what is radio presentation

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How to write an effective radio station presentation

An effective radio station presentation can be a powerful tool for attracting listeners, securing sponsorships, and promoting your station. Here are a few tips for writing an effective radio station presentation:

• Define your audience: Before you start writing, think about who your presentation is for. This could be potential sponsors , listeners , or other stakeholders . Knowing your audience will help you tailor your presentation to their needs and interests.
• Identify your key message: Determine the main message you want to convey in your presentation. This could be the unique value proposition of your radio station , its target audience, or its programming.
• Organize your content: Organize your content in a logical and coherent way , using headings and subheadings to break up the information and make it easier to follow.
• Use visuals: Incorporate visuals such as graphs, charts , and images to help illustrate your points and make your presentation more engaging.
• Practice your delivery: Practice your presentation beforehand to ensure that you are comfortable and confident when delivering it. Consider using slides or other visual aids to help guide your delivery.

Overall, an effective radio station presentation requires a clear understanding of your audience , a strong key message, and well-organized content. By following these tips, you can create a presentation that effectively promotes your radio station and engages your audience.

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How to improve your radio presenting skills

Radio presenting skills

Back to the overview

Radio presenting is not an easy job and it is very important for your radio station. It is therefore essential that you try to improve your radio presenting skills as much as you can if you have your own radio station. In this article, we will give you some tips that hopefully help you to become the best at radio presenting.

Good preparation

“A good beginning is half the task” is truly applicable to this situation. Good preparation can make the difference between a hit or a miss in your performance as a presenter. Especially when you want to present larger chunks of text, it is very hard to improvise everything without preparation. Therefore, it can really help if you think about it beforehand and write down the main points you want to say. This helps you remembering and will make your story more consistent and structured. People who have the tendency to ramble, really benefit from a script. If you present something informational that involves facts or data, you should always do your research as best as you can. You do not want to claim things on live radio which are not true, because this harms your credibility and the trust that exists between you and the listeners. You should know what you are talking about, so doing research about your topic is crucial.

Stress control

A quality which is very helpful to have is handling well in stressful situations. During a live broadcast, everything can happen. Even if you prepared everything perfectly, things can and will go differently than you planned, especially if you have live contact with one of your listeners or someone you interview. You can prepare for your part, but you will never know what the other person is going to say. You will definitely experience situations when things do not go as expected and you have to fix it on the spot. The way to train this, if you do not have this quality naturally, is work experience. If you present radio every day, eventually you will become more comfortable improvising when things go wrong.

Be kind and confident

If you interview other people on your radio station, you have to have confidence in your interviewing skills. No one wants to listen to a silent and awkward interview, so you have to be confident in the conversation and fill the silence when it happens. Also, you should always be kind to your guests on the show and to the listeners. If you are shy and you want to practice interviewing, start with just normal daily conversations that you have. When you have a conversation with a friend or a family member, look at your conversation skills. Can you keep the conversation going? Do you ask relevant questions? Do you really listen to the other? These are things you can practice all day every day until it feels more natural, so you can also do it live on radio.

Know your audience

To find the right tone of voice and topics to speak about, you should get to know your audience. Find out what kind of people they are and what they are interested in to hear. You approach a very young audience very differently than you would approach an older audience. Try to find your own style and match that with what your listeners like to hear. Are you a more serious presenter or do you like to include some comedy? Do you talk a lot on your show or do you keep it short? All important things to figure out for yourself.

Timing is very crucial in the radio business. If you need to fill up the silence between two songs, you need to know how to do the timing just right, so that you are done talking when the new song starts. Also, you should know for how long you can keep your listeners engaged with a topic before you play the next song or start talking about something else.

Stay open to improvement

The final tip, which is not only relevant in radio presenting skills, but really in life in general, is to stay open to improvement. No one presents radio perfectly, you will always make little mistakes. So be critical of yourself and allow others to give some constructive critique on your presenting skills. It is never too late to learn something. Try to always have something that you are working on to improve. This will not only make your radio station more successful, but it will make presenting more interesting for yourself, because you are trying new things and seeing if they work for you.

These were some tips to improve your radio presenting skills. If you want to improve some more, you might be interested to learn how to improve your listener’s experience, which you can read here.

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Awesome Tips on Radio Presenting

• 2022 March 7

Radio presenting is something that may come more naturally to some people. Regardless of your experience in the radio world, it’s important to continue working on your craft. Today we’re sharing our top tips to help you improve your radio presenting skills.

1/ Be prepared for radio presenting

Whether you’re new to radio presenting or have been doing it for years, preparation is a key step for any radio host.

Radio script

To facilitate your radio presenting experience, it’s important to prepare a script for your radio show. This will allow you to outline your show and have a guide that you can easily refer to if necessary. If you feel lost at any given moment, you can simply glance down at your script to get back on track! Plus, it will also help you respect the timing of your shows or segments.

Depending on the subject of your show, you may need to do some research beforehand. Again, a script will help you organise your ideas and make sure you don’t forget anything important!

Discover how to prepare a great radio script

Practice your radio presenting

We all know the saying “practice makes perfect” ! Once you’ve prepared your radio show, take the time to practice speaking about the chosen topic. We suggest that you record yourself in order to get a better idea of what you’re doing well, and what needs improvement.

Practicing can also help you feel more confident when it’s time to broadcast. Remember, the better you know your subject, the less likely you are to stutter or lose your trail of thought.

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Your voice is the main tool when it comes to radio presenting. That being said, you should take care of your voice as you would do with any other piece of important equipment. Take (at least) 10 minutes to warm up your voice and face muscles before doing any kind of radio show. Not only will this help protect your vocal cords from any damage, but it will also help you articulate better and generally improve your diction . Drinking water will also help keep your throat from drying out and putting strain on your voice.

Try these vocal warm ups for radio presenters

2/ Your listeners

Your listeners are the reason that you’re trying to perfect your radio presenting skills, right? The aim of your radio show is to please your listeners and keep them coming back for more. But how?

Know your audience

Knowing who you’re talking to is an essential part of radio presenting. You need to adjust your tone and vocabulary according to who you’re speaking to. This is why it’s extremely important to define a target audience when launching your radio project. The better you know your audience, the easier it will be for you to address them in the right way.

Is your target audience on the younger side? Think about slang words or phrases that they may use and could help you connect with them.

Find out how to define a target audience for your radio

Create a direct link

Making sure that your listeners are part of your radio station instead of just spectators is also key. You need to create a direct link with them and include them as part of your radio shows. There are many ways you can do this, for example:

• Talk TO people, not AT people (“we”, “our”, “us”, “you”…)
• Offer prize draws and contests
• Radio shout-outs
• Take song requests

Be present on social media

Social media is the perfect way for you to build a community and connect with them outside of your radio shows. It will allow you to get feedback from your followers so that you can better understand the content that they like (or don’t like!) Post behind-the-scenes content or teasers on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to keep your listeners interested. You can also use these platforms to announce upcoming shows!

Read about how to engage your listeners on social networks

3/ Live radio presenting

As you know when it comes to radio broadcasting, you can chose to pre-record your content or to go live on air . Live broadcasts often feel more natural and spontaneous, here are our top tips for live radio presenting.

Test your equipment & software

Before starting your live broadcast, it’s imperative that you do a test run with your equipment and software.

• Equipment : depending on what kind of studio setup you have at home, your equipment will vary. In any case, we invite you to test your microphone, headphones, mixing desk and any other equipment you may be using.
• Software : there are numerous choices when it comes to live broadcasting software. Take the time to test and compare multiple options. Certain software is better adapted for using controllers and mixing desks, whereas others are much simpler with basic features.

Testing your equipment and software beforehand will ensure that you avoid any technical issues live on air.

Discover our full guide to live broadcasting software Which equipment do you need for your radio station?

Broadcast live phone calls

Taking live phone calls from your listeners is a great way to create a closer connection between you. It’s also a fantastic way to broaden your radio presenting skills , as live conversations are much more spontaneous. Learning how to navigate a conversation and keep it going (or knowing when to end it) is all part of a radio host’s job.

