Amateur radio operator

An amateur radio operator is someone who uses equipment at an amateur radio station to engage in two-way personal communications with other amateur operators on radio frequencies assigned to the amateur radio service. Amateur radio operators have been granted an amateur radio license by a governmental regulatory authority after passing an examination on applicable regulations, electronics, radio theory, and radio operation. As a component of their license, amateur radio operators are assigned a call sign that they use to identify themselves during communication. About three million amateur radio operators are currently active worldwide.^[1]

Amateur radio operators are also known as radio amateurs or hams. The term "ham" as a nickname for amateur radio operators originated in a pejorative usage (like "ham actor") by operators in commercial and professional radio communities, and dates to wired telegraphy.^[2]^[3] The word was subsequently^[when?] adopted by amateur radio operators.^{[citation needed]}

More information Country, Number of amateur radio operators ...

Country	Number of amateur radio operators	% population	Year of Report	Source
United States	748,519	0.223	2024	^[4]
Japan	381,899	0.304	2021	^[5]
Thailand	101,763	0.147	2018	^[6]
China	240,000	0.017	2024	^[7]
Germany	63,070	0.073	2019	^[8]
Canada	70,198	0.187	2018	^[9]
Spain	58,700	0.127	1999	^[6]
United Kingdom	75,660	0.114	2018	^[10]
South Korea	42,632	0.082	2012	^[11]
Russia	38,000	0.026	1993	^[6]
Brazil	32,053	0.016	1997	^[6]
Turkey	32,000	0.037	2023	^[12]
Italy	30,000	0.049	1993	^[6]
Indonesia	27,815	0.011	1997	^[6]
France	13,500	0.019	2022	^[13]
Ukraine	17,265	0.037	2000	^[6]
Argentina	16,889	0.042	1999	^[6]
Poland	15,805	0.041	2024	^[14]
Australia	15,448	0.060	2023	^[15]
India	15,679	0.001	2000	^[6]
Sweden	12,790	0.113	2023	^[16]
Netherlands	12,582	0.07	2018	^[17]
Malaysia	11,273	0.03	2023	^[6]
Denmark	9,079	0.152	2022	^[18]
Slovenia	6,500	0.317	2000	^[6]
Austria	6,930	0.077	2022	^[19]
New Zealand	6,000	0.12	1994	^[6]
South Africa	6,000	0.012	1994	^[6]
Norway	6,818	0.125	2022	^[20]
Czech Republic	5,332	0.05	2023	^[21]
Portugal	5,116	0.051	2023
Finland	5,000	0.090	2016	^[22]
Serbia	3,962	0.056	2020	^[23]
Romania	3,527	0.018	2017	^[24]
Hungary	3,234	0.033	2023	^[25]
Ireland	1,945	0.039	2020	^[26]^[27]
Slovakia	1,745	0.032	2023	^[28]
Estonia	700	0.052	2020

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Few governments maintain detailed demographic statistics of their amateur radio operator populations, aside from recording the total number of licensed operators. The majority of amateur radio operators worldwide reside in the United States, Japan, and the nations of East Asia, North America, and Europe. The top five countries by percentage of the population are Slovenia, Japan, the United States, Canada, and Denmark. Only the governments of Yemen and North Korea currently prohibit their citizens from becoming amateur radio operators. In some countries, acquiring an amateur radio license is difficult because of the bureaucratic processes or fees that place access to a license out of reach for most citizens. Most nations permit foreign nationals to earn an amateur radio license, but very few amateur radio operators are licensed in multiple countries.^{[citation needed]}

Gender

In the vast majority of countries, the population of amateur radio operators is predominantly male. In China, 12% of amateur radio operators are women,^[29] while approximately 15% of amateur radio operators in the United States are women.^[30] The Young Ladies Radio League is an international organization of female amateur radio operators.^{[citation needed]}

A male amateur radio operator can be referred to as an OM, an abbreviation used in Morse code telegraphy for "old man", regardless of the operator's age. A single female amateur radio operator can be referred to as a YL, from the abbreviation used for "young lady", regardless of the operator's age. A licensed married female is sometimes referred to as an XYL.

