"This Is Ham Radio" - ARRL Promotional Film
Videos for Engineers

This promotional film (now an online video) titled "This Is Ham Radio" was produced by the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) circa 1970. It shows the many aspects of amateur radio including building and operating transmitters and receivers, erecting antennas, and engaging in contests - in both fixed and mobile venues. At that time, entrance into the world of Ham radio was tougher than it is nowadays because proficiency at Morse code was required - a minimum of five words per minute sending and receiving. The entire pool of questions and answers was not readily available for studying for the written exam either, like it is today.

For those who like to accuse organizations of ignoring and/or discouraging the participation of anyone other than White males, please note care was taken to include Blacks, Latinos, Asians, women and girls, youngsters and seniors. That was more than half a century ago. In fact, some of this footage is borrowed from an earlier ARRL film made in the 1960s and narrated by Senator Barry Goldwater (K7UGA), demonstrating an even longer-ago inclusionary effort. Since that time, many more resources have been invested (both time and money on the part of ARRL members) to promote the hobby to everyone regardless of who he or she is. As with multitudes of other areas of sport, hobby, and profession, the lack of "equal" representation of participants is not due to lack of trying. Maybe... just maybe... not everyone is the same after all, and we each have unique likes and dislikes, abilities and inabilities. Imagine that.

Posted May 2, 2022