After I pass the ASOC exams in 1985, it was a period of waiting to "officially" get on the air. But we could still "un-officially" get on the air - through "modulation test" - a "created facility" to put SWLs - "Still Waiting for Licence" - as we expanded it (actually Short Wave Listener) - on the air during contacts being made by the hams.
As already mentioned in a previous post, I used to listen to the radio very regularly and knew most of the Indian hams - either by reputation - or by way of sending SWL reports and getting their QSL (verification/ confirmation of contact) cards. I used to visit VU2JCE daily in the evening - to assist the batches taking ham classes and after that to listen in on the contacts being made. The interesting aspect of the shack at VU2YSG/ VU2JCE was its furniture.
It had one table about 3 1/2 ft in height and just wide enough to accomodate the Yaesu FT-757 GX, the FP-757GX power supply and the log book. There was a single light bulb/ tubelight, a metal cupboard and a metal folding type chair - seat of which was around 2 ft. Sitting on the chair, the table top would be just under shoulder height for the operator. The chair could accomodate probably 1 1/2 lean persons to sit ackwardly if required. So the only COMFORTABLE position for me or for that matter any second person in the shack would be to bend forward, rest the elbows on the table & cup the chin in the palms of the hands. I used to be in that position for close to 2 hours!!!
Seeing my plight, operators would offer to share the seat - which I would jokingly reject referring to my generous girth :) !!!
The antenna is use those days were two dipoles - one for 40m (also useable on 15m) & the other for 20m. The 40m dipole was hung between nearby trees and the 20m dipole was about 2 ft from the roof with the feed point "slightly elevated" by a stick - on the two storied building. Propogation those days was so good that this setup was great enough to get us voice (SSB) contacts will all parts of the globe.
When VU2YSG (the Mysore University ARC) was closed and VU2JCE (SJCE ARC) was inaugurated in 1986, the shack was shifted to a 3 - storied building with a seperate exclusive 12' x 12' room on the terrace which gave us plenty of space of a multi-band fan dipole and an excellent horizontal clearance in all directions. We had slightly better infrastructure - a larger table, 4 chairs, well lit and 2 windows - one facing west whcih gave us a fantastic view of the setting sun. There were days when we would stop operations - just to watch the sunset!!!
From this shack, we experimented with fan dipoles for multi - band operation, a boomless cubicle quad for 20 - 15 - 10 & a horizontal dipole for 40m made of aluminum tubes - which unfortunately foded up horizontally due to high winds and insufficient strengthening. We also later erected a tower designed by VU2SSR for a 3 element tri-bander.
Activities from this club station also included communication support to motor ralles. This was a unique experience althgether. This was the activity where I could officially get on the air by myself. This was due to the fact that such communication was conducted OUTSIDE the ham bands on a special permission. This also gave me the experience of propogation variations, skip distance, round the clock operations, split frequencies, etc.
I will share my rally communication experience seperately in the next post.
25 October 2019
08 October 2018
Becoming a Licenced Radio Operator - VU2MUD
After the examination and the subsequent result announcing that I had passed Grade I - those days there were only 2 grades. Grade I which required morse code reception and transmission capability of 12 words per minute (each word calculated as 5 letters - 60 letters/min - 300 letters in 5 minutes) and a marginally detailed knowledge of electronics theory, Radio operating rules & regulations and operating practices & Grade II requiring morse code at 5 words per minute and basic electronics, rules, regulations & operating practices. Also the Grade II operators had to make only morse code contacts and were eligible for voice operations only after endorsement from the Ministry who had to be provided certification of having made atleast 100 two-way contacts on morse code. So I was the previleged one - I could transmit using my own voice as soon as I got my licence.
Next was the wait for the letter that would “announce” the “decision” of the Ministry to “grant” me a licence to operate the radio. This is usually the critical period where aspirants lose interest and wander away. Fortunately for me, I was already listening to the radio and keeping in touch. Also I had the support of the team in SJCE who always encouraged me to keep them company when they operated the radio so that I could listen in and also have the occassional “modulation test/ demo” - the legal way to put a non-licenced person on the air!!! This continued for a few months. My continuous monitoring the amateur radio bands and sending out Short Wave Listener reports to the hams reached such levels that I had memorized the name, city, type of equipment, most probable time of daily activity and favorite frequency. Someone had to just mention a call sign and I would give out these details instanateously. I earned the unofficial title of “The Walking Call Book of Mysore”!!!!
