However, again, there is no proof that supports this story.Īpart from these popular false etymologies, another story explains why it’s called a Ham radio.
#HAM RADIO SPEECH RECORDER CODE#
☹Īccording to the next etymology, the phrase “Ham radio” stems from the term “Ham-fisted” that commercial radio stations used for Hams who had weak morse code transmission skills. But neither have they found any record of the “speech” nor have they been able to locate Hyman, Almy, and Murray in the Alumni book.
Some researchers have gone as far as checking the congress reports from the dates they say Hyman made a speech and have even checked the alumni book of Harvard radio club.
In recognition of Hyman’s “efforts”, Amateur radio enthusiasts adopted their callsign “HAM” as the name for their radio communication techniques.Īs good as this story sounds, and as hard as we want it to be true, this story is far from being authentic. They say their callsign was adopted as the name of this radio communication method because Albert Hyman prevented Amateur radio from going extinct.Īccording to this legend, Hyman gave a speech in congress sometime around 1911, due to which, he managed to defeat a bill that, if passed, would have wiped the existence of Amateur radio. Some people say that the word HAM was the callsign of one of the first amateur radio operators, Albert S. Charles Herrold operating radio equipment (Courtesy of San José State University, Special Collections and Archives) Ham radio has many false etymologies associated with it. Now, let’s dive into what we are all here to discuss. This eventually eliminated the negative connotation.Īnd once the amateur radio community embraced the derogatory term, the world stopped using it as an insult, at least for them. Over time, forward-thinking and broad-minded amateur radio operators embraced the seemingly insulting name and started taking pride in it. The word “Ham” was indeed meant to be derogatory when it first came out.īack in the early days of Amateur radio, commercial radio operators used the word “Ham” when referring to the non-commercial Amateur radio operators as an insult. And being new to the Ham radio world, this may seem not very kind to you. More often than not, people refer to Amateur radio operators as “Hams”. Okay, let’s back up a little and address the important question next. These operators are called Hams.įor now, don’t be offended when someone calls you a Ham once you get your Amateur radio license. Using a Ham radio is a hobby practiced by thousands of licensed operators across the US. Ham radio operates on the designated amateur bands, which comprise certain frequencies allotted by the Federal Communications Commission FCC in the US. What Are Ham Radios?Ī Ham radio, formally known as Amateur radio, is a two-way communication device primarily used for non-commercial radiocommunications. In this article, we will discuss the real reason why Amateur radios are called Ham radios and uncovering false meanings so you really do know why is it really called a Ham radio today.īut first, let’s start with the basics. However, it was also the station call sign of the Harvard Radio Club, who used the first letter of radio operators Hyman, Almy and Murray.Īs you can see, the origins of the name ‘Ham’ are not clear cut! The name “Ham” can be dated back to 1908, where the first letter of each of the 3 radio pioneer’s first names was used to name it – Hertz, Amstrong and Marconi. Or even if it represents anything at all! You may have wondered what the name ham radio stands for… And if you are new to the ham radio universe, the peculiarity of this name may have left you curious about its etymology.
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