Radio presenting with guests

Inviting guests to participate in your radio show is the cherry on top! Again, this calls for preparation. First of all, you need to find a guest (whether it’s an expert on a certain topic, or even someone you know.) Once that’s done, you must establish the topic of your interview which you can discuss with your guest beforehand. This will allow you both to prepare any questions that will be asked, and make sure everyone is comfortable!

By having guests, you bring a breath of fresh air to your radio show. Plus, your listeners may learn something new from this person! The important thing is for you to be comfortable with the person and subject at hand.

Find out how to prepare a great radio interview

4/ Music and radio presenting

Ok, so we obviously have to talk about music in this article! It’s (generally) a big part of a radio station’s content, but it goes further than simply playing a random tune here and there.

Playlists and programs

Our main tip here is simple: stick to playlists & programs that are on theme with your radio station! If you’re trying to create a certain vibe or atmosphere for your radio station, you need to commit 100%. This commitment is shown through you and your personality, but also through the music that you broadcast .

Something you should also be aware of when it comes to radio presenting: avoid repetition on your radio station! Make sure that you have a good rotation of songs and artists so that your listeners don’t get bored.

How to make great playlists for your radio station

Radio presenting via song announcements

Part of your job as a radio host is, of course, to announce the song and artist names. However, you don’t necessarily have to stick to the classic “up next is Shivers by Ed Sheeran” . Why not go a step further and give some sort of fun fact about the artist, song or album? You could also dive into the meaning behind a song, or talk about any upcoming concerts from that artist. There are loads of different ways to make your announcements more interesting!

Licensing and copyright s

It’s imperative that you verify the licensing requirements in order to broadcast legally on your radio station. As a radio host, it’s your responsibility to check with the relative music authorities from the country you are broadcasting from. You could find yourself paying a hefty fine for each song that is not covered by a license.

Do I need a license for Internet radio?

If people enjoy your broadcasts and come back for more, you have yourself to thank! You are the person that brings life to the radio station and keeps it going.

Choose a topic you’re passionate about

The more passionate you are about your radio topic , the better. Being passionate about something doesn’t necessarily mean that we know everything there is to know. Perhaps you’re going to interview an expert in a field that fascinates you and you simply want to learn more! In any case, the key is to choose a subject that will show your enthusiasm as it will make your show more compelling and authentic.

25 radio topic ideas to inspire you

More than just a radio host

Radio presenting can be much more than simply being a host. If you started your own Internet radio station , you don’t necessarily have a whole team behind you. This means that you may also have to handle the technical aspects of your broadcast. Incorporating jingles , sweepers , time stamps , etc. can be part of the job so it’s essential that you familiarise yourself with the terms.

Check out our radio terms glossary

Let your personality shine through

Last but certainly not least, be sure to let your personality shine through during your broadcasts! Your personality is what will help differentiate your radio from the rest and give it its own special flare. In turn, this will help people create some sort of attachment to you and your show . So remember: have fun, be authentic and don’t put too much pressure on yourself.

International Content Manager - Gryffindor

How to become a Radio Host in 2023

Why create a community radio station.

How to Write a Script for Your Live Radio Event

Article last updated in June 2023

Radio scriptwriting is one of the secrets of being a great live radio broadcaster . While many people assume that live broadcasters come up with all their content on the spot, successful radio professionals often plan carefully, just as professional actors rehearse extensively, so their delivery seems spontaneous.

Planning out your live radio event is the best way to ensure you're prepared and deliver the best possible content to your listeners. Creating a script is one of the most effective ways to plan your event. A script can help keep you focused and give you the direction you need as you move through your live radio show. Plus, since the event is live, a script can come in handy if you ever find yourself at a loss for words.

To help you start, we gathered our best tips for creating a script. In this blog, we'll showcase the benefits of writing radio scripts. Then we'll examine different script types, how they differ, and what they require.

Next, we'll offer best practices for how to write a radio script, including what to do when writing scripts for other presenters. Finally, we'll provide some broadcasting script examples to illustrate how optimal scripting guidelines look in practice.

Main Takeaways From This Article:

• Radio scripts help you plan your content to improve audience engagement, avoid stumbling over what to say, and minimize dead air time.
• Major radio broadcast script types include music radio scripts, talk radio scripts, and commercial scripts.
• To write an effective radio script, use good structure, write as if you're speaking, paint word pictures, keep it concise, and allow for flexibility.
• When writing radio scripts for other presenters, use their voice by getting their input, adding distinctive phrases, and avoiding terminology that would sound unnatural.
• Use examples of broadcasting scripts as templates to guide your original scripts.
• Get your radio script on the air by broadcasting with Live365.

Why You Should Write Radio Scripts

Some people may be afraid that writing scripts can make you sound artificial. But the reality is your spontaneous words reflect subconscious scripts based on how you've been talking for years, and you're using scripts whether you know it or not. Planning and rehearsing a script simply gives you conscious control over what you say. While on-the-fly presenting may occasionally work for some people with natural or trained speaking talent, for most people, you'll get better results by using a script. This doesn't mean you can't be spontaneous if you use scripts, either. As we'll explain later, you can write flexibility into your scripts and ad-lib strategically when it makes sense.

Writing scripts for your radio broadcasts can produce significant benefits. Some of the most important benefits include:

• Planning your content to maximize listener engagement and trust
• Providing a fallback structure in case you struggle over what to say next
• Avoiding dead air time

Let's look at how scripting promotes these benefits:

Planning Your Content to Maximize Listener Engagement and Trust

You can plan exactly what to say when you write a script for your broadcast. This gives you better control over organizing your presentation and choosing your words for the desired effect on listeners. You can consider different versions of your script to determine which will sound better for your audience. This is a best practice followed by many entertainment professionals. For instance, some professional comedians test different versions of a joke at nightclubs to see which version gets the best laugh and how different audiences react to minor changes.

Tweaking your script to tailor it for your listeners improves the quality of your content, helping you communicate more clearly, deliver more informative presentations, and provide better entertainment value. This helps you maximize audience engagement and earn the trust of new listeners. Your audience will appreciate your extra effort in planning your broadcast, even if they don't know it's scripted.

Providing a Fallback Structure in Case You Struggle Over What to Say Next

Even the best speakers sometimes find themselves drawing a blank. When this happens to you, a script can serve as a fallback structure to help the show move forward, even if you're unsure where to go next. Simply glancing at a script outline or phrase can draw your attention to the right words to trigger your memory or spark your imagination, helping you get back on track. But if you don't have a script to fall back on, your audience may find themselves listening to crickets chirping for an uncomfortably long pause, leaving them wondering whether something's wrong or even questioning your credibility.

Another way a script provides a fallback structure is by giving you a tool to help you rehearse. You can review your script before a broadcast, read it aloud, or even record yourself saying it to see how it sounds. This can help you improve the quality of your script and delivery while drilling it into your memory so that you sound totally natural when it's time to go live. You may even find you sound more spontaneous if you spend more time rehearsing from a script.

Having this type of fallback structure can be especially important if you'll be broadcasting in a second language you're not as fluent in as your primary language. For example, if you're a native Spanish speaker, writing a broadcasting script in English can help you avoid struggling to express yourself because you're unsure of the right words.

Avoiding Dead Air Time

A radio script can help you avoid dead air time by providing a fallback structure. Nothing brings your broadcast to a halt like a long, unscheduled pause. Professional broadcasters consider dead air one of the worst-case scenarios to avoid. On-air silence can make listeners think you've stopped broadcasting, causing them to tune out or change stations. This can cut into advertising revenue, causing your sponsors to pull back. In fact, the Federal Communications Commission even regulates against extended dead air time, and the FCC can fine terrestrial radio stations that exceed dead air limits.

A script protects you against dead air time by telling you exactly what to say to keep the conversation going. Even a weak script is better than long, deathly radio silence.

You even can automate defenses against dead air using scripts. For example, you can set up your internet broadcasting platform to play a prerecorded script if dead air continues too long. This ensures that your internet radio station won't become a victim of prolonged unscheduled silence.