It was also mandatory for a police verification before the letter would arrive. In fact, it was the arrival of the police constable to the door which was the early intimation that papers had moved in the Ministry and the ‘decision letter’ would soon follow!! About a year after the examination results had arrived, that the policeman finally did arrive at the door. The anticipation grew
After a wait for another couple of months, the registered ‘decision letter’ from the Ministry finally arrived!!! I immediately got the required demand draft, the photographs and the letter with my choice of callsign with options ready. Choosing a callsign was a tricky one. While there was not general rule except the a general clause that Grade II licenses would end with the letter X, Y or Z, it was general practice to select some combination to match your name or city. There already was a VU2MYS (for the city choice - Mysore), VU2KRM & VU2MKR (matching my initials) a VU2MDU & VU2MDH licenced (matching with my name) - these options had to be dropped. It was then that I zeroed in on VU2MUD as the first choice along with a couple of other - the closest to my name and also because it had a nice combination on morese code - di di di dah (V) di di dah (U) di di dah dah dah (2) dah dah (M) di di dah (U) dah di dit (M) - Notice the two dah’s two dits two dah’s & two dits - making up MUD. With this logic off went my application with choice of call sign to the Ministry of Communications, New Delhi.
Time for the final wait. Finally on the 11th of June, 1987 - after more than 18 months of wait the postman arrived with the registered letter carrying the Amateur Radio Station Operators Licence arrived. Fortunately I was at home to receive the letter!!!! I was finally an Amateur Radio Operator - a HAM!!!!!!
05 October 2018
Back to blogging - Part 2
With the sunspot activity at its lowest - Propogation on the HF bands are most unfavourable for productive communication. This gives me more time to renew my writing (or is it typing) hobby.
So back to blogging after a SIX YEAR Break. I have changed jobs again in the meantime.
So look out for more
So back to blogging after a SIX YEAR Break. I have changed jobs again in the meantime.
So look out for more
07 October 2012
Renewing the Blog - another time
After a very long break - 2 1/2 years of inactivity on the blog - I feel it is now time to renew the story telling of my path into Amateur Radio and beyond !!
Let me see how it progresses!!
Let me see how it progresses!!
15 April 2010
I cleared the ASOL exam - 1986
With this history and the background, I was well on my way to become a HAM operator.
The training classes started and was scheduled for 1 hour from 5.30 PM every week day from Monday to Friday. Regular college classes were scheduled to close at 5.00 PM.
My sked was - Leave Home (about 5 Kms from the College - My home was in Chamarajapuram- Near Law Courts) - cycle the distance and reach the college by 5 PM. Park the cycle adjacent to the Ganesha Temple opposite to the Main Gate. Stand and wait for the HAM team to finish their classes - they usually went past me around 5.10 PM and would come back after aback after about 15 mins with the Power Supply, Morse Key and CPO. This necessiated me to wait atleast 25 mins before the Ham Classes started. The wait usually meant that I STAND leaning on to my bicycle,waiting for the team to arrive.
Also see http://vu2mud.blogspot.com/2007/06/four-year-term-at-sjce.html
Classes were successful - with about 30 students and one outsider - ME - appeared for the ASOL exam in 1986. I successfully cleared the Grade I exam.
Next was the indefinite wait for the "critical" "Decision Letter" to arrive from the WPC - but that is a story by itself - more of it in a different post.
The training classes started and was scheduled for 1 hour from 5.30 PM every week day from Monday to Friday. Regular college classes were scheduled to close at 5.00 PM.
My sked was - Leave Home (about 5 Kms from the College - My home was in Chamarajapuram- Near Law Courts) - cycle the distance and reach the college by 5 PM. Park the cycle adjacent to the Ganesha Temple opposite to the Main Gate. Stand and wait for the HAM team to finish their classes - they usually went past me around 5.10 PM and would come back after aback after about 15 mins with the Power Supply, Morse Key and CPO. This necessiated me to wait atleast 25 mins before the Ham Classes started. The wait usually meant that I STAND leaning on to my bicycle,waiting for the team to arrive.
Also see http://vu2mud.blogspot.com/2007/06/four-year-term-at-sjce.html
Classes were successful - with about 30 students and one outsider - ME - appeared for the ASOL exam in 1986. I successfully cleared the Grade I exam.