Age

Most countries do not have a minimum age requirement in order to earn an amateur radio license and become an amateur radio operator. Although the number of amateur radio operators in many countries increases from year to year,^{[citation needed]} the average age of amateur radio operators is relatively high. In some countries, the average age is 68 years old.^{[citation needed]}

The unfavourable age distribution has led to a slow decrease in amateur operator numbers in most industrialised countries due to attrition, but in countries which do not apply yearly licence fees, the effects are not immediately noticed. It has been estimated from German statistics, which are considered the most reliable, that the net decrease currently is in the order of 1 to 1.5% per year.^{[citation needed]} The average age of most amateur radio operators is approaching 70 in most European countries.^{[citation needed]}

Some national radio societies have responded to the aging ham population by developing programs specifically to encourage youth participation in amateur radio, such as the American Radio Relay League's Amateur Radio Education and Technology Program.^[31] The World Wide Young Contesters organization promotes youth involvement, particularly among Europeans, in competitive radio contesting. A strong tie also exists between the amateur radio community and the Scouting movement to introduce radio technology to youth. WOSM's annual Jamboree On The Air is Scouting's largest activity, with a half million Scouts and Guides speaking with each other using amateur radio each October.^[32]

US amateurs by state

More information State, Total ...

State	Total	%	Rank	Club
AA	4	0.00	59	0
AE	157	0.02	56	0
AK	3847	0.46	45	80
AL	13228	1.59	22	244
AP	144	0.02	57	1
AR	8914	1.07	31	129
AS	25	0.00	58	3
AZ	22166	2.78	12	249
CA	115787	13.93	1	1528
CO	20369	2.45	16	222
CT	8178	0.98	32	188
DC	587	0.07	52	54
DE	1930	0.23	50	38
FL	46856	5.64	3	610
GA	20650	2.48	14	390
GU	334	0.04	54	13
HI	4386	0.53	43	117
IA	6993	0.84	35	119
ID	10404	1.25	28	85
IL	21467	2.58	13	367
IN	16798	2.02	18	303
KS	7953	0.96	33	143
KY	10376	1.25	29	147
LA	6823	0.82	37	166
MA	14641	1.76	21	272
MD	12139	1.46	25	184
ME	4980	0.60	41	81
MI	22834	2.75	9	375
MN	12520	1.51	23	185
MO	16699	2.01	19	262
MP	353	0.04	53	18
MS	5849	0.70	39	131
MT	4450	0.54	42	63
NC	23549	2.83	8	337
ND	1729	0.21	51	53
NE	4083	0.49	44	81
NH	6035	0.73	38	112
NJ	14834	1.78	20	295
NM	7237	0.87	34	131
NV	8918	1.07	30	112
NY	29588	3.56	6	531
OH	30148	3.63	5	511
OK	10701	1.29	27	152
OR	22242	2.68	10	354
PA	26132	3.14	7	437
PR	5117	0.62	40	108
RI	2143	0.26	48	71
SC	10844	1.30	26	147
SD	2122	0.26	49	33
TN	20416	2.46	15	261
TX	58415	7.03	2	737
UT	19513	2.35	17	116
VA	22217	2.67	11	298
VI	298	0.04	55	27
VT	2307	0.28	46	59
WA	37494	4.51	4	515
WI	12178	1.47	24	215
WV	6854	0.82	36	78
WY	2281	0.27	47	37

Close

NOTE:^[33]
AA..US Armed Forces Americas
AE..US Armed Forces Africa/Canada/Europe/Middle East
AP..US Armed Forces Pacific
AS..American Samoa
GU..Guam
MP..Mariana Islands
PR..Puerto Rico
VI..US Virgin Islands

Canadian amateurs by province

More information Province, Total ...

