Welcome to the fun and excitement of ham radio, the world's greatest hobby! Now that you've earned your license, you probably can't wait to get on the air. And we'd like to do our part to help. (If your license hasn't been posted yet on the FCC database, we can help you pass the time with some great ham radio reading and viewing.)

We're CQ Communications, publishers of ham radio magazines, books, CDs and DVDs. Our products range from introductory to advanced, and we've always got something that's just right for any ham! Let's start with our four magazines:

CQ is written for active hams and focusing on practical ideas, projects and operating activities. Most active hams subscribe to at least one ham magazine in order to see what other people are doing and to keep up-to-date on developments in our hobby. CQ has been meeting the needs of these hams for more than 65 years. Our readers tell us CQ is consistently the most interesting and most readable ham radio magazine.

Freebies!

As our way of welcoming you to ham radio, we'd like to offer you a FREE SAMPLE ISSUE of CQ magazine and introduce you to several of our products that are especially helpful for new hams.

To request your free sample issue, simply click on the link above and send us an e-mail message with your name, callsign and mailing address, along with a request for a free sample, and we'll put a recent issue in the mail to you. Only one sample magazine per person, please.

Now, here's a brief description of our products designed especially for new hams:

Ham Radio Welcome Pak DVD
A perfect package for the new (or prospective) ham, this DVD includes three separate programs: Ham Radio Horizons - our award-winning broad-brush introduction to amateur radio; Getting Started in Ham Radio, with tips on setting up your first station as well as basics on antennas, grounding and soldering; and Getting Started in VHF, an introduction to repeaters as well as the many other exciting opportunities that await you on the frequencies above 50 MHz.

VHF Specialty Pak DVD
Another package of three programs, this DVD is perfect for the ham whose interests lie in exploring the world of VHF and UHF, including ham radio satellites, amateur TV and such exotic modes as moonbounce and meteor scatter. Programs on the DVD include: Getting Started in VHF (see description above); Getting Started in Amateur Satellites, and Getting Started in Packet Radio, the original wireless e-mail system that is now enjoying a resurgence of interest, especially among emergency communication groups.

HF Specialty Pak DVD
Every ham in the United States now has at least some operating privileges on the shortwave or high-frequency (HF) amateur bands, bands that will be heating up as the new sunspot cycle shifts into high gear. This DVD is your "getting started" guide to two of the most popular ham radio activities on HF, DXing - making contact with faraway stations - and Contesting - worldwide on-air competitions that are known in many parts of the world as "Radiosport." Programs on this DVD include Getting Started in DXing and Getting Started in Contesting.

To order or subscribe online, just click the link. Or if you prefer, call the CQ Order Desk TOLL-FREE at 1-800-853-9797.

Congratulations again and we hope to see you on the air!

73,

K2MGA, W2VU, and all the other hams at CQ.