Next was the indefinite wait for the "critical" "Decision Letter" to arrive from the WPC - but that is a story by itself - more of it in a different post.
26 July 2008
HISTORY OF HAM RADIO ACTIVITY FROM MYSORE:
After a long hiatus – due to restrictions at the office and due to certain changes in the home front, I had been off blogging. Now that things are stablilising a little bit, continuing the memoirs. Now back to where I had left off.
Along with the new language, I also learned about the history of HAM Radio activity in Mysore.
There was supposedly a bit of HAM radio activity from in and around Mysore with Mr. George – VU2TV (I never got to meet this elderly operator – he had reportedly shifted to the Gulf with family), Mr. Sampath (VU2YZ an entrepreneur with an electronics showroom in Mandya) and his wife Hemalatha (VU2TT – a teacher by profession – who passed on recently). In fact, the credit of putting Mysore on the HAM popularity map is due mainly to Sampath and his wife. He would travel daily to Mysore to conduct the HAM radio training to a group of enthusiasts. Such was the zeal of the youngsters that they used to practice the Morse code in their regular conversations.
The enthusiastic team was not just about students, there was an enthusiastic mother too. This team consisted of Ramanujam, Satish, Sriram, Shiva Kumar, Sukhbir Singh Jolly, Yogeesh, Mrs. Loveleen Kaur Jolly, to name a few (that I remember!). The exams for the first batch were conducted at PES College, Mandya and the candidates traveled for the exam. Last minute preparations and hospitality was organized at the residence of Sampath and Hema. The result of the exam was highly encouraging and the entire team came out with flying colours.
Mrs. Loveleen Kaur Jolly, a mother and a teacher by profession, came out highly successful, in fact even better than her son and secured a higher grade of license than him. In later years the entire family took to the hobby and all the family members including a son-in-law became HAMs.
With encouragement from the management of the SJCE college and with grants from the Mysore University, the Mysore University Amateur Radio Club was set up in 1983-84 with the call sign – VU2YSG – under the Electronics and Communication Department of SJCE. The College also procured a State of the Art – wireless equipment – a Japanese Make – transmitter – cum – receiver (Transceiver). This transceiver was capable of operating on all the allowed modes of transmission (AM – Amplitude Modulation- generally used by radio broadcasters, SSB – Single Side Band – a variation of the AM transmission but using lesser bandwidth, CW – Continuous Wave or Morse Code and FM – Frequency Modulation). In an earlier post, I had mentioned about listening to a few HAMs from SJCE before I got in touch with Mr. Muthanna. It was with this equipment that they were ON THE AIR when I listened to them.
This was the background of the Amateur Radio activity from Mysore when I made my entry into the hobby.
Along with the new language, I also learned about the history of HAM Radio activity in Mysore.
There was supposedly a bit of HAM radio activity from in and around Mysore with Mr. George – VU2TV (I never got to meet this elderly operator – he had reportedly shifted to the Gulf with family), Mr. Sampath (VU2YZ an entrepreneur with an electronics showroom in Mandya) and his wife Hemalatha (VU2TT – a teacher by profession – who passed on recently). In fact, the credit of putting Mysore on the HAM popularity map is due mainly to Sampath and his wife. He would travel daily to Mysore to conduct the HAM radio training to a group of enthusiasts. Such was the zeal of the youngsters that they used to practice the Morse code in their regular conversations.
The enthusiastic team was not just about students, there was an enthusiastic mother too. This team consisted of Ramanujam, Satish, Sriram, Shiva Kumar, Sukhbir Singh Jolly, Yogeesh, Mrs. Loveleen Kaur Jolly, to name a few (that I remember!). The exams for the first batch were conducted at PES College, Mandya and the candidates traveled for the exam. Last minute preparations and hospitality was organized at the residence of Sampath and Hema. The result of the exam was highly encouraging and the entire team came out with flying colours.
Mrs. Loveleen Kaur Jolly, a mother and a teacher by profession, came out highly successful, in fact even better than her son and secured a higher grade of license than him. In later years the entire family took to the hobby and all the family members including a son-in-law became HAMs.