Province	Total	Rank
AB	7700	4
NL	1473	10
ON	23270	1
YT	214	12
BC	18827	3
NS	2647	5
PE	311	11
ZZ	1774	7
MB	2161	6
NT	95	13
QC	19039	2
NB	1688	8
NU	28	14
SK	1624	9

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NOTE:^[33]
ZZ..Canadian amateurs outside of Canada

When referring to a person, the phrase Silent Key, and its abbreviation SK, is a euphemism for an amateur radio operator who is deceased.^[34] The procedural signal "SK" (or "VA") has historically been used in Morse code as the last signal sent from a station before ending operation,^[35] usually just before shutting off the transmitter. Since this was the last signal received by other operators, the code was adopted to refer to any amateur radio operator who is deceased, regardless of whether they were known to have used telegraphy in their communications.^{[citation needed]}

An operator working HF
An operator working HF
Amateur Radio station equipped for reception of VLF signals.
Amateur radio students

[1]
Silver, H Ward (23 April 2004). Ham Radio for Dummies. Indianapolis: Wiley Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7645-5987-7. OCLC 55092631.
[2]
Hall, L. C. (January 1902). "Telegraph Talk and Talkers". McClure's Magazine. Vol. 18, no. 3. pp. 230–231.
[3]
"Word Origins - Ham". United States Early Radio History. Archived from the original on 15 November 2019.
[4]
"FCC License Counts". arrl.com. Archived from the original on 7 June 2024. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
[5]
"Hamlife.jp Database Ministry of Communication". Archived from the original on 11 October 2021. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
[6]
"MCMC Register Of Apparatus Assignments Search". Archived from the original on 16 December 2023. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
[7]
CRAC (30 June 2024). "C类业余无线电台操作技术能力验证考核首次在济南举行" (in Simplified Chinese). Archived from the original on 24 August 2024. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
[8]
"Amateurfunk". Bundesnetzagentur. 2019. Archived from the original on 21 December 2023. Retrieved 13 January 2019.
[9]
"News - Canada: Amateur radio statistics 2018". Southgate Amateur Radio Club. Rayleigh, Essex, England. Archived from the original on 3 March 2019. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
[10]
"How many UK radio amateurs are there?". Archived from the original on 15 March 2023. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
[11]
"Triennial Report from KARL". iaru-r3.org. Archived from the original on 2 February 2016. Retrieved 4 November 2012.
[12]
"Deprem sonrası amatör telsizci başvuruları arttı". www.trthaber.com (in Turkish). 14 March 2023. Archived from the original on 14 April 2023. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
[13]
REF preliminary callsign statistics
[14]
"UKE Radioamator". amator.uke.gov.pl. Archived from the original on 23 September 2023. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
[15]
"ACMA Radiocomms license data". acma.gov.au. Archived from the original on 15 January 2021. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
[16]
SSA callsign statistics published in QTC 11/2023
[17]
Agentschap Telecom - Ministerie van Economische Zaken en Klimaat "Staat van de Ether 2018". Archived from the original on 23 October 2019. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
[18]
"Energistyrelsen Frekvensregister". frekvensregister.ens.dk. Archived from the original on 22 December 2023. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
[19]
"Rufzeichenliste österreichischer Amateurfunkstellen" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 August 2022. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
[20]
Nkom callsign statistics
[21]
"Individual licenses and call signs of Radio Amateur Service stations". ctu.cz. Archived from the original on 5 October 2023. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
[22]
"Mitä radioamatööritoiminta on?". SRAL.fi. Archived from the original on 1 June 2004. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
[23]
"YU Amateur Radio Call Book". yu1srs.org.rs. Archived from the original on 17 September 2019. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
[24]
"ANCOM Callbook Radioamatori". ancom.org.ro. Archived from the original on 11 January 2018. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
[25]
"call_sign_book.xml". nmhh.hu. Archived from the original on 28 March 2023. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
[26]
"COMREG Licensing Database". www.comreg.ie. 7 March 2016. Archived from the original on 24 October 2017. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
[27]
"Population and Migration Estimates April 2020 - CSO - Central Statistics Office". www.cso.ie. 20 August 2020. Archived from the original on 24 August 2020. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
[28]
"List of Slovakia Radio Amateur call signs". teleoff.gov.sk. Archived from the original on 5 October 2023. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
[29]
Chinese Radio Sports Association (2004). "The Current Status of Amateur Radio in the Mainland of China". Proceedings of the International Amateur Radio Union's Region 3 Twelfth Regional Conference. Document No. 04/XII/057. Archived from the original on 6 March 2006. Retrieved 2 June 2006.
[30]
Harker, Kenneth E (15 March 2005). "A Study of Amateur Radio Gender Demographics". ARRL.org. Archived from the original on 23 February 2007. Retrieved 13 July 2007.
[31]
"The ARRL Amateur Radio Education & Technology Program". ARRL.org. Archived from the original on 25 June 2007. Retrieved 13 July 2007.
[32]
"All about JOTA". Scout.org. September 2006. Archived from the original on 9 May 2008. Retrieved 30 April 2008.
[33]
Amateurs by State generates a SSL_ERROR_UNSUPPORTED_VERSION error message
[34]
"Reporting a Silent Key". Amateur Radio Relay League. Archived from the original on 7 January 2017. Retrieved 6 January 2017.
[35]
"CW Operating Aids". AC6V. Archived from the original on 28 February 2017. Retrieved 6 January 2017.
[36]
"David Packard and Amateur Radio" (PDF). Stanford University. Archived (PDF) from the original on 25 July 2021. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
[37]
"List" (PDF). ariss.org. Archived (PDF) from the original on 5 October 2023. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
[38]
"ULS License - Vanity License - K6FLM - Maytag, Frederick L". Archived from the original on 5 October 2023. Retrieved 30 April 2022.

