Nobody is really sure, not even the authorities and old-timers in the hobby itself.
The formal designation for that service is "Amateur Radio".
One theory is that H.A.M. is an acronym paying homage to three great radio pioneers:
Heinrich Hertz (demonstrated existence of electromagnetic waves),
Edwin Armstrong (invented modern FM radio), and
Guglielmo Marconi (developed wireless telegraphy).
Another theory is when the first amateur radio operators where using CW (Morse Code), that they tended to have a "heavy" (hard) hand, and was called being "ham fisted". This tends to be the most common theory, by the ARRL. (KC0KM)
You may have a Ham radio antenna anywhere in the US, unless there are restrictions as to its placement, such as in a condo or apartment. If you meant a Ham radio transmitter, then you must have a Ham license to operate it.
Amateur radio, often called ham radio, is both a hobby and a service in which participants, called "hams," use various types of radio communications equipment to communicate with other radio amateurs for public service, recreation and self-training. But we still don't know the origin of the word HAM.
Bad ham radio. Bad !
mario
HAM stands for Help All Mankind .answer 2 Nice try, but no cigar!Ham is a derivative of amateur, in the same sense as on the stage.Amateur Radio.
Ham Nation - 2011 Interest Your Wife in Ham Radio 3-80 was released on: USA: 10 January 2013
There are many ham radio clubs around the world. When you become a member of a local ham club, you would be considered a club ham radio operator. There are clubs that have a repeater that they own and/or maintain. The club would have it's own call sign with the repeater.
It is an amateur radio {ham radio} callsign issued by the FCC.
Ham Radio(Amateur Radio)
It's not difficult. You can be any age to be a Ham Radio Hobbyist. Its easy to pass your entry level exam and get your Amateur Radio License.
It is used in ham radio terms as a term for the wife of the ham operator.
Ham (Amateur) radio is not used by the government for any official purpose.