With encouragement from the management of the SJCE college and with grants from the Mysore University, the Mysore University Amateur Radio Club was set up in 1983-84 with the call sign – VU2YSG – under the Electronics and Communication Department of SJCE. The College also procured a State of the Art – wireless equipment – a Japanese Make – transmitter – cum – receiver (Transceiver). This transceiver was capable of operating on all the allowed modes of transmission (AM – Amplitude Modulation- generally used by radio broadcasters, SSB – Single Side Band – a variation of the AM transmission but using lesser bandwidth, CW – Continuous Wave or Morse Code and FM – Frequency Modulation). In an earlier post, I had mentioned about listening to a few HAMs from SJCE before I got in touch with Mr. Muthanna. It was with this equipment that they were ON THE AIR when I listened to them.
This was the background of the Amateur Radio activity from Mysore when I made my entry into the hobby.
25 June 2007
Four Year Term at SJCE
That meeting with Satish was my first solid step towards becoming a HAM.
I had just the week before been invited to join the Sunny Side Cricket Team – the junior level of the famous The Mysore Gymkhana – where my elder brother was already a well entrenched match winner. (I was a medium pace bowler with quite a bit of pace and swing myself – but that is quite a different story). Also I have a feeling (I have no confirmation on this – sorry if I am wrong) that a new comer in the same period to the team was a person who went on the achieve great laurels – Javagal Srinath.
The training class was scheduled to start at 5.30 PM on all week days. I therefore had to make a choice between two – a “hobby – cum – family tradition” – SPORTS – or a “passion” – HAM Radio. This is again a situation that makes me believe in the “Destined to be a HAM” that I have mentioned about.
I broke “tradition” and gave up sports to take up my “passion”. I joined the HAM training classes. So, on the designated date I cycled to SJCE and there I was standing in front of the Ganesha Temple (not to pray but that was where Satish had asked me to wait) at 4.55 PM (remember the class was scheduled to begin only at 5.30 PM). At 5.15 Satish and others came out of their classes and walked past me – with a “wait, we will come”. Come back, they did after about 10 minutes. Promptly at 5.30 the training did begin and off I was on my way to becoming a HAM radio operator. During this period I met the other operators from Mysore – Yogesh (VU2YSG – not much of contact with him), Anuj (VU2JUN – presently working in Bangalore), Shiv (VU2SSR – went on to become a lecturer at the same college – presently Vice President of EXCEL SOFT), etc.
I was on my way to learn a new language. MORSE CODE.
That also started my four year term at Sri Jayachamarajendra College of Engineering – as an evening “student” – not for their Engineering Course but for their HAM course.
In fact such was my punctuality that certain ex students whom I had met only casually later used to ask if I had finished my Engineering!!!
I had just the week before been invited to join the Sunny Side Cricket Team – the junior level of the famous The Mysore Gymkhana – where my elder brother was already a well entrenched match winner. (I was a medium pace bowler with quite a bit of pace and swing myself – but that is quite a different story). Also I have a feeling (I have no confirmation on this – sorry if I am wrong) that a new comer in the same period to the team was a person who went on the achieve great laurels – Javagal Srinath.
The training class was scheduled to start at 5.30 PM on all week days. I therefore had to make a choice between two – a “hobby – cum – family tradition” – SPORTS – or a “passion” – HAM Radio. This is again a situation that makes me believe in the “Destined to be a HAM” that I have mentioned about.
I broke “tradition” and gave up sports to take up my “passion”. I joined the HAM training classes. So, on the designated date I cycled to SJCE and there I was standing in front of the Ganesha Temple (not to pray but that was where Satish had asked me to wait) at 4.55 PM (remember the class was scheduled to begin only at 5.30 PM). At 5.15 Satish and others came out of their classes and walked past me – with a “wait, we will come”. Come back, they did after about 10 minutes. Promptly at 5.30 the training did begin and off I was on my way to becoming a HAM radio operator. During this period I met the other operators from Mysore – Yogesh (VU2YSG – not much of contact with him), Anuj (VU2JUN – presently working in Bangalore), Shiv (VU2SSR – went on to become a lecturer at the same college – presently Vice President of EXCEL SOFT), etc.
I was on my way to learn a new language. MORSE CODE.
That also started my four year term at Sri Jayachamarajendra College of Engineering – as an evening “student” – not for their Engineering Course but for their HAM course.
In fact such was my punctuality that certain ex students whom I had met only casually later used to ask if I had finished my Engineering!!!
13 May 2007
The Beginning
That meeting with Muthanna was my first step in the proper direction towards my becoming a HAM. Muthanna gave me a few books and instructions on progressing towards getting my Licence.