Radio Broadcast Script Types

The main types of radio broadcasts scripts include:

• Music radio scripts
• Talk radio scripts
• Commercial scripts

These script types differ in some key ways. Music scripts may have a looser structure to promote a more improvised, entertaining feel. Talk radio may use more detailed scripts to ensure all content gets covered. Meanwhile, commercial scripts focus on persuasion. All three format types have in common their ability to improve the quality of your programming.

Music Radio Scripts

Music radio formats are structured around songs, but musical segments may be interspersed with quips, news, sports, ads, and other breaks. One of the most important functions of music radio scripts is providing transitions between music tracks and these other elements.

Music radio scripts may use a looser structure to achieve smooth transitions than other script types, relying on loose talking points rather than detailed dialogue. However, more formal scripts may be used as needed.

For example, segments such as news and sports can benefit from detailed scripts. DJ announcers also can develop scripts for frequent routine elements, such as station identification lead-ins or song introductions. These can be recorded for automated efficiency if desired. Distinctive scripted phrases can become part of a station's branding identity.

Talk Radio Scripts (Live and Recorded)

Both live and recorded talk radio shows and podcasts often use detailed scripts. A detailed outline helps cover all key topics and talking points. Some portions may be scripted word-for-word, while others may use a loose structure to guide the discussion and keep it rolling.

Scripts can be helpful when interviewing guests. They allow hosts to plan interview questions. Scripts can be shared with guests beforehand to help them plan their answers. In debate contexts, scripts can be used to plan arguments and rehearse rebuttals.

Commercial Scripts

Commercial segments typically consist of short 30-second spots promoting a product or sponsor. Some ads may be as short as 10 seconds or as long as 60 seconds. The longer the ad, the more the sponsor pays. With every second costing money, every word must count. This makes scripting critical for commercial segments.

Commercial segments typically follow successful formats used in sales copywriting. They should open with an attention-grabbing lead and close with a strong call to action (CTA). The body should draw attention to the problem being addressed, the benefits of the recommended course of action, and the offer being extended.

Stories and personal experiences grab and maintain the audience's attention and invoke emotion. Presentations of problems and benefits should use clear, engaging, and persuasive language that appeals to the audience's hearts and minds. Calls to action can be supported by incentives such as discounts, risk reducers such as guarantees, or urgency increases such as limited-time offers.

The CTA should tell audiences exactly how to respond to the sales offer. Make sure to be clear about any contact information, such as phone numbers or website addresses.

How Do You Write a Good Radio Script?

Writing an effective radio script depends on your presentation's structure, content, and length. Five of the most important best practices to follow are:

• Using good structure
• Writing as if you're speaking
• Painting pictures with words
• Staying concise
• Allowing flexibility

Here are some tips on implementing these guidelines:

Use a Good Structure for Your Radio Broadcasting Script

Narrative structure is important when discussing any topic. Your structure helps you plan your train of thought while helping your audience follow where you're going. Good structure can keep your audience engaged, while poor structure can lose your listeners.

The basic structure for a segment should include several key elements:

• An introduction to the topic and how you plan to cover it
• Reasons why listeners should care about the topic
• Talking points and key supporting details

Introductions should grab the audience's attention with leads and hooks that make the topic sound interesting and relevant. For example, you can use a story to draw listeners in, cite an interesting statistic, or quote a famous person.

Introductions and summaries both help keep audiences oriented throughout your presentation. A good rule of thumb is to tell audiences what you're going to tell them, tell them what you have to say, and then tell them what you told them.

Transitions are vital in keeping listeners engaged as you move from one section of your script to another. Plan transitions to help readers follow your sequence of topics and where you're going.

Your wrap-up determines how your audiences react after your segment ends. Consider what you want them to think about after listening or how you want them to feel after you're done talking.

Write Your Broadcasting Script as if You're Speaking

To keep your tone personal and engaging, your radio scripts should be written using a conversational voice. Scripts should sound like spoken conversations transcribed to the page.

Write as if you're speaking off-the-cuff, complete with contractions and slang. Avoid formal writing that sounds stiff and unnatural.

One way to achieve this is by recording your script in your own words to sound like how you speak. You can transcribe and edit your recording to polish up the structure and vocabulary of your final version.

Paint Pictures with Your Words

Unlike television, where your audience can see you and what you're talking about, radio relies on the audience's imagination. Since your listeners do not have a visual aid, ensure you set the scene whenever necessary. Now, this doesn't mean that you need to talk about every detail of everything you talk about. But be aware that your listeners may need to hear that extra description occasionally to help them picture stories or news items in their heads. Consider what pictures you want the audience to visualize as you talk, and select your vocabulary to paint that image.

Keep It Concise

Keeping your script concise makes it easier to memorize and allows for improvisation and expansion during live broadcasting. To sound natural on-air, you never want to read directly from your script. Keeping your scripts direct and to the point, without unnecessary words or sentences, allows you the space and time to be creative with your delivery.

Give Yourself Flexibility

This point ties into writing your script as if it were spoken aloud. If there are certain words that you want to use on-air, include them in your script. Similarly, include certain items you want to discuss on-air in your script, such as stories, news, or current events.

However, when live broadcasting, give yourself different options for vocabulary and the space to explore what you're particularly interested in talking about. This flexibility can make your live event that much more interesting. In your script, give yourself only what you need to allow that freedom.

How to Write a Radio Script for Other Presenters

When writing a broadcasting script for other presenters, take care to preserve their voice so they sound like themselves instead of you. Write with their voice and personality in mind to create scripts that sound natural to them.

One key to this is getting their input on the script. Share your outline with them and get their thoughts on what to include, expand, or cut out. Ideally, let them see the script for input during the editing process.

Vocabulary selection can help make your script sound more like your presenter. Include distinctive phrases or sayings they're known for.

Sometimes you may have to write a script for someone you don't know well, and you don't know how they will sound. In this case, it can help to give them a broad outline and keep the script less detailed so they don't sound stilted trying to read something that doesn't sound like them.

What Is an Example of a Radio Script? Broadcasting Script Examples

As a guide, we've created our own radio script template examples for music radio and talk radio. Take a look at the radio script template examples below. Remember that these templates are not meant to be complete scripts but examples that can help guide you with writing your own.

Tip: Including the duration for each part of your script will help you schedule your live event duration properly and will help you stay on track with time during live broadcasting.

Music Broadcasting Script Example

Intro: [ Jingle or speech introduction ] (Duration) Cue DJ: "Hello and welcome to the [ Insert radio station name or segment name ] live show. First up is a song by [ Insert artist ]." (Duration) (Artist Notes: Have some facts prepared about the songs/artists that you are playing, and you can use them if you want while on-air. Having facts prepared, but not scripted, gives you the necessary freedom.) Cue track: [ Insert song details and start song ] (Duration) Cue DJ: "That is an absolute classic by [Insert artist] . Now, we've got a lot to talk about today. [ Insert news, story, or gossip here ]." (Duration) (News, Story, Gossip Notes: Have some facts prepared about the stories that you are talking about, and you can use them if you want while on-air. Having facts prepared, but not scripted, gives you the necessary freedom.)

End of segment.

Cue DJ: "Coming up next, we have [ Insert song details ], but first, [ Insert news, story, or anecdote related to song/artist or another topic ]." (Duration) Cue track: [ Insert song details and start song ] (Duration)

End segment.

Cue DJ: "Well, that's the end of our live hour. Thanks so much for tuning in; we've got [ Next scheduled event ] coming up next." (Duration) Outro: [ Speech outro or jingle ] (Duration)

Talk Radio Script Example

Intro: [ Jingle or speech introduction ] (Duration) Cue DJ: "Hello and welcome to the [ Insert radio station name or segment name ] live show. First up is a story about [ Insert story topic here ]." (Duration) Story 1: [ Title of your story ] (Duration) Introduction: [ Summary of story/anecdote that captures the attention of your audience ] Background: [ Tell the bulk of the story/anecdote, including any background info ] Conclusion: [ End the story/anecdote distinctly and memorably ]

News 1: [ Title of your news story ] (Duration) Introduction: [ Summary of news story ] Background: [ Tell the bulk of the news story, including any background info ] Conclusion: [ End the news story distinctly ]

Get Your Radio Broadcasting Script On the Air With Live365

Writing a script for your live event is a great way to ensure you're prepared. However, writing a script does not have to be difficult, nor does it have to be complete with word-for-word what you will say on air. A good script is more of a guide that keeps you on track and gives you the necessary cues but allows you room for personality, creativity, and improvisation.

