Extra! Extra! Read all about it!

I passed the "Element 4" written examination for the FCC Amateur Radio Service.

This means I'm now an Amateur Extra Class operator. Yeah, me!

OK, what it really means is I can use all of the radio frequency (RF) spectrum allocated by the FCC to the Amateur Radio Service for education, research and hobby/recreation according to FCC Part 97 rules.

Graphically, the FCC allocated RF spectrum looks like this (click to enlarge, pdf):



The bands I can use in the Amateur Radio Service graphically look like this (click to get larger view in pdf):



I've been active in Amateur Radio for about 10 years now. It's been a great way to give back to the community in schools, with Scouts, during emergencies and to just reach out to other Amateur Radio operators around the world.

I'd definitely recommend it! If you're interested, you can learn more at Amateur Radio Today and "Hello ...". Also, it's easy to find an Amateur Radio Club near you and check it out!