Amateur radio reference guide - Technical specifications and manuals

[HamForDummies-1] [1]
Silver, H Ward (23 April 2004). Ham Radio for Dummies. Indianapolis: Wiley Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7645-5987-7. OCLC 55092631.

[Hall1902-2] [2]
Hall, L. C. (January 1902). "Telegraph Talk and Talkers". McClure's Magazine. Vol. 18, no. 3. pp. 230–231.

[3] [3]
"Word Origins - Ham". United States Early Radio History. Archived from the original on 15 November 2019.

[ARRL_FCC-4] [4]
"FCC License Counts". arrl.com. Archived from the original on 7 June 2024. Retrieved 7 June 2024.

[5] [5]
"Hamlife.jp Database Ministry of Communication". Archived from the original on 11 October 2021. Retrieved 13 October 2021.

[iaru_table-6] [6]
"MCMC Register Of Apparatus Assignments Search". Archived from the original on 16 December 2023. Retrieved 17 December 2023.

[7] [7]
CRAC (30 June 2024). "C类业余无线电台操作技术能力验证考核首次在济南举行" (in Simplified Chinese). Archived from the original on 24 August 2024. Retrieved 24 August 2024.

[8] [8]
"Amateurfunk". Bundesnetzagentur. 2019. Archived from the original on 21 December 2023. Retrieved 13 January 2019.

[Hamdata-9] [9]
"News - Canada: Amateur radio statistics 2018". Southgate Amateur Radio Club. Rayleigh, Essex, England. Archived from the original on 3 March 2019. Retrieved 20 November 2020.

[10] [10]
"How many UK radio amateurs are there?". Archived from the original on 15 March 2023. Retrieved 25 June 2023.

[KARL_Report_to_IARU_Region_3_2012-11] [11]
"Triennial Report from KARL". iaru-r3.org. Archived from the original on 2 February 2016. Retrieved 4 November 2012.

[12] [12]
"Deprem sonrası amatör telsizci başvuruları arttı". www.trthaber.com (in Turkish). 14 March 2023. Archived from the original on 14 April 2023. Retrieved 14 April 2023.

[13] [13]
REF preliminary callsign statistics

[14] [14]
"UKE Radioamator". amator.uke.gov.pl. Archived from the original on 23 September 2023. Retrieved 7 June 2024.

