Studying For HAREC

IRTS HAREC Study Guide

The IRTS HAREC Amateur Radio Station Licence Study Guide, 4th Edition, is now available as a free PDF, and available to purchase as a paperback book.

An Errata page has also been produced for this version, and is available to download here. Please print this and insert into the book for easy reference.

This textbook will assist anyone studying for the Irish Harmonised Amateur Radio Examination Certificate, which is required to obtain an amateur radio licence in Ireland.

It covers all the aspects of the Irish exam syllabus, including the technical and the regulatory subjects. It focuses on the fundamentals of both classic analogue, and modern Software Defined Radio (SDR) transmitters and receivers, transmission lines, antennas, analogue and digital modulation schemes, radio wave formation and propagation, electromagnetic compatibility and the prevention of interference. Important subjects of safety, including non-ionising radiation protection, are introduced in a practical manner. The relevant essentials of physics and electronics, alternating current and sinusoidal and non-sinusoidal signals, circuit reactance, impedance, and resonance, and their applications, are explained at a level of detail required by the exam syllabus. The non-technical part of the book introduces frequency band plans, teaches a good way to make radio contacts using voice and Morse Code telegraphy, explains the national and international legislation, discusses the structure of call signs, emergency communication, social responsibility and the radio amateur code of conduct. This book is suitable for those learning on their own, and those attending courses.

The authors are experienced tutors at the National Short Wave Listeners Club (NSWLC) who teach HAREC classes using it. Anyone who learns using this guide should be able to pass the licensing exam without a need for an extensive use of other sources, even though further study is always recommended. The Study Guide is complete, self-contained, and fully indexed. It has 430 pages, 40 tables, and 230 colour illustrations. The free PDF is hyperlinked for interactive reading, and it includes a basic level of PDF/UA assistive support.

The IRTS welcomes feedback which will be used to prepare a future edition of the guide. Please email your feedback to publisher(at)irts.ie.