There's no right or wrong way to make your script. It's your script for your radio station. Just include what you need and organize it in a way that works for you. For your next live event, make a quick script beforehand and see how it can benefit you while on-air.

Are you ready to start airing your scripts on your own station? The Live365 internet radio platform makes getting set up and running easy so you can start getting your scripts on the air. We provide user-friendly tools to plan your programming, schedule automated and live segments, connect with your intended audience, secure digital music licensing rights, and monetize your broadcasts.

Put your radio broadcasting scriptwriting skills to the test with your own station on Live365. Utilize our broadcast management software to bring your broadcast to life. Sign up now to take your live broadcasts to the next level with Live365!

Discover thousands of free stations from every genre of music and talk at Live365.com . Rather listen on our app? Download the Live365 app on iOS or Android. Keep up with the latest news by following us on Facebook ( Live365 (Official) and Live365 Broadcasting ) and Twitter ( @Live365 and @Broadcast365 )! You can also shop Live365 swag and branded merchandise at store.live365.com .

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Radio presenting (Beginner/Advanced)

Presenters must always make their listeners feel like they are with them as they go about their daily routine. Radio presenters must be dynamic, upbeat, imaginative, reactive and extremely knowledgeable about their subject. Discover how to achieve this with the presenters at RFI, who will help you refine your style and expand your skills.

Course objectives:

Understanding the specifics and different types of radio shows

How to write scripts when radio presenting

Voice training

How to interact with listeners

The rules of interviewing and reporting for this type of programme

Understanding the basics of radio presenting

The basic rules of radio presenting

Identifying your listener and choosing topics

Writing for radio presenting

Pitching your voice and adapting it to different music

Techniques for interacting with listeners

Interviews and reports during radio shows

Choosing music

Producing a radio show and creating a rundown

Rules and attitudes when broadcasting

Production, listening, analysis and correction of radio show presenting  

Teaching method:

Recorded practical exercises

Target audience: Radio presenters

Maximum number of trainees: 10

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How to create a radio demo

Creating your radio demo is one of the most important jobs when you’re looking to get into radio presenting. Your radio demo needs to first grab the attention of the listener and then keep them listening for as long as possible while showcasing your talent as a presenter. Producers or programme controllers want to hear your voice, your style, and your personality on the microphone.

Here are some essential tips for creating your radio demo

• Research the radio station you’re applying to and make your demo is specific to that role and the stations style and format. There is no point sending in a demo that is speech based if the station you’re applying to is music based. For example, a local BBC radio station can be very different to a music-based station such as KISS FM or Capital . You may have to create separate demos for different roles you’re applying to.
• Make sure your best work is first. This is going to help grab the attention of who’s listening. Most demos are only listened to for the first 10/20 seconds before the producer/programme controller has made their mind up about you. So make sure you start by making a big impression.
• Keep your radio demo around 2-3 minutes long, no longer. producers/programme controllers are busy people and only have very limited time to listen.
• Don’t include travel or weather reporting on your radio demo. Unless you’re specifically applying for a travel or weather reporter role.
• Think about what’s going to make you stand out from your competition. What is your USP (unique selling point) as a radio presenter? What value do you offer that they can’t find with any other presenter? What is your greatest strength, and the major benefit your audience will get from it.
• Consider having on your radio demo you talking about another show. As a radio presenter it’s part of your job to sell other radio shows on your station so this is something radio producers like to hear.
• Send your radio demo via a SoundCloud link to potential producers and not as an MP3 file. Not only are MP3 files big to send via email, but they can also clog up the receiver’s email. So, not a great way to start a relationship.
• Keep your jingles and idents to a minimum. The producer wants to hear you. In between your links you have a simple woosh sound just to separate them.
• Edit out any music, 2-3 seconds of music is enough to include in your link.
• If you have audio of you working with a co-host, keep this to a minimum and make sure it’s clear to the listener who you are.
• Having an interview on your demo is a great skill to show off, but again make sure this showcases more of you than your guest.
• Keep your radio demo updated, a producer can tell if your demo is dated if you’re speaking about events or items that are years old. If this is the case, they may think you’re out of work or a bit rusty.
• Make sure you demonstrate in your demo that you can start and finish a link.
• Make sure in your demo you’re showcasing all your different skills. If it all sounds the same, chances are the person listening will get board and will turn off. Include things like, your storytelling, promoting an event, any live callers and forward selling any features.
• Always follow up and ask for feedback. Programme controllers and producers are very busy but, make sure you follow up and keep them updated with new content. Work on building a good relationship. This way they will know how keen you are and working on your talent, it’s also more likely they are going to remember you when a position becomes available.

If you need any help or advise breaking into radio presenting or creating your radio demo, our Gemma-Leigh James is on-hand to help you on a 1-1 basis.  Our one-to-one hour virtual presenter training with our industry experts are fully tailored and bespoke to meet your exact requirements, perfect for any level from beginner to experienced. Fore more information or to book your session visit https://presenteracademy.com/mentorship/ .

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Internet Radio - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Internet Radio

Today, internet radio stations such as voyagerradio utilize the technologies of ... little technical skill to easily go live with their own internet radio station. ... – powerpoint ppt presentation.