His first instruction was for me to learn Morse code. He asked me to build an Oscillator (I later realized he meant a Code Practice Oscillator). In the excitement of having met Muthanna, I mistook it for an Oscilloscope (an electronic measuring devise). I lost heart – how do I get an Oscilloscope costing thousands of rupees? I decided that I would take my time and manage to get that Oscilloscope. How idiotic of me.
I continued listening and my craze for the hobby started spreading among my friends. They started feeding me with information about articles, write ups, announcements etc. I was beginning to collect a fairly good quantity of information about the hobby. I had also noted a few other operators from Mysore – Yogesh (VU2YSG), Shiv (VU2SSR), Sriram (VU2BOY – he “BOY” as his radio nickname), Sat (VU2NTC), etc. I did not know where they operated from.
In 1985, Yuvaraja’s College, where I was finishing my Graduation, started a Science Club. For the inauguration, they had invited a retired engineer from the All India Radio – you should have guessed it – it was Muthanna – my dear “Old” friend. That inaugural address was about the field of radio communication and naturally to my joy mentioned about the amateur radio hobby. After the meeting I went up to Muthanna and he immediately asked about my progress in the hobby. I mentioned that I was not yet able to start learning Morse code. The Science Club, we started wallpaper for science related article. I did my first journalistic piece – if it can be called that. I cut an article on HAM Radio from an old magazine, stuck it to a sheet and submitted it for publication. It was put up. My fascination for the hobby became common knowledge among my college mates and lecturers. This was to play a vital role in my becoming a Ham.
I was still in the search for the easiest way to learn morse code – very important as in those days there was no Restricted Grade (introduced in the last decade where an enthusiast can get his licence by taking only the written test in Operating procedures and basics of electronics). With the Final year exams approaching, I packed up my trustworthy radio (I had promised my mother that I would do so!) and Ham Radio took a back seat for 3 solid months!
Then I got proof that I was “destined” to be a HAM operator.
One of my classmates, KH Manjunath (I have lost contact now – he used to reside in VV Puram) came home with the news that there was a notice put up in Yuvaraja’s College that a training class was being conducted at SJCE as part of the Mysore University Amateur Radio Club for those interested in Amateur Radio. We immediately got onto our bicycles and off we went to SJCE – of course enroute checking out the college notice board for full information. There we tracked down the Electronics Department - which was running the Amateur Radio Club – and asked for Mr. Satish, the Student Co-ordinator. It turned out that he was in the Lab undergoing his practicals and we were to wait for about 30 minutes outside the lab. Information was passed on to him that someone had come to join the training classes.
His first instruction was for me to learn Morse code. He asked me to build an Oscillator (I later realized he meant a Code Practice Oscillator). In the excitement of having met Muthanna, I mistook it for an Oscilloscope (an electronic measuring devise). I lost heart – how do I get an Oscilloscope costing thousands of rupees? I decided that I would take my time and manage to get that Oscilloscope. How idiotic of me.
I continued listening and my craze for the hobby started spreading among my friends. They started feeding me with information about articles, write ups, announcements etc. I was beginning to collect a fairly good quantity of information about the hobby. I had also noted a few other operators from Mysore – Yogesh (VU2YSG), Shiv (VU2SSR), Sriram (VU2BOY – he “BOY” as his radio nickname), Sat (VU2NTC), etc. I did not know where they operated from.
In 1985, Yuvaraja’s College, where I was finishing my Graduation, started a Science Club. For the inauguration, they had invited a retired engineer from the All India Radio – you should have guessed it – it was Muthanna – my dear “Old” friend. That inaugural address was about the field of radio communication and naturally to my joy mentioned about the amateur radio hobby. After the meeting I went up to Muthanna and he immediately asked about my progress in the hobby. I mentioned that I was not yet able to start learning Morse code. The Science Club, we started wallpaper for science related article. I did my first journalistic piece – if it can be called that. I cut an article on HAM Radio from an old magazine, stuck it to a sheet and submitted it for publication. It was put up. My fascination for the hobby became common knowledge among my college mates and lecturers. This was to play a vital role in my becoming a Ham.
I was still in the search for the easiest way to learn morse code – very important as in those days there was no Restricted Grade (introduced in the last decade where an enthusiast can get his licence by taking only the written test in Operating procedures and basics of electronics). With the Final year exams approaching, I packed up my trustworthy radio (I had promised my mother that I would do so!) and Ham Radio took a back seat for 3 solid months!