[15] [15]
"ACMA Radiocomms license data". acma.gov.au. Archived from the original on 15 January 2021. Retrieved 29 December 2023.

[16] [16]
SSA callsign statistics published in QTC 11/2023

[17] [17]
Agentschap Telecom - Ministerie van Economische Zaken en Klimaat "Staat van de Ether 2018". Archived from the original on 23 October 2019. Retrieved 23 October 2019.

[18] [18]
"Energistyrelsen Frekvensregister". frekvensregister.ens.dk. Archived from the original on 22 December 2023. Retrieved 15 May 2022.

[www.fb.gv.at-19] [19]
"Rufzeichenliste österreichischer Amateurfunkstellen" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 August 2022. Retrieved 15 February 2022.

[20] [20]
Nkom callsign statistics

[Czech_Telecommunication_Office-21] [21]
"Individual licenses and call signs of Radio Amateur Service stations". ctu.cz. Archived from the original on 5 October 2023. Retrieved 21 September 2023.

[sral.fi_numbers-22] [22]
"Mitä radioamatööritoiminta on?". SRAL.fi. Archived from the original on 1 June 2004. Retrieved 6 March 2016.

[Amateur_Radio_Union_of_Serbia-23] [23]
"YU Amateur Radio Call Book". yu1srs.org.rs. Archived from the original on 17 September 2019. Retrieved 30 March 2020.

[ancom-24] [24]
"ANCOM Callbook Radioamatori". ancom.org.ro. Archived from the original on 11 January 2018. Retrieved 11 January 2018.

[nmhh.hu-25] [25]
"call_sign_book.xml". nmhh.hu. Archived from the original on 28 March 2023. Retrieved 28 March 2023.

[comreg-26] [26]
"COMREG Licensing Database". www.comreg.ie. 7 March 2016. Archived from the original on 24 October 2017. Retrieved 18 April 2021.

[27] [27]
"Population and Migration Estimates April 2020 - CSO - Central Statistics Office". www.cso.ie. 20 August 2020. Archived from the original on 24 August 2020. Retrieved 18 April 2021.

[Regulatory_Authority_for_Electronic_Communications_and_Postal_Services-28] [28]
"List of Slovakia Radio Amateur call signs". teleoff.gov.sk. Archived from the original on 5 October 2023. Retrieved 21 September 2023.

[IARUgender-29] [29]
Chinese Radio Sports Association (2004). "The Current Status of Amateur Radio in the Mainland of China". Proceedings of the International Amateur Radio Union's Region 3 Twelfth Regional Conference. Document No. 04/XII/057. Archived from the original on 6 March 2006. Retrieved 2 June 2006.

[ARRLgender-30] [30]
Harker, Kenneth E (15 March 2005). "A Study of Amateur Radio Gender Demographics". ARRL.org. Archived from the original on 23 February 2007. Retrieved 13 July 2007.

[ARRLetp-31] [31]
"The ARRL Amateur Radio Education & Technology Program". ARRL.org. Archived from the original on 25 June 2007. Retrieved 13 July 2007.

[Scouting-32] [32]
"All about JOTA". Scout.org. September 2006. Archived from the original on 9 May 2008. Retrieved 30 April 2008.

[AmateursState-33] [33]
Amateurs by State generates a SSL_ERROR_UNSUPPORTED_VERSION error message

[34] [34]
"Reporting a Silent Key". Amateur Radio Relay League. Archived from the original on 7 January 2017. Retrieved 6 January 2017.

[SK-35] [35]
"CW Operating Aids". AC6V. Archived from the original on 28 February 2017. Retrieved 6 January 2017.

[36] [36]
"David Packard and Amateur Radio" (PDF). Stanford University. Archived (PDF) from the original on 25 July 2021. Retrieved 15 September 2021.

[37] [37]
"List" (PDF). ariss.org. Archived (PDF) from the original on 5 October 2023. Retrieved 25 June 2023.

[38] [38]
"ULS License - Vanity License - K6FLM - Maytag, Frederick L". Archived from the original on 5 October 2023. Retrieved 30 April 2022.

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