Back on the Air - Really

At last - after a long break - I am finally back on the air.

July 5th, 2006 - 7.15 AM - I picked up the hand set (a walkie-talkie -see pic.- hooked up to an exernal antenna placed on top of my owner's house) and said "VU2MUD" (my Amateur Radio Identification/Call sign). Back came the reply from an old friend Ismail "Good Morning Madhu, good to hear you after a long time. Good signals. Where are you operating from?" The reply and the continued conversation apart, I was happy that I was still remembered. It is good to meet my old friends on the air and to meet new ones. That is part of the thrills of Amateur (HAM) Radio.

I hope readers will remember that early last year, an Indian Satellite was put into orbit and one of the payloads was a "HAMSAT". It is actually a small satellite with a dedicated transponder (an automatic receive and transmit equipment to relay signals) for the use of HAM operators. I have also been able to listen to the downlink quite regularly. I do not have access to the proper equipment to put my signals out to the satellite yet.

I am now motivated enough to start a mini introductory session on HAM Radio in my future blog posts. I will keep them coming.

Apologies

I had promised that I would be blogging at the rate of at least two posts per month. Due to certain changes in the office environment and responsibilities, I am not able to access the internet and also have very little time for blogging.

A couple of things to report.

First, the Ministry of Communications has agreed to continue renewal of licences at the old rate and not at the "exhorbitantly" revised rates. That is some respite for the time being.

Second, propogation conditions for radio waves being rather erratic, the radio activity of operators is not as per regular norms.

I am in the process of taking some decisions on my career front that may change my "blogger profile". In this context I expect to be a little more inactive over the next few weeks.

Hope to be back soon with more on Ham Radio.

Back on the Air - Almost

After nearly 6 years since I went off the air, I will finally be heard on the air-waves. It was a long self imposed exile from the on - air operations. I continued to keep in touch with the Hams. That kept me informed about the activities and the progress of the hobby.

The reasons were plenty for me to go off the air.

The hobby was going a little out of control with certain grade of operators 'pushing' themselves into the activities. They were getting a little unruly. Operating ethics were thrown to the wind. Language, was at times, not palpable. Having come into the hobby the hard way (an altogether different story- to be narrated later in a separate post), I just could not come terms with the unruly behaviour on the air.

The homeliness and comoradeship was missing. People were getting into too many small groups discussing petty matters which was in contravention to the set ethics of the hobby. It was difficult to make new friends.

My work was getting too hectic. I was travelling almost 5 days a week giving me no free time.

It was also during this period that my life took a spirtual turn. I started certain spritual and religious actvities in the mornings.

There was also the possibility of my getting transferred from Mysore.

To top it all, the final nail on activities was - I got MARRIED!!!

Enough reasons to end all my radio activities. I have now finally come into Bangalore.

This weekend, I happened to come to Mysore. I pulled out the antenna and cables to be carried to Bangalore. I intend to put up the antenna on Sunday and should be making the good old ham radio "galata" - not to be linked to MGP's other acronym.

Will keep the info coming

Changes in the Amateur Radio Licence Rules

There has been recent announcement in the Amateur Service Rules which has already been gazetted by the Govt. of India. There has been a general outcry by the Hams on the changes. The changes are very vague and no details have been made available.

Two major changes that have been made are : 1. Change in the categories of licences - reduced to only TWO from the previous FOUR grades (General and Restricted). 2. The licence fees have been fixed for periods for either LIFETIME (upto the age of 80 of the licence holder) @ Rs. 2000/- (approx. $40) and TEN YEAR ( from the date of issue or renewal)@ Rs. 1000/- (approx. $20).

While the changes in general are welcome, it is still not clear as to what categories of the previous grades have been merged. It is also not clear as to the operating facilities and frequencies that have been authorised for the new grades.

Regarding the licence fee structures, considering the lifetime licence cutoff age at 80 years, a Ham who is about 65 year of age will have to pay Rs. 2000 for a period of 15 years whereas he would have paid under Rs. 200/- (approx. $4) under the previous licence fee structure.

It is also going to stop newcomers - especially the youngsters who have to shell out such a huge amount just to get started in the hobby.

Such arbitraial changes in the rules, without taking the opinion of the persons who would be affected, and gazetting the changes, will certainly "KILL" the hobby which has been of great help to the country in providing a second line of communication especially during natural calamities, major sporting events, etc.

Mysore and HAM Radio

Mysore is credited to be one of the first cities to have an amateur radio station. To cite history, India's first short wave public broadcasting station belonged to Dr. Matcalfe, VU2KH, a radio amateur. He was Vice-Chancellor of Mysore University. His group of radio amateurs established an entertainment public broadcasting station VU6AH in 1935. But then the authorities cancelled amateur radio licensing and took away ham radio equipment from enthusiasts when the War broke out in 1939. It was also the radio station in Mysore that gave the present day All India Radio its acronym - AKASHAVANI. Coming from such a historical backround, it was appropriate that the city also had an active present.
Amateur Radio (or HAM radio as it is popularly called) is the hobby of electronics with special emphasis on wireless communication. It is quite similar to pen friends. Only here we talk to our new found friends on the radio waves, instead if writing to them.
As the activity requires use of electricity and electronics, the enthusiast is requied to know the basics of the two fields. The airwaves are not open to the public. It is governed by the Government agencies. It is therefore necessary that necessary permission to use the airwaves is granted by the Dept. of Telecommunications, Wiresless Planning and Co-ordination Wing of the Ministry of Communications. To ensure that the applying person has the required knowledge of Electricity and Electronics, a simple test is required to be passed before grant of Licence to operate the Amateur Wireless Station.
There are different ways and differenct range of channels that the HAM operator can communicate with other similarly licenced operators.
Mysore City is among the top 20 in India by the number of HAMs licenced from the city. But the level of activity is quite low compared to many other cities with lesser number of HAMs. The two main Engineering Colleges - SJCE and NIE have taken active interest in the promotion of the hobby by encouraging their students to take up the hobby. They have imported wireless equipment for the use of their licenced students by setting up Club Stations.
I am one such who benefitted from the SJCE club station and later was involved in the setting up of the NIE club station. HAM radio has still a long way to go in future years.
I will be further writing on specific topics in future - like the History of Amateur Radio, the qualifications required to become a HAM, the acitivites one can participate in, the advantages and thrills of HAM radio operations, etc. I would appreciate comments, ideas and questions so that we can make this blog informative.