Then I got proof that I was “destined” to be a HAM operator.
One of my classmates, KH Manjunath (I have lost contact now – he used to reside in VV Puram) came home with the news that there was a notice put up in Yuvaraja’s College that a training class was being conducted at SJCE as part of the Mysore University Amateur Radio Club for those interested in Amateur Radio. We immediately got onto our bicycles and off we went to SJCE – of course enroute checking out the college notice board for full information. There we tracked down the Electronics Department - which was running the Amateur Radio Club – and asked for Mr. Satish, the Student Co-ordinator. It turned out that he was in the Lab undergoing his practicals and we were to wait for about 30 minutes outside the lab. Information was passed on to him that someone had come to join the training classes.
I was in for another thrill of my life! When, finally, Satish came out of the lab and met us, I introduced myself and he immediately said “Are you THE Madhukar who has been writing letters to other operators?”. I said “Yes”.
He then introduced himself as Sat – VU2NTC – I had met my second ham in person.
10 March 2007
"ON THE AIR" - as a Guest
Sorry for the long gap in between the posts. Year end peak activity at the office. Finally managed some time to put in this post.
Continuing, from where I left off, the night Mr. Muthanna visited me in my absence, I got no sleep. I was then doing my degree in Yuvaraja's College - in the first year. Mr. Muthanna had instructed that I could meet him only after my college hours - ie., after 3 PM. In my excitement of the first "eye-ball" (HAM parlance for a tete-e-tete), I rushed home at 2 PM. Had a quick wash, changed clothes and off on my trusted Raleigh bicycle (the same one that carried me on my "mad" trip looking for rain) to locate Mr. Muthanna's house. I remember reaching his locality by 2.35 PM, 5 mins later I had located his house. Thanks to the odd looking wires and poles on top of his house. I had, of course, expected to see a big rod standing on top of his house - comparing to the rod/pole/pipe? that I had seen in the compound of AIR Mysore. I went round the roads of his area spending time till the designated hour - 3 PM. 2.58 PM and I was at his gate. Promptly at 3.00PM I was ringing his doorbell.
I HAD MET MY FIRST RADIO OPERATOR IN PERSON!!!!!!
AT LAST. What a relief it was. He took me into his shack (Radio Room) behind the main house. It was filled with a rack housing a World War II Receiver - a commercial transmitter (Heathkit) - a antenna change over switch to change from the transmitter to the receiver. There was also a rack full of old magazines. There were also a few other gizmos used for testing and repairing the radio equipment.
After the initial round of introductions and my first "bringing down to earth" advice that HAM radio was not for students (reason it was not a cheap hobby), Mr. Muthanna switched on his radio and tuned around looking for activity. What luck! We heard Chak, Suri and the usual group in conversation. Muthanna joined into the group and informed the group - who already knew I was a regular listener to their conversations - that I was in the shack along with him. I remember Chak (VU2TTC), Suri (VU2NPS) and others addressing me and welcoming me to Ham Radio. Muthanna handed over the mike to me - I panicked. I realised that when it finally came down to talking to some one - some where - where I cannot see them in person - HOW & WHAT DO I TALK? With my experience of listening, I had rehearsed my conversation. But with mike in hand - I was lost for words. Muthanna had to finally put words into my mount. "Good afternoon dear Chak, Suri and others. I am happy to meet all of you. Hope to meet you on the air soon with my own call sign" - I finally managed to say. By the end of it I was sweating all over. With anxiety or with the sense of achievement of having put my voice "ON THE AIR" - I have not been able to decide.
But all in all - I HAD GONE "ON THE AIR". That was what finally mattered.
Muthanna (who became a "silent key" - Ham equivalent to breathing his last- in 1991) will forever be in my memory of being the person who brought me into this hobby that I am so passionate about.
