About Amateur Radio Astronomy

Online you can learn about amateur radio astronomy before you even build or use a radio telescope. Voluminous informational databases are available on the Web. If you prefer delving into amateur radio astronomy without taking part in any hands on endeavors you can still be an active part of radio astronomy.  If however, you'd like to take part in radio astronomy by building your own radio telescope there is help online for that as well.

While you may, if you don't already have a rudimentary knowledge of the principles of how radios work and electronics in general, do a little studying, that's not always the case. It depends on what aspect of beginner radio astronomy you want to delve in to.

If, for instance, you'd like to study Jupiter noise storms as part of your participation in radio astronomy, you'll want a short-wave radio with a dipole antenna. You won't need much expertise in electronics to do this.

If you're interested in monitoring VLF solar flares, this radio astronomy venture will require a VLF receiver with antenna and, unless you intend to build the radio and antenna, doesn't call for much in the way of electronics knowledge.

The study of meteors also requires the same radio and antenna and the same limited electronics knowledge.

The detection of HF/VHF sources, however, with its requirement of HF/UHF receive and antenna, would require that you have a more advanced knowledge of electronics.

Pulsar detection, which calls for a VHF/UHF receiver and high-end antenna, as well as the study of SETI, needing a microwave, FFT and great antenna, both require advanced electronic expertise. Amateur radio astronomy clearly offers several opportunities with a variety of knowledge and training.