is the most important piece of ham radio equipment. This control panel accepts the signal from the microphone and breaks the sound into sine waves. Like microphones, the transmitter comes in a variety of prices and styles, depending on the quality of broadcast wanted. Most transmitters will allow the operator to control volume, pitch and a variety of levels to create a radio signal that is easily understood by listeners.
The next piece of ham radio equipment necessary for a broadcast is a ham radio amplifier. Many times, when a transmitter has converted the sound into radio waves, the results are too weak to be properly broadcast. An amplifier takes the signal and, much like a guitar amplifier gives its sound more power, makes it stronger so that it can be broadcast to listeners. Amplifiers come in many power levels and generally correspond to particular transmitters and antennas.
The antenna is the final piece of ham radio equipment and is the key to sending a broadcast out for others to hear. An antenna attaches to the amplifier and can vary in size. Smaller antennas could be no more than a few metal rods with a cable attached and have a range that will not go much further than a few blocks. Ham radio antennas can vary in size and complexity all the way up to a small radio tower that sends signals around the world. With an antenna and all of the other equipment, a ham radio operator will be ready to be heard.