THANKS MUTHANNA - VU2MP
Continuing, from where I left off, the night Mr. Muthanna visited me in my absence, I got no sleep. I was then doing my degree in Yuvaraja's College - in the first year. Mr. Muthanna had instructed that I could meet him only after my college hours - ie., after 3 PM. In my excitement of the first "eye-ball" (HAM parlance for a tete-e-tete), I rushed home at 2 PM. Had a quick wash, changed clothes and off on my trusted Raleigh bicycle (the same one that carried me on my "mad" trip looking for rain) to locate Mr. Muthanna's house. I remember reaching his locality by 2.35 PM, 5 mins later I had located his house. Thanks to the odd looking wires and poles on top of his house. I had, of course, expected to see a big rod standing on top of his house - comparing to the rod/pole/pipe? that I had seen in the compound of AIR Mysore. I went round the roads of his area spending time till the designated hour - 3 PM. 2.58 PM and I was at his gate. Promptly at 3.00PM I was ringing his doorbell.
I HAD MET MY FIRST RADIO OPERATOR IN PERSON!!!!!!
AT LAST. What a relief it was. He took me into his shack (Radio Room) behind the main house. It was filled with a rack housing a World War II Receiver - a commercial transmitter (Heathkit) - a antenna change over switch to change from the transmitter to the receiver. There was also a rack full of old magazines. There were also a few other gizmos used for testing and repairing the radio equipment.
After the initial round of introductions and my first "bringing down to earth" advice that HAM radio was not for students (reason it was not a cheap hobby), Mr. Muthanna switched on his radio and tuned around looking for activity. What luck! We heard Chak, Suri and the usual group in conversation. Muthanna joined into the group and informed the group - who already knew I was a regular listener to their conversations - that I was in the shack along with him. I remember Chak (VU2TTC), Suri (VU2NPS) and others addressing me and welcoming me to Ham Radio. Muthanna handed over the mike to me - I panicked. I realised that when it finally came down to talking to some one - some where - where I cannot see them in person - HOW & WHAT DO I TALK? With my experience of listening, I had rehearsed my conversation. But with mike in hand - I was lost for words. Muthanna had to finally put words into my mount. "Good afternoon dear Chak, Suri and others. I am happy to meet all of you. Hope to meet you on the air soon with my own call sign" - I finally managed to say. By the end of it I was sweating all over. With anxiety or with the sense of achievement of having put my voice "ON THE AIR" - I have not been able to decide.
But all in all - I HAD GONE "ON THE AIR". That was what finally mattered.
Muthanna (who became a "silent key" - Ham equivalent to breathing his last- in 1991) will forever be in my memory of being the person who brought me into this hobby that I am so passionate about.
THANKS MUTHANNA - VU2MP
09 February 2007
Hunt for the HAM in Mysore
I had caught the "HAM fever".
This started on my hunt for information to become a operator myself. As I have mentioned earlier, I had heard of a HAM Mr. Muthanna residing right here in Mysore. But how do I meet him? I badly need information and guidance. HOW DO I REACH HIM?
This was when I began to act like an addict looking for his dose - at least that is what I have heard people do.
First I wrote to "Chak" for the address of Muthanna. He was clear in his words that he could not give the information as he was not sure that Muthanna was willing to meet me. First Shot - OFF TARGET.
What do I do now? I had heard that all the licences were issued by the Department of Telecommunications. I decided that all post offices would have a record of the HAM licence holders in Mysore. This was because, in those days (1980's) all radio receiving sets needed a radio licence. The post office was maintaining a list of licences in their area and I was sure they would have a record of Muthanna who also had a transmitting licence - at least that is what I believed. This belief led me to write out a reply post card addressed to "Mr. Muthanna - VU2MP-Mysore". That was all! In it went to the post box. Anticipation. Reply on the third day!!! but not from Muthanna but from the Head Post office with the remark "Insufficient Address". It was like a bucket of ice cold water poured on my head. Madness? - what else?
My desperate hunt went on for a few more weeks. But I could not extract any further details on the whereabouts of my dear "unknown" friend Muthanna. I was beginng to panic again. The despartion was starting to creep in again. Lo! I had a thunder storm of an idea. Why thunderstorm? Read On.
One "fine" afternoon, as I was at my usual listening routine - listening to the regular group of HAMs chatting - I heard Muthanna join in to the group. During the conversation, he mentioned something about the Mysore weather that made me sit up. "It is raining in Mysore" said Muthanna. RAINING? I look out of my window in surprise! It was a FINE afternoon - no sign of any clouds - let alone rains. That gave me the thunderstorm of an idea. I quickly changed clothes - out came my bicycle - onto it I hopped - pedalling away - eyes glued to the road - NO - to the SKY. Why sky? If it was raining near Muthanna's house - all I had to do was locate the area where it was raining and I would have the territory of Muthanna's residence! That was my game plan. The route that I had decided on was Devaparthiva Road (Chamarajapuram) - Ramaswamy Circle - THEN WHERE? Looking at the sky from Ramaswamy Circle - my plans were quickly washed away in the non existant rains. There was no way I could locate the source of the rains that was mentioned by Muthanna. With a realisation that I was indeed MAD I slowly turned back home.