• The first Internet "radio station", Internet Talk Radio, was developed by Carl Malamud in 1993. Malamud's station used a technology called MBONE (IP Multicast Backbone on the Internet). In February, 1995, the first full-time, Internet-only radio station, Radio HK, began broadcasting the music of independent bands. Radio HK was created by Norman Hajjar and the Hajjar/Kaufman New Media Lab, an advertising agency in Marina del Rey, California. Hajjar's method was to use a CU-SeeMe web conferencing reflector connected to a custom created audio CD in endless loop. Later, Radio HK converted to one of the original RealAudio servers. Today, Internet radio stations such as VoyagerRadio utilize the technologies of web services like Live365 to webcast 24 hours a day.
• WXYC (89.3FM Chapel Hill, NC USA) was the first radio station to start broadcasting on the Internet on November 7, 1994. WXYC used an FM radio connected to a system at SunSite running CU-SeeMe. WREK (91.1FM, Atlanta, GA USA) also started streaming on the same day, using their own custom software called CyberRadio1, although the stream was not advertised until a later date. KPIG also began to transmit a live, 24/7 feed, in August 1995, first using Xing Streamworks and later switching to RealAudio. Bill Goldsmith, who was KPIG's Operations Manager morning DJ at the time, and the one responsible for starting the webcast, now operates the popular Internet station Radio Paradise.
• Tuning in to a broadcast like a traditional radio is not possible on internet, so finding different broadcasts has to be done with a search-engine or a website that collects on-line radio broadcasts.In 1997, Sonicwave, created by producer Edward Lyman, with licensing agreements from BMI and ASCAP, became the first legal internet-only station to broadcast live, 24/7 using RealAudio.
• In 1999 a company called MyCaster released a tool that allowed anyone to Netcast in 10 minutes. The MyCaster tool was cleverly simple. It was basically a software MP3 player, similar to Winamp, that as the user listened to music it simultaneously sent a stream to the MyCaster Website. MyCaster then amplified the stream and listed it on its site for listeners to access. The free service allowed even people with little technical skill to easily go live with their own Internet radio station. Like many early Internet radio endeavors, MyCaster succumbed to the dot com bust in 2001.
• A new technique for internet broadcasting via P2P technology called Peercasting will hopefully make it easier to start your own station and cut down on bandwidth costs for current broadcasters.Mercora P2P Radio, a combination of P2P and Internet radio, streams only user to user in a legal format. No downloads, though some user's may use audio "hijacking" to record Internet audio signals, Mercora turns each listener into a Internet radio station if they so choose. Mercora keeps it legal by paying broadcasting royalties.
• Radio broadcasting began in the early 20s, but it wasnt until the introduction of the transistor radio in 1954 that radio became available in mobile situations. Internet radio is in much the same place. Until the 21st century, the only way to obtain radio broadcasts over the Internet was through your PC. That will soon change, as wireless connectivity will feed Internet broadcasts to car radios, PDAs and cell phones. The next generation of wireless devices will greatly expand the reach and convenience of Internet radio.
• Uses and Advantages Traditional radio station broadcasts are limited by two factors
• the power of the stations transmitter (typically 100 miles)
• the available broadcast spectrum (you might get a couple of dozen radio stations locally)
• Internet radio has no geographic limitations, so a broadcaster in Kuala Lumpur can be heard in Kansas on the Internet. The potential for Internet radio is as vast as cyberspace itself (for example, Live365 offers more than 30,000 Internet radio broadcasts).
• In comparison to traditional radio, Internet radio is not limited to audio. An Internet radio broadcast can be accompanied by photos or graphics, text and links, as well as interactivity, such as message boards and chat rooms. This advancement allows a listener to do more than listen. In the example at the beginning of this article, a listener who hears an ad for a computer printer ordered that printer through a link on the Internet radio broadcast Web site. The relationship between advertisers and consumers becomes more interactive and intimate on Internet radio broadcasts. This expanded media capability could also be used in other ways. For example, with Internet radio, you could conduct training or education and provide links to documents and payment options. You could also have interactivity with the trainer or educator and other information on the Internet radio broadcast site.
• Internet radio programming offers a wide spectrum of broadcast genres, particularly in music. Broadcast radio is increasingly controlled by smaller numbers of media conglomerates (such as Cox, Jefferson-Pilot and Bonneville). In some ways, this has led to more mainstreaming of the programming on broadcast radio, as stations often try to reach the largest possible audience in order to charge the highest possible rates to advertisers. Internet radio, on the other hand, offers the opportunity to expand the types of available programming. The cost of getting on the air is less for an Internet broadcaster (see the next section, "Creating an Internet Radio Station"), and Internet radio can appeal to micro-communities of listeners focused on special music or interests
• What do you need to set up an Internet radio station?
• Ripper software (copies audio tracks from a CD onto a computers hard drive)
• Assorted recording and editing software
• Microphones
• Audio mixer
• Outboard audio gear (equalizer, compressor, etc.)
• Digital audio card
• Dedicated computer with encoder software
• Streaming media server
• Getting audio over the Internet is pretty simple
• The audio enters the Internet broadcasters encoding computer through a sound card.
• The encoder system translates the audio from the sound card into streaming format. The encoder samples the incoming audio and compresses the information so it can be sent over the Internet.
• The compressed audio is sent to the server, which has a high bandwidth connection to the Internet.
• The server sends the audio data stream over the Internet to the player software or plug-in on the listeners computer. The plug-in translates the audio data stream from the server and translates it into the sound heard by the listener.
• There are two ways to deliver audio over the Internet downloads or streaming media. In downloads, an audio file is stored on the users computer. Compressed formats like MP3 are the most popular form of audio downloads, but any type of audio file can be delivered through a Web or FTP site. Streaming audio is not stored, but only played. It is a continuous broadcast that works through three software packages the encoder, the server and the player. The encoder converts audio content into a streaming format, the server makes it available over the Internet and the player retrieves the content. For a live broadcast, the encoder and streamer work together in real-time. An audio feed runs to the sound card of a computer running the encoder software at the broadcast location and the stream is uploaded to the streaming server. Since that requires a large amount of computing resources, the streaming server must be a dedicated server.

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ARRL Offers “What is Amateur Radio?” Video and PowerPoint Presentation

ARRL has produced and is making available the downloadable video, “What is Amateur Radio?” to use at club meetings and at public events, including ARRL Field Day, June 22 – 23. A PowerPoint version is also available for members to download.

Recognizing the tremendous need and desire for such a product among ARRL members, ARRL’s Lifelong Learning Department initiated the project. ARRL Communications Content Producer Michelle Patnode, W3MVP, produced the video, which runs just under 3 minutes long.

The QST Editorial Department, with input from the Lifelong Learning and Communications departments, developed the script, and QST Assistant Editor Jen Glifort, KC1KNL, collected and collated images. QST Managing Editor Becky Schoenfeld, W1BXY, narrated the video.

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by Chris Woodford . Last updated: May 20, 2022.

F ree music, news, and chat wherever you go! Until the Internet came along, nothing could rival the reach of radio —not even television . A radio is a box filled with electronic components that catches radio waves sailing through the air, a bit like a baseball catcher's mitt, and converts them back into sounds your ears can hear. Radio was first developed in the late-19th century and reached the height of its popularity several decades later. Although radio broadcasting is not quite as popular as it once was, the basic idea of wireless communication remains hugely important: in the last few years, radio has become the heart of new technologies such as wireless Internet , cellphones (mobile phones) , and RFID (radio frequency identification) chips. Meanwhile, radio itself has recently gained a new lease of life with the arrival of better-quality digital radio sets.

Photo: An antenna to catch waves, some electronics to turn them back into sounds, and a loudspeaker so you can hear them—that's pretty much all there is to a basic radio receiver like this. What's inside the case? Check out the photo in the box below!

What is radio?

You might think "radio" is a gadget you listen to, but it also means something else. Radio means sending energy with waves. In other words, it's a method of transmitting electrical energy from one place to another without using any kind of direct, wired connection. That's why it's often called wireless . The equipment that sends out a radio wave is known as a transmitter ; the radio wave sent by a transmitter whizzes through the air—maybe from one side of the world to the other—and completes its journey when it reaches a second piece of equipment called a receiver .

When you extend the antenna (aerial) on a radio receiver, it snatches some of the electromagnetic energy passing by. Tune the radio into a station and an electronic circuit inside the radio selects only the program you want from all those that are broadcasting.

Artwork: How radio waves travel from a transmitter to a receiver. 1) Electrons rush up and down the transmitter, shooting out radio waves. 2) The radio waves travel through the air at the speed of light. 3) When the radio waves hit a receiver, they make electrons vibrate inside it, recreating the original signal. This process can happen between one powerful transmitter and many receivers—which is why thousands or millions of people can pick up the same radio signal at the same time.

How does this happen? The electromagnetic energy, which is a mixture of electricity and magnetism , travels past you in waves like those on the surface of the ocean. These are called radio waves. Like ocean waves, radio waves have a certain speed, length, and frequency. The speed is simply how fast the wave travels between two places. The wavelength is the distance between one crest (wave peak) and the next, while the frequency is the number of waves that arrive each second. Frequency is measured with a unit called hertz , so if seven waves arrive in a second, we call that seven hertz (7 Hz). If you've ever watched ocean waves rolling in to the beach, you'll know they travel with a speed of maybe one meter (three feet) per second or so. The wavelength of ocean waves tends to be tens of meters or feet, and the frequency is about one wave every few seconds.

When your radio sits on a bookshelf trying to catch waves coming into your home, it's a bit like you standing by the beach watching the breakers rolling in. Radio waves are much faster, longer, and more frequent than ocean waves, however. Their wavelength is typically hundreds of meters—so that's the distance between one wave crest and the next. But their frequency can be in the millions of hertz—so millions of these waves arrive each second. If the waves are hundreds of meters long, how can millions of them arrive so often? It's simple. Radio waves travel unbelievably fast—at the speed of light (300,000 km or 186,000 miles per second).

Photo: A radio studio is essentially a soundproof box that converts sounds into high-quality signals that can be broadcast using a transmitter. Credit: Photographs in the Carol M. Highsmith Archive , Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division.

