+[[!meta title="Radio"]]
# Amateur Radio and Rockets
## Why Radio? ##
## Legal Context ##
-It is not clear to us that all of the approaches people have taken over
-the years to put off the shelf radios in rockets are actually legal. To
-legally operate a radio transmitter, we need to understand and adhere
-to the rules that regulate use of the radio frequency spectrum. When
-commercial radio components are used in ways the original designer did not
-envision, the rules against which they were designed and certified may not
-still apply. But because rocket flights are short and often happen in
-remote places, and the chance of harmful interference to other radio users is
-therefore pretty small, we're never heard of anyone being fined or
-prosecuted over this.
-
-In the United States, the rules that matter to us are published by the
-Federal Communications Commission, or [FCC](http://fcc.gov/). Under Part 15
-of the FCC rules, it is possible to design and build radios that can be used
-without each user needing to hold an FCC license. However, complying with
-those regulations isn't trivial and isn't cheap. But all hope is not
-lost! There's an alternative, unambiguously legal
-approach to operating our radio links.
+To legally operate a radio transmitter, we need to understand and adhere
+to the rules that regulate use of the radio frequency spectrum. In the
+United States, the rules that matter to us are published by the
+Federal Communications Commission, or [FCC](http://fcc.gov/). Under various
+sections of the FCC rules, particularly Part 15, it is possible to design
+and build radios that can be used
+without each user needing to hold an FCC license. Complying with those
+regulations isn't trivial and can get expensive. Fortunately, there is
+an alternative.
FCC Part 97 and its equivalent in
other countries define an "amateur radio" (sometimes called "ham radio")
## Getting an Amateur Radio License ##
To legally operate a [TeleMetrum](../TeleMetrum) system as designed
-in the USA, you need at
-least a "Technician Class" amateur radio license. This is the entry level
-license, and getting one is actually pretty easy. If you've been through
-the written teste for a Level 2 high power rocketry certification, taking a ham
-radio license exam is a similar kind of experience. The test is multiple
+in the USA, you need at least a "Technician Class" amateur radio
+license. This is the entry level license, and getting one is actually
+pretty easy. The exam fee is low ($15?), and the license is good for 10
+years and renewable for life. Anyone who has been through
+the written test for a Level 2 high power rocketry certification will find
+taking a ham radio license exam a similar sort of experience. The test is
+multiple
choice with questions taken from a pool that is completely published ahead
of time, and there are some great online resources for learning the material
and taking practice exams until you're ready to take the real test. This
-[ARRL page](http://www.arrl.org/FandES/ead/classes.html) is a good place
-to start.
+[ARRL page](https://www.arrl.org/licensing-education-training) is a good place
+to start. We also have it on good authority that the book and iOS app
+available from [Ham Radio School.com](http://hamradioschool.com) are pretty
+good.
+
+## Operation in Other Countries ##
+
+In Australia, we have learned that operation of our products is legal
+without a license in the range 433.05-434.79 Mhz under the
+[LIPD](http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/F2011C00543) provisions. However,
+please be mindful of ham radio and other possible licensed users in that
+band as licensed users have priority.
## Related Equipment ##
for direction finding are in the 70cm band.
Keith and Bdale both currently own and use the
-[Yaesu VX-6R](http://yaesu.com/indexVS.cfm?cmd=DisplayProducts&ProdCatID=111&encProdID=4C6F204F6FEBB5BAFA58BCC1C131EAC0&DivisionID=65&isArchived=0)
+[Yaesu VX-7R](http://www.yaesu.com/indexVS.cfm?cmd=DisplayProducts&ProdCatID=111&encProdID=8D3254BFC69FB172D78647DC56EFB0E9&DivisionID=65&isArchived=0)
at launches.
### Antennas ###
for roving in radio contests, and the 6-element 432 Mhz design works fine
for chasing [TeleMetrum](../TeleMetrum)-equipped rockets.
+### Other Uses for an Amateur Radio License ###
+
+The [ARRL](http://www.arrl.org/) web site is full of information about other
+things that people do with amateur radio.
+
projects / web / altusmetrum / blobdiff