Finally sense prevailed. I decided to try another source to gather the information. I wrote a letter to Mr. Suri VU2NPS (mentioned in the earlier post) with a request to forward my request for contact details and my address to Muthanna. Why did I not think of this earlier - the universal million dollar question?
Within a week of this request, around 5.30 PM - while I was away playing my favourite sport of Cricket, I was later informed by my mother - Muthanna had walked into our home with my address in hand asking to meet me. A retired person had walked nearly 7 KMs to meet a youngster in his early twenties (I was then about 21) who was MAD about HAM Radio. Madness - what else?
He had given his address and appointment for me to meet him at his residence next to the Deaf and Dumb School, New Bamboo Bazaar (Thilak Nagar), Mysore. I had met my mentor - my first personal meeting with a HAM!
This started on my hunt for information to become a operator myself. As I have mentioned earlier, I had heard of a HAM Mr. Muthanna residing right here in Mysore. But how do I meet him? I badly need information and guidance. HOW DO I REACH HIM?
This was when I began to act like an addict looking for his dose - at least that is what I have heard people do.
First I wrote to "Chak" for the address of Muthanna. He was clear in his words that he could not give the information as he was not sure that Muthanna was willing to meet me. First Shot - OFF TARGET.
What do I do now? I had heard that all the licences were issued by the Department of Telecommunications. I decided that all post offices would have a record of the HAM licence holders in Mysore. This was because, in those days (1980's) all radio receiving sets needed a radio licence. The post office was maintaining a list of licences in their area and I was sure they would have a record of Muthanna who also had a transmitting licence - at least that is what I believed. This belief led me to write out a reply post card addressed to "Mr. Muthanna - VU2MP-Mysore". That was all! In it went to the post box. Anticipation. Reply on the third day!!! but not from Muthanna but from the Head Post office with the remark "Insufficient Address". It was like a bucket of ice cold water poured on my head. Madness? - what else?
My desperate hunt went on for a few more weeks. But I could not extract any further details on the whereabouts of my dear "unknown" friend Muthanna. I was beginng to panic again. The despartion was starting to creep in again. Lo! I had a thunder storm of an idea. Why thunderstorm? Read On.
One "fine" afternoon, as I was at my usual listening routine - listening to the regular group of HAMs chatting - I heard Muthanna join in to the group. During the conversation, he mentioned something about the Mysore weather that made me sit up. "It is raining in Mysore" said Muthanna. RAINING? I look out of my window in surprise! It was a FINE afternoon - no sign of any clouds - let alone rains. That gave me the thunderstorm of an idea. I quickly changed clothes - out came my bicycle - onto it I hopped - pedalling away - eyes glued to the road - NO - to the SKY. Why sky? If it was raining near Muthanna's house - all I had to do was locate the area where it was raining and I would have the territory of Muthanna's residence! That was my game plan. The route that I had decided on was Devaparthiva Road (Chamarajapuram) - Ramaswamy Circle - THEN WHERE? Looking at the sky from Ramaswamy Circle - my plans were quickly washed away in the non existant rains. There was no way I could locate the source of the rains that was mentioned by Muthanna. With a realisation that I was indeed MAD I slowly turned back home.
Finally sense prevailed. I decided to try another source to gather the information. I wrote a letter to Mr. Suri VU2NPS (mentioned in the earlier post) with a request to forward my request for contact details and my address to Muthanna. Why did I not think of this earlier - the universal million dollar question?
Within a week of this request, around 5.30 PM - while I was away playing my favourite sport of Cricket, I was later informed by my mother - Muthanna had walked into our home with my address in hand asking to meet me. A retired person had walked nearly 7 KMs to meet a youngster in his early twenties (I was then about 21) who was MAD about HAM Radio. Madness - what else?
He had given his address and appointment for me to meet him at his residence next to the Deaf and Dumb School, New Bamboo Bazaar (Thilak Nagar), Mysore. I had met my mentor - my first personal meeting with a HAM!
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