Analog radio

Ocean waves carry energy by making the water move up and down. In much the same way, radio waves carry energy as an invisible, up-and-down movement of electricity and magnetism. This carries program signals from huge transmitter antennas, which are connected to the radio station, to the smaller antenna on your radio set. A program is transmitted by adding it to a radio wave called a carrier . This process is called modulation . Sometimes a radio program is added to the carrier in such a way that the program signal causes fluctuations in the carrier's frequency. This is called frequency modulation (FM) . Another way of sending a radio signal is to make the peaks of the carrier wave bigger or smaller. Since the size of a wave is called its amplitude, this process is known as amplitude modulation (AM) . Frequency modulation is how FM radio is broadcast; amplitude modulation is the technique used by AM radio stations.

What's the difference between AM and FM?

An example makes this clearer. Suppose I'm on a rowboat in the ocean pretending to be a radio transmitter and you're on the shore pretending to be a radio receiver. Let's say I want to send a distress signal to you. I could rock the boat up and down quickly in the water to send big waves to you. If there are already waves traveling past my boat, from the distant ocean to the shore, my movements are going to make those existing waves much bigger. In other words, I will be using the waves passing by as a carrier to send my signal and, because I'll be changing the height of the waves, I'll be transmitting my signal by amplitude modulation. Alternatively, instead of moving my boat up and down, I could put my hand in the water and move it quickly back and forth. Now I'll make the waves travel more often—increasing their frequency. So, in this case, my signal will travel to you by frequency modulation.

Sending information by changing the shapes of waves is an example of an analog process. This means the information you are trying to send is represented by a direct physical change (the water moving up and down or back and forth more quickly).

Artwork: Left: In FM radio, signals broadcast at the same amplitude (the waves have the same "height") but their frequency (effectively the period between one wave crest and the next) constantly changes. Right: The opposite is true of AM radio. Here the frequency (period) stays the same but the amplitude (height) of the waves varies.

The trouble with AM and FM is that the program signal becomes part of the wave that carries it. So, if something happens to the wave en-route, part of the signal is likely to get lost. And if it gets lost, there's no way to get it back again. Imagine I'm sending my distress signal from the boat to the shore and a speedboat races in between. The waves it creates will quickly overwhelm the ones I've made and obliterate the message I'm trying to send. That's why analog radios can sound crackly, especially if you're listening in a car. Digital radio can help to solve that problem by sending radio broadcasts in a coded, numeric format so that interference doesn't disrupt the signal in the same way. We'll talk about that in a moment, but first let's see take a peek inside an analog radio.

How analog radio works

Let's lift the lid on an old-style analog transistor radio and see what we can find inside! Click the image to see a slightly bigger photo.

Photo: Inside a 1970s, vintage analog radio. If you're interested, it's a Hitachi KH-437E from about 1975–1980.

• External, telescopic FM antenna : The one on this radio extends to about 30 cm (1 ft), which is plenty long enough to catch a good range of FM broadcasts. You can extend and swivel the telescopic antenna for better reception. Generally speaking, the longer the antenna (known as an aerial in the UK), the more signals you can pick up.
• Battery compartment : This radio is either battery or AC powered. When you plug in an AC lead, a switch automatically cuts out the battery power.
• Loudspeaker : There is only one loudspeaker , so this radio can reproduce only mono sounds. Generally, the bigger the loudspeaker the louder the radio (and the better the quality of sound it will make).
• AC power input : A cable plugs into this socket so you can run the radio economically from a domestic power supply (mains electricity socket).
• Transformer : The radio's electronic components operate on very small voltages (less than 6 volts), but the power that comes in from the AC outlet is typically 110 volts (in the USA), 240 volts (in the UK), or similar. The transformer's job is to scale down the AC voltage so it's safe and appropriate for the radio's delicate components.
• Internal AM antenna : When you're listening to an AM (also known as MW or medium wave) broadcast, the external FM antenna is redundant. Instead, signals are picked up by this tightly coiled AM antenna concealed inside the case. If you're listening on AM, you have to turn the entire radio to reorient the built-in antenna and improve your signal reception.
• Transformer : A series of smaller transformers help the radio hone in on just the station you want by blocking out other, nearby stations.
• Amplifier : This small chip boosts the signal strength so it's powerful enough to drive the loudspeaker. The amplifier is based on transistors , electronic components that take in a small current and put out a much larger one—scaling it up in size. Small radios are often called "transistor radios": it was the development of the tiny transistor, from the late 1940s onward, that made it possible to pack all the components of a radio into a small portable unit. Before transistors came along, radios were typically huge wooden boxes that stood in the corner of your home, as big as an old-fashioned TV (and often even bigger).
• Earphone socket : You can plug a small mono earphone in here to listen in privacy. If you plug stereo headphones into the mono socket, you'll hear sound in only one of the two earpieces.
• Volume control : This is the back of the volume knob. Turning the volume knob adjusts an electronic component called a variable resistor or potentiometer, which increases or decreases the electric current flowing to the loudspeaker. A bigger current makes a louder sound with more volume; a smaller current makes a quieter sound with less volume.
• Tuning control : This is a variable capacitor that tunes the radio in to a specific station.

How do radios turn AM and FM signals back into sounds?

Digital radio.

You're driving along the freeway and your favorite song comes on the radio. You go under a bridge and—buzz, hiss, crackle, pop—the song disappears in a burst of static. Just as people have got used to such niggles, inventors have come up with a new type of radio that promises almost perfect sound . Digital radio , as it's called, sends speech and songs through the air as strings of numbers. No matter what comes between your radio and the transmitter, the signal almost always gets through. That's why digital radio sounds better. But digital technology also brings many more stations and displays information about the program you're listening to (such as the names of music tracks or programs).

How is digital radio different from analog?

That's more or less how digital radio works!

• The transmitter sends program signals broken into fragments and coded in numbers (digits).
• The transmitter sends each fragment many times to increase the chances of it getting through.
• Even when things interrupt or delay some of the fragments, the receiver can still piece together fragments arriving from other places and put them together to make an uninterrupted program signal.

To help avoid interference, a digital radio signal travels on a huge, broad band of radio frequencies about 1500 times wider than those used in analog radio. To return to our rowboat example, if I could send a wave 1500 times wider, it would bypass any speedboats that got in the way and get to the shore more easily. This wide band allows a single digital signal to carry six stereo music programs or 20 speech programs in one go. Blending signals together in this way is called multiplexing . Part of the signal might be music, while another part could be a stream of text information that tells you what the music is, the name of the DJ, which radio station you're listening to, and so on.

How does a digital radio work?

Switch on your digital radio and it...

• Collects fragments of radio signals flying through the air.
• Sorts through and reassembles the fragments in order to make a complete radio signal—and thus the program you want to hear.

Test a digital radio

Why don't radio waves all get mixed up, a brief history of radio.

• 1888: German physicist Heinrich Hertz (1857–1894) made the first electromagnetic radio waves in his lab.
• 1894: British physicist Sir Oliver Lodge (1851–1940) sent the first message using radio waves in Oxford, England.
• 1897: Physicist Nikola Tesla (1856–1943) filed patents explaining how electrical energy could be transmitted without wires ( US Patent 645,576 and US Patent 649,621 ) and later (following Marconi's work) realized they could be adapted for wireless communication as well (radio, in other words). The following year, Tesla was granted US Patent 613,809 for a radio-controlled boat. (Claims that he "invented" radio are disputed, however, as Thomas H. White discusses at length in Nikola Tesla: The Guy Who DIDN'T 'Invent Radio' .)

