Every radio amateur is allocated a unique callsign containing identifiers for your country and state/region, and a set of letters that identify you and your station.

You need to use this callsign every time you make a transmission and at least every 10 minutes when you are on-air.

In Australia, your callsign is allocated to you by the ACMA. When you have been advised by the ACMA that you have passed your licence assessment you can apply for your callsign. The button below will take you to the ACMA callsign application page.

You can either accept the next callsign on their list, or you can select a personalised callsign if it is available. You can also select different length callsigns.

There is a one-off callsign application fee which depends on the type of callsign you choose.

By far the easiest way to get on-air is to buy a transceiver from a commercial outlet.

Transceivers range from about $100 for a VHF/UHF walky-talky (which you can still use to talk to people worldwide through internet-linked amateur radio repeaters) to powerful HF transceivers and antennas costing many thousands of dollars.

Our suggestion: There are so many facets of amateur radio that you wont know where you want to go at first, and what equipment you’ll need. Keep it simple and buy a new transceiver that will work out-of-the-box with a manufacturers warranty.

Get on-air, talk to people, research a lot, visit a local radio club, and see where your interests take you.

Click below to see where you can buy your first amateur radio.

In amateur radio you will meet all kinds of people from all kinds of backgrounds, doing all kinds of different things. Each facet of amateur radio has its own special interest group, and most have their own websites and social media channels.

Local radio clubs are a great way to get introduced to amateur radio, especially for older people. Don’t be afraid to just turn up at a club meeting, introduce yourself, and see what they are doing.

Investigate the different clubs and interest groups until you find one that looks good for you, such as constructing your own equipment or getting involved in satellites.

Click the button below for a comprehensive list of amateur radio activities and resources.

And remember, it’s all about having fun and lifelong learning.

Photo: ESA/NASA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti talking to school children on the International Space Station HAM radio.