Category: Operating

With the ever increasing pace of modern technology, amateur radio was certain to embrace the new methods of digital communication. Indeed, modern digital voice systems encode speech into a stream of data before transmission, while the receiver decodes this stream back into a normal audio signal.

In the past the only way amateur radio operators used to send data was using conventional analogue methods. This is often achieved by inserting the data stream as an audio signal in place of voice. It should be noted that this method of data transmission is far from dead, and is still thriving. Further information on data modes (digimodes) can be found on this page.

In the world of radio communications there are many varied methods of using digital signals, known as digimodes. Often argued as the earliest form of digital mode is Morse Code or CW as it is also known. In morse code an audible tone is either on or off.

This equates to the digital (binary) states of 1 or 0 transmitted over the air. Modern digital communication is simply sending data bits consisting of 1’s or 0’s, in other words, on or off as in CW at extremely high speed.

A good number of amateurs enjoy going out into the countryside to use their radios.

This is often beneficial to those that suffer high radio reception noise levels, limited or no room for antennas at home. Of course there are numerous reasons why an individual may enjoy outdoor operating.

In the UK it is an offence to use mobile telephones etc while driving. The question often arises as to whether using amateur radio while driving is legal or not. The definition of driving extends as far as parked with the engine still running. While this is the law, it’s stretching the definition to it’s extreme.

The law is pretty clear on whether it’s legal or otherwise. It is set out in an official document. The document in question is “The road vehicles (construction and use) regulations 2003”. A bit of a long-winded title, but in essence, the answer is a simple Yes, it’s completely legal to use amateur radio while driving.