Photo: Italian Radio pioneer Guglielmo Marconi. Photo courtesy of US Library of Congress

• 1902–1903: American physicist, mathematician, and inventor John Stone Stone (1869–1943) used his knowledge of electric telegraphs to make important advances in radio tuning that helped overcome the problem of interference.
• 1906: Canadian-born engineer Reginald Fessenden (1866–1932) became the first person to transmit the human voice using radio waves. He sent a message 11 miles from a transmitter at Brant Rock, Massachusetts to ships with radio receivers in the Atlantic Ocean.
• 1910: First public radio broadcast made from the Metropolitan Opera, New York City.
• 1920s: Radio began to evolve into television.
• 1947: The invention of the transistor by John Bardeen (1908–1991), Walter Brattain (1902–1987), and William Shockley (1910–1989) of Bell Labs made it possible to amplify radio signals with much more compact circuits.
• 1954: The Regency TR-1 , launched in October 1954, was the world's first commercially produced transistor radio. Around 1500 were sold the first year and, by the end of 1955, sales had reached 100,000.
• 1973: Martin Cooper of Motorola made the first ever telephone call by cellphone.
• 1981: German radio engineers began development of what's now called DAB (digital audio broadcasting) at the Institut für Rundfunktechnik in Munich.
• 1990: Radio experts came up with the original version of Wi-Fi (a way of connecting computers to one another and the Internet without wires).
• 1998: Bluetooth® (short-distance wireless communication for gadgets) was developed.

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• The Nobel Prize in Physics 1909 : Marconi shared the 1909 prize for his radio work. You can read his own, firsthand account of radio's early development in his Nobel lecture.

General and technical

For younger readers.

• Make: Electronics by Charles Platt. O'Reilly, 2015. A great starting point for kids who want to learn how to build things from electronic components. The emphasis is on learning by doing with plentiful, practical examples. "Experiment 31: One Radio, No Solder, No Power" is an easy-to-build crystal radio that can pick up AM signals even without a battery.

Text copyright © Chris Woodford 2006, 2019. All rights reserved. Full copyright notice and terms of use .

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Introduction to Ham Radio

Jan 10, 2011

2.01k likes | 4.11k Views

Introduction to Ham Radio. Wireless Technology – It is still a viable mode of Communication!. Introduction to Ham Radio. Welcome!. To the World of Ham Radio!. I Hope this Presentation will Spark an interest to you in this Great & Rewarding Hobby!.

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Presentation Transcript

Introduction to Ham Radio Wireless Technology – It is still a viable mode of Communication!

Introduction to Ham Radio Welcome! To the World of Ham Radio! I Hope this Presentation will Spark an interest to you in this Great & Rewarding Hobby!

"Hello!" Not surprisingly, it was the first word to be heard over the radio some 100 years ago • Listen to Fessenden's first voice transmission on December 23, 1900 • he says, "Hello! Test, 1, 2, 3, 4. Is it snowing where you are Mr. Thiessen?"

From the time he was a young boy, Canadian Reginald Fessenden was fascinated with the idea of transmitting voice. • Upon hearing his uncle describe Alexander Graham Bell's demonstration of the telephone, the 10 year-old reportedly asked, "Why do they need wires?" • He then spent much of his life trying to figure it out.

WHAT IS HAM RADIO?

WHAT IS HAM RADIO? • Amateur radio is a hobby that has been around almost as long as radio itself.

WHAT IS HAM RADIO? • Amateur radio operators, usually referred to as “Hams”, are people with an interest in radio design and communication.

WHAT IS HAM RADIO? • More importantly, they provide the community with a vital resource in the event of an emergency or natural disaster. Hurricane Katrina Aug 28, 2005

WHAT IS HAM RADIO? SEE LEARNING IN A WHOLE NEW LIGHT.

WHAT IS HAM RADIO? A Great Hobby & Just Plain FUN!

Who's the Typical Ham?

Who's the Typical Ham? • Amateur Radio operators come from all walks of life -- movie stars, missionaries, doctors, students, politicians, truck drivers and just plain folks! Sometimes you get to meet them as well as talk to them on the air.

Who's the Typical Ham? • They are all ages, sexes, income levels and nationalities. • They say Hello to the world in many languages and many ways. But whether they prefer Morse code on an old brass telegraph key, voice communication on a hand-held radio, or computerized messages transmitted via satellite. • They all have an interest in what's happening in the world, and they use radio to reach out.

Who's the Typical Ham? • Ham with a small solar powered Radio makes friends over the radio with another ham in Lithuania. • A Ham uses a handheld radio for vital emergency communications.

Who's the Typical Ham? • An Ohio teenager uses his computer to upload a digital chess move to an orbiting space satellite, where it's retrieved by a fellow chess enthusiast in Japan.

Who's the Typical Ham? • An aircraft engineer in Florida participating in a "DX contest" swaps his call sign and talks to hams in 100 different countries during a single weekend. • In California, volunteers save lives as part of their involvement in an emergency response. • And from his room in Chicago, a ham's pocket-sized hand-held radio allows him to talk to friends in the Carolinas.

Who's the Typical Ham? • Hams enjoy operating their own two-way radio station to talk to people all over the world or in their own community. • Today, Hams are more likely to talk into a microphone or use high tech digital techniques.

Who's the Typical Ham? • In the early days of radio a century ago this was done using the "dits" and "dahs" of Morse code. • Hams can be found bouncing signals off the moon, using satellites or using the computer in their hobby. • Many Hams simply like to “Ragchew", the Ham term for sitting back and having a long conversation with another Ham.

Who's the Typical Ham? • Amateur radio is not only a hobby. • Thousands of Hams are involved in essential public service.

Who's the Typical Ham? We provide communications after natural disasters, such as tornadoes, floods or earthquakes, when all the other lines of communications are down.

Who's the Typical Ham? • We bring with us our own power generators and equipment so that we are completely independent. • We maintain our emergency equipment in readiness so that we can move to an area in trouble with the minimum of delay.

Who's the Typical Ham? • Hams have been active in many community activities, providing communication during Hurricanes and tornados and the forest fires & earthquakes.

What's the Appeal of Ham Radio? • Some hams are attracted by the ability to communicate across the country, around the globe, or even with astronauts on space missions. • Others may like to build and experiment with electronics. Computer hobbyists enjoy using Amateur Radio's digital communications opportunities.

What's the Appeal of Ham Radio? • Those with a competitive streak enjoy "DX contests," where the object is to see how many hams in distant locations they can contact. • Some like the convenience of a technology that gives them portable communication. • Mostly we use it to open the door to new friendships over the air or through participation in one of more than 2000 Amateur Radio clubs throughout the country.

What's the Appeal of Ham Radio? • This unique mix of fun, public service and convenience is the distinguishing characteristic of Amateur Radio.

What's the Appeal of Ham Radio? • Although hams get involved for many reasons, they all have in common a basic knowledge of radio technology and operating principles, and pass an examination for the FCC license to operate on radio frequencies known as the "Amateur Bands." • These bands are radio frequencies reserved by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for use by hams at intervals from just above the AM broadcast band all the way up into extremely high microwave frequencies.

WHAT IS HAM RADIO? • There are many ways in which Hams communicate. The most popular is using voice transmissions, just as you would over the telephone (without getting a bill at the end of the month!) • Increasingly now, Hams use digital modes. The oldest of these is Morse code, which is still used by many Hams.

What is There to Do? • Experimenting - Electronics & Antennas • Lots and lots of kits to build • HF is more tolerant of wiring techniques • Try a homebrew transmitter (QRP!) • Make your own antennas • Antenna modeling software and courses

What is There to Do? • New Modes • Try CW, it’s fun! • SSB is a natural • Digital Modes • RTTY and PSK • PACTOR and WinLink • SSTV

What is There to Do?

What is There to Do? • DX-ing and Contests • DXCC, WAZ, IOTA programs • DX-peditions: operations from rare locations • Contests are good exercise • Contest calendars for listings • All sizes, modes, and coverage • Great for chasing awards • Especially good for learning propagation

What is There to Do? • Award Programs or “Wallpaper Chasing” • K1BV Awards Directory, >3000 awards • WAS and County Hunting • Specialty awards: regional, mode, band • Special events

What is There to Do? Awards

WHAT IS HAM RADIO? Do I Have to Learn Morse Code? • Not any more! • While many hams LIKE to use Morse code, it is not required for your entry level license.

WHAT IS HAM RADIO? • Traditional modes, such as radiotelegraphy, are still popular but, with the advent of the computer, Hams now use some very sophisticated techniques to get messages to remote parts of the world. • PSK 31 is a mode generated by a computer that can be transmitted by radio over long distances with very low power. • The Internet is used to enhance radio transmissions in modes called Echolink and IRLP.

