Radio Merit Badge

Each scout must have their own answer sheet Each scout fills in their name and unit/troop number on each page of answer sheet. Each scout fill in the instructors names and telephone numbers on the first page.

Radio Merit Badge The last page of the answer sheet is a QSO log You must get five QSO’s There are HAMS around camp, ask them for help They will set up a QSO and fill in your QSO log

Radio Merit Badge Explain what radio is

Radio Merit Badge Explain what radio is –Radio is a way to communicate electronically from one place to another without wires.

Radio Merit Badge The differences between broadcast radio

Radio Merit Badge The differences between broadcast radio –One-way to the public.

Radio Merit Badge and hobby radio. –For fun or general interest, but not for profit.

Radio Merit Badge The differences between broadcasting

Radio Merit Badge The differences between broadcasting –Could be commercial (music, news, sports) or not commercial (school radio stations, Voice of America)

Radio Merit Badge and two-way communications.

Radio Merit Badge and two-way communications. –Both send (transmit) and receive messages. This includes FRS, Amateur, CB, fire, police, etc.

Radio Merit Badge Radio call signs and how they are used in broadcast radio and amateur radio.

Radio Merit Badge Radio call signs and how they are used in broadcast radio and amateur radio. –Call signs identify the station and are required by law.

Radio Merit Badge Radio call signs and how they are used in broadcast radio and amateur radio. –Broadcast: KSWB, WGN, WRAL –K west of Mississippi –W east of Mississippi

Radio Merit Badge Radio call signs and how they are used in broadcast radio and amateur radio. –Amateur: KF4AVG, KQ4UK, WT4S, WA4WPD, W4MY, WN4Z, W4FRA –Calls assigned by districts

Radio Merit Badge Radio call signs and how they are used in broadcast radio and amateur radio. –Call signs can tell you where a station is in the world.

Radio Merit Badge The phonetic alphabet and how it is used to communicate clearly.

Radio Merit Badge The phonetic alphabet and how it is used to communicate clearly. –Phonetics: Words used for letters to make spelling more clear.

Radio Merit Badge The phonetic alphabet and how it is used to communicate clearly. –Phonetics: Words used for letters to make spelling more clear. –Alfa, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo, Foxtrot, Golf, Hotel, India, Juliett, Kilo, Lima, Mike, November, Oscar, Papa, Quebec, Romeo, Sierra, Tango, Uniform, Victor, Whiskey, X-ray, Yankee, Zulu, One, Two, Three(tree), Four, Five(fife), Six, Seven, Eight, Nine(niner), Zero.

Radio Merit Badge Sketch a diagram showing how radio waves travel locally and around the world.

Radio Merit Badge

–Line-of-sight where the antennas can "see" each other. (You to #1 in this picture). –If a hill is in the way, a repeater on top a mountain or building can relay the signal over it. (You to #2).

Radio Merit Badge –High frequency (HF) radio bounces off the ionosphere long distances (You to #3) (Skip). –Signals can also be relayed by satellite or even moon bounce or meteor trails.

Radio Merit Badge Explain how the broadcast radio stations, WWV and WWVH can be used to help determine what you will hear when you listen to a shortwave radio?

Radio Merit Badge –WWV in Colorado (male voice) and WWVH in Hawaii (female voice) broadcast the time on several frequencies (2.5, 5, 10, 15 & 20MHz). By listening for these stations on their regular frequencies you can tell how good signals from those states are on the different radio bands.

Radio Merit Badge –Time is given in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), also known as Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) or Zulu (Z), which is fives hours later than Eastern Standard Time. This avoids confusion in having to know the local time zone and if Daylight Savings time is in effect.

Radio Merit Badge Explain the difference between a DX and a local station.

Radio Merit Badge –DX - Distant (not local, some folks assume it means out of the country). Any station received via atmospheric skip can be considered DX.

Radio Merit Badge –Local - Closer, therefore more common. Received via line of sight.

Radio Merit Badge Discuss what the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) does

Radio Merit Badge Discuss what the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) does –Sets rules in US

Radio Merit Badge Discuss what the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) does –Sets rules in US –Enforces same rules

Radio Merit Badge Rules define – Kind of equipment – Frequencies – Content.

Radio Merit Badge How is FCC different from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

Radio Merit Badge How is FCC different from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) – Part of the United Nations – Sets band plans internationally – Set international standards – Assigns call sign lists.

Radio Merit Badge Do the following: Draw a chart of the electromagnetic spectrum covering 100 kilohertz (kHz) to 1000 megahertz (MHz). Label the MF, HF, VHF, UHF, and microwave portions of the spectrum on your diagram. Locate on your chart at least eight radio services such as AM and FM commercial broadcast, citizens band (CB), television, amateur radio (at least four amateur radio bands), and public service (police and fire) radio.

Radio Merit Badge

MF 300KHz to 3MHz HF 3MHz to 30MHz VHF30MHz to 300MHz UHF300MHz to 1000MHz Microwavegreater than 1000MHz

Radio Merit Badge

Explain how radio waves carry information.

Radio Merit Badge Explain how radio waves carry information. –A detailed explanation of what happens inside a radio is too complicated for most Scouts. The definition of these words should suffice.

Radio Merit Badge Transciever

Radio Merit Badge Transceiver –Transmitter and receiver in one box

Radio Merit Badge Transmitter

Radio Merit Badge Transmitter –Sends radio signals after converting the audio and or pictures to radio frequencies –AM Amplitude Modulation –FM Frequency Modulation

Radio Merit Badge Amplifier

Radio Merit Badge Amplifier –Makes signals or sounds more powerful. –Amplifiers are inside of most transceivers, although you might add a larger one for more power if needed.

Radio Merit Badge Antenna.

Radio Merit Badge Antenna. –Sends radio signals out from the transmitter and receives them for the receiver. Can vary from small whips found on a car to long single wires to large multipart beams. Size can vary from a few inches to 100's of feet long.

Radio Merit Badge 5. Do the following: –a. Explain the differences between a block diagram –and a schematic diagram.

Radio Merit Badge Block diagram: – Shows parts of radio station.

Radio Merit Badge Schematic diagram – Shows in detail how an electrical circuit works. It uses schematic symbols (see "d" below) to show the path of a circuit the way a map uses map symbols to show the path of travel on a hiking trail, or road.

Radio Merit Badge Draw a block diagram for a radio station that includes a transceiver, amplifier, microphone, antenna, and feed line.

Radio Merit Badge Draw a block diagram for a radio station that includes a transceiver, amplifier, microphone, antenna, and feed line.

Radio Merit Badge Explain the differences between an open circuit, a closed circuit and a short circuit.

Radio Merit Badge Open Circuit –No current flows –There is no electrical contact –For example, when a light switch is off

Radio Merit Badge Closed Circuit –Current flows correctly –For example, when a light switch is on

Radio Merit Badge Short Circuit –Current flows directly to the other side of the circuit –For example, a broken lamp cord where the insulation on the wires is broken so the two wires can touch each other –This is dangerous and can cause a fire. This will hopefully blow the fuse before it causes too much trouble, if the fuse is the right size.