Amateur radio allows anyone to fiddle to their heart’s content with radio and computer technology, make friends worldwide and even take part in research if that is what they want to do.

Amateurs offer radio communications in an emergency, and put their own satellites into space.

You can make your own equipment, purchase commercial gear, or buy some and make some – the freedom is yours!

A licence is required before you can be let loose on the air waves, and in the UK there are 3 levels of competence – Foundation, Intermediate and Full.

For those new the hobby there’s lots of information on the Foundation, assembled by another radio amateur, here.

You can register for a training course at Bromley & District ARS or find one elsewhere in the country using the Radio Society of Great Britain Course Finder.