WHAT IS HAM RADIO? • Amateurs can operate their equipment in homes, cars, boats, office buildings, even on bicycles and Horses or Backpacking in the woods. • The necessary equipment consists of a transmitter and receiver, an antenna (which can be as simple as a length of wire), and a microphone. • The transmitter and receiver are often combined (called a transceiver) and may be small enough to fit in a shirt pocket or large enough to occupy a desk.

WHAT IS HAM RADIO? A Typical Station Set-up

How do Radio Signals reach around the world? • Amateur radio satellites are orbiting the globe and provide another way for Hams to talk to each other. Signals are even bounced off the moon by some Hams. • Television has not been neglected and there are two types. Slow scan television uses simple equipment to transmit single pictures. ATV or amateur television allows live video to be sent over the air, just the same as with commercial television.

How do Radio Signals reach around the world? • Radio signals are a form of light waves, just at a different frequency. • Like light, radio travels in straight lines. If you can see a place from your station, you will be able to get a signal there. • That is one reason why many antennas are very high up; you can “see” more from there. • Radio is different from light because it bends more easily and can to a certain extent penetrate solid objects.

How do Radio Signals reach around the world? • This is the reason that you can often talk to places, which fairly close, that you cannot “see”. • Since the earth is curved, it doesn’t seem reasonable that a radio wave that starts off from your house in a straight line could reach the other side of the world.

How do Radio Signals reach around the world? • The trick is to bounce the radio waves off a layer, Hundreds of miles above us, called the ionosphere. Think of it as a Big Mirror in the sky! • This is quite possible using certain frequencies, typically below 30 MHz. The signal bounces back down to earth, often thousands of miles away and may then bounce back to the ionosphere and back to earth and so on.

How do Radio Signals reach around the world? • This property of the ionosphere is a blessing for Hams who can then talk to people on the other side of the globe. • This doesn’t happen with all frequencies and Hams learn that there are particular frequencies as well as particular times of the day, of the year. • During certain times of the sunspot cycle when we in America can easily talk to the Russians, the Australians or Hams in India. • We call this Phenomenon Propagation !

How do Radio Signals reach around the world? What is Propagation ? • The Ionosphere UV F2 F1 E D Ground Wave

How do Radio Signals reach around the world? What is Propagation ? • The Ionosphere • 50 to 500 miles up • D, E, F1 and F2 layers • Effect of solar radiation (UV) • MUF • “Skip” or “Hops”

How do Radio Signals reach around the world? What is Propagation Like ? • The Sun • UV ionizes the upper layers, raises MUF • MUF tends to “follow the sun” • More sunspots = Higher MUF • A and K indices from WWV and NOAA • Solar cycle, minimum in 2005/2006 • Solar flares and other disturbances

How do Radio Signals reach around the world? What is Propagation Like ?

How do Radio Signals reach around the world? What is Propagation Like ? • High-bands and Low-bands • High: 20 - 10 meters (14 -28 MHz) • Highest open band is best • 20 and 17 widest coverage now • 15, 12, and 10 mostly in southerly directions • Low: 160 - 30 meters (1.8 - 10 MHz) • Absorption high in the day, low at night • Watch at sunset and sunrise

How do Radio Signals reach around the world? What is Propagation Like ? • “Skip Zone” • Results from ground-wave versus sky-wave • Sky-wave depends on MUF and signal angle • Up to 200 miles on 40-meters • 30- and 40-meters can “go long” • 60-meters is good transition band • 80- and 160-meters are solid at night

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Watch CBS News

What is Eid al-Fitr? 6 questions about the holiday and how Muslims celebrate it, answered

By Ken Chitwood

Updated on: April 9, 2024 / 8:03 AM EDT / The Conversation

Ken Chitwood  is a senior research fellow, Muslim Philanthropy Initiative at Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis and journalist-fellow at the Dornsife Center for Religion and Civic Culture at the  University of Southern California Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences .

Eid al-Fitr, one of Islam's principal festivals, will be celebrated April 9, 2024, according to the Fiqh Council of North America . At the middle of June, Muslims will celebrate Eid al-Adha. Ken Chitwood, a scholar of global Islam, explains the two Islamic festivals.

1. What is Eid?

Eid literally means a "festival" or "feast" in Arabic. There are two major eids in the Islamic calendar per year – Eid al-Fitr earlier in the year and Eid al-Adha later.

Eid al-Fitr is a three-day-long festival and is known as the "Lesser" or "Smaller Eid" when compared to Eid al-Adha, which is four days long and is known as the "Greater Eid."

2. Why is Eid celebrated twice a year?

The two Eids recognize, celebrate and recall two distinct events that are significant to the story of Islam.

Eid al-Fitr means "the feast of breaking the fast." The fast, in this instance, is Ramadan , which recalls the revealing of the Quran to Prophet Muhammad and requires Muslims to fast from sunrise to sundown for a month.

3. How do Muslims celebrate Eid al-Fitr?

Eid al-Fitr features two to three days of celebrations that include special morning prayers. People greet each other with "Eid Mubarak," meaning "Blessed Eid" and with formal embraces. Sweet dishes are prepared at home and gifts are given to children and to those in need. In addition, Muslims are encouraged to forgive and seek forgiveness. Practices vary from country to country.

In many countries with large Muslim populations, Eid al-Fitr is a national holiday. Schools, offices and businesses are closed so family, friends and neighbors can enjoy the celebrations together. In the U.S. and the U.K., Muslims may request to have the day off from school or work to travel or celebrate with family and friends.

In countries like Egypt and Pakistan, Muslims decorate their homes with lanterns, twinkling lights or flowers. Special food is prepared and friends and family are invited over to celebrate.

In places like Jordan, with its Muslim majority population, the days before Eid al-Fitr can see a rush at local malls and special "Ramadan markets" as people prepare to exchange gifts on Eid al-Fitr.

In Turkey and in places that were once part of the Ottoman-Turkish empire such as Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Azerbaijan and the Caucasus, it is also known as the, "Lesser Bayram" or "festival" in Turkish.

4. How do Muslims celebrate Eid al-Adha?

The other festival, Eid al-Adha, is the "feast of the sacrifice." It comes at the end of the Hajj , an annual pilgrimage by millions of Muslims to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia that is obligatory once in a lifetime, but only for those with means.

Eid al-Adha recalls the story of how God commanded Ibrahim to sacrifice his son Ismail as a test of faith. The story, as narrated in the Quran, describes Satan's attempt to tempt Ibrahim so he would disobey God's command. Ibrahim, however, remains unmoved and informs Ismail, who is willing to be sacrificed.

But, just as Ibrahim attempts to kill his son, God intervenes and a ram is sacrificed in place of Ismail. During Eid al-Adha, Muslims slaughter an animal to remember Ibrahim's sacrifice and remind themselves of the need to submit to the will of God.

5. When are they celebrated?

Eid al-Fitr is celebrated on the first day of the 10th month in the Islamic calendar.

Eid al-Adha is celebrated on the 10th day of the final month in the Islamic calendar.

The Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar, and dates are calculated based on lunar phases. Since the Islamic calendar year is shorter than the solar Gregorian calendar year by 10 to 12 days, the dates for Ramadan and Eid on the Gregorian calendar can vary year by year.

6. What is the spiritual meaning of Eid al-Fitr?

Eid al-Fitr, as it follows the fasting of Ramadan, is also seen as a spiritual celebration of Allah's provision of strength and endurance.

Amid the reflection and rejoicing, Eid al-Fitr is a time for charity, known as Zakat al-Fitr. Eid is meant to be a time of joy and blessing for the entire Muslim community and a time for distributing one's wealth.

Charity to the poor is a highly emphasized value in Islam. The Quran says ,

"Believe in Allah and his messenger, and give charity out of the (substance) that Allah has made you heirs of. For those of you who believe and give charity – for them is a great reward."

This piece incorporates materials from an article first published on Aug. 28, 2017. The dates have been updated. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.

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