Etymology of ham radio
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- This article is about the etymology of the term "ham" radio. For the hobby, Amateur radio, see Amateur radio.
By the early 20th century, the term "ham" for an amateur radio operator was well established, although origins of the term remain obscure. It is known that by the sinking of the RMS Titanic in 1912 and the subsequent government regulation of radio spectrum it brought on, that the term was well established. Many interesting and colorful theories about the origin of the term have come about over the years.
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[edit] Apocryphal theories
These theories are unverifiable but are possible candidates as to the true origin of the term Ham.
[edit] Incompetent Telegrapher Theory
Possibly the most popular theory, and one endorsed by the American Radio Relay League, is that "ham" began as a pejorative term meaning a poor telegraphic operator. A 'ham' was slang for a 'show-off', a person who talks too much, and entertains badly, being starved for attention, such as in the phrase "What a ham."
[edit] Ham Fisted
Another explanation is that a telegraph operator's sending style is called his "fist." If someone sends badly or in clumsy fashion, he might be called ham-fisted.
[edit] False theories
These theories as to the origin of the term Ham are wrong.
[edit] The acronym
A false theory is that HAM stands for the first letter of the names of three of the pioneers in the field of Radio communication: Heinrich Rudolf Hertz; Edwin Armstrong; and Guglielmo Marconi. This may originally have developed as a verbal mnemonic to help students, but it cannot possibly be the source of the term itself as it actually predates Armstrong's contributions to the radio art.
[edit] A little station called HAM
The theory goes on to reference a speech that was made to the US Congress in support of amateur radio operators. The station, which operated with the self-assigned call sign "HAM", came to represent all of amateur radio. The speech was said to have turned the tide and helped defeat a bill that would end amateur radio activity entirely, and turn the use of the radio spectrum completely over to the military. There are no Congressional records to back this theory and by the time this could have happened (around 1909-1912), the term HAM for an amateur radio operator was already well established.
