Where the term "ham radio" come from?

Question

Where the term "ham radio" come from?

Answer 1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etymology_o...

Ham is an informal term for an amateur radio operator, and, by extension, "ham radio" refers to amateur radio in general. This use of the word first appeared in the United States during the opening decade of the twentieth century — for example, Robert A. Morton in "Wireless Interference", from the April, 1909 Electrician and Mechanic, reported overhearing an amateur radio transmission which included the comment: "Say, do you know the fellow who is putting up a new station out your way? I think he is a ham." However, the term did not gain widespread usage in the United States until around 1920, after which it slowly spread to other English-speaking countries.

One reason for the slow adoption was related to the word's origin, as one of many insults employed by landline telegraph operators at the time, for it originally meant a "poor operator".  ("Ham" was also already in more general use as a slang word meaning "incompetent", most commonly in the phrase "ham actor".) Early radio (initially known as wireless telegraphy) included many former wire telegraph operators, and within the new service "ham" was employed as a pejorative term by professional radiotelegraph operators to suggest that amateur enthusiasts were unskilled — in "Floods and Wireless" by Hanby Carver, from the August, 1915 Technical World Magazine, the author noted "Then someone thought of the 'hams'. This is the name that the commercial wireless service has given to amateur operators..." A letter from a Western Union Telegraph Company employee, printed in the December, 1919 edition of the amateur radio publication QST, showed familiarity with the word's negative connotations, expressing concern that "Many unknowing land wire telegraphers, hearing the word 'amateur' applied to men connected with wireless, regard him as a 'ham' or 'lid'". However, during this period many other amateurs were in the process of proudly adopting "ham" as a description of their hobby, embracing the word that was originally an insult, similar to the way Yankee Doodle evolved.

Answer 2

Here's the wikipedia link to the origin

of the term 'ham radio'.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etymology_o...

Ham radio's are personal radio equipment that allows

you to broadcast (send & recieve verbal audio) from

your own home.

Basically, it was a reference to the person broadcasting

as being a 'ham'. Like and actor who 'hams' it up.

roger wilco....

over and out.