This Is Amateur Radio

Site presently under construction – Last Updated October 2025

Tiles with a * have not yet been linked to final content.

Welcome to the world of Amateur Radio. If you haven’t heard of it before you are in for a treat. Anyone can listen to a broadcast of music, news or television, but Amateur Radio give you the ability to send and receive to other people locally or around the world. it does not rely upon the internet or mobile network. You do not need a university degree. For more than a century it has permitted anyone with a little curiosity and determination to not only push a button and talk to like-minded people, but to dive in and see how the technology actually works.

Amateur Radio is what you want to make of it. It can be a gateway to discovering skills that are relevant to many trades and careers. It can also be a means of escape from a mundane world and into new experiences.

A receiver and an antenna are all that is needed, but which receiver and what kind of antenna? As we grow and explore this hobby, we make new friends and we learn more about the technologies that surround us.

To operate an Amateur Radio station, you need to pass an exam. These exams are free and there is no minimum age requirement. Once you have qualified and have been issued with a callsign, it’s yours for life, without any ongoing fees.

There are three levels of operator qualification. Foundation, Standard and Advanced. Each requires a different level of technical knowledge, an understanding of the regulations and a practical component on how to set up a radio. The ACMA have a website which describes the process in detail. Here

The Foundation qualification can be studied, test taken and a callsign allocated awarded in a relatively short period of time. A couple of weekends preparation is usually sufficient. This website will help. The topics are many, but our message is simple. Once you open the door to our hobby, there is something for everyone.

The path to becoming an Amateur Radio Operator has never been more accessible and as low cost than it is today!

Amateur Radio is sometimes dismissed as a quiet back-room activity with a chair, a radio and a microphone, but the reality is quite different. The full extent of Amateur Radio is difficult to showcase. Most websites only describe a few of its main elements.

The This Is Amateur Radio website has been produced by the Radio Amateur Society of Australia as another free resource. It showcases the true scope of Amateur Radio in a single view. Keep scrolling down…

Click on the adjacent map logo or use the QR Code to learn more about RASA as a national representative body for Amateur Radio.

HOW TO USE THIS SITE

It’s easy to use. Each tile represents a topic of study or an activity to pursue. Click on a tile to open a summary of that tile, then follow the links provided for greater detail on the topic.

The BLUE tiles show the examinable content for the Foundation Level qualification.

YELLOW tiles reveal more content for the Standard Level of qualification. (This section is still under development)

The GREEN tiles provide a pathway to the Advanced Level qualification. (This section is still under Development)

The GREY tiles detail the full range of experiences that Amateur Radio has to offer.

Another great way to explore this site is to Search by a key word of interest.

You can also click on the button below to view every page on this site as a list.

View Tile list sequentially

These buttons show pages with the full detail of the ACMA exam syllabus for

the Foundation, Standard and Advanced qualifications

* Incorporates Foundation Syllabus ** Incorporates Foundation & Standard Syllabus

Check out the free ‘This Is Amateur Radio’ Wall Chart at the bottom of this page

Like what you see? Find it Useful? Consider sending $10 and be a part of RASA

This site was produced by RASA as a free resource for all. We are funded through $10 annual membership fees and small donations. RASA is a Not-For-Profit organisation run by volunteers. We are working hard to present our hobby to the general public and experienced operators. If you would like to help make this happen, consider joining or contributing to RASA. We only retain a name, callsign and email address. We distribute a quarterly E-magazine and news bulletins. To join or donate visit: https://vkradioamateurs.org/contact/

Contribute to this site

Have you found a broken link? Do you have an update for this site? Any mainstream activity associated with Amateur Radio may qualify for inclusion.

Email to info@vkradioamateurs.org with your suggestions.