QSL cards in shortwave listening

A Radio Moscow QSL card from 1969.

Shortwave listeners also collect QSL cards. Sometimes referred to as SWL cards, they can confirm reception of two-way amateur radio communications or commercial radio operators using HF frequencies. A more common form of QSL card for shortwave listeners to collect verifies the reception of signals from international broadcasting or utility stations.

For many international broadcasters, QSL cards serve as publicity tools rather than for gathering data on receptions. Often the cards include information about their stations or countries. Also, announcers may read on the air comments that listeners have put on their own QSL cards.

Other commercial and government television and radio stations have occasionally used QSL card requests as a means of judging the size of their audiences and distances that they can be received. Some of the very early television stations in New York City asked for listener reports, and HAARP program has occasionally requested reception information on its shortwave experiments, in return for which it sent back QSL cards. Time and frequency stations, such as WWV, will also send QSL cards in response to listeners reports. Other shortwave utility stations, such as marine and aircraft weather broadcasters, may QSL, as do some Pirate radio stations, usually through mail drop boxes.

QSL cards in TV-FM and AM DXing

QSL cards are also collected by radio enthusiasts who listen for distant FM radio or TV stations. However, with digital broadcasting TV stations are now less commonly heard on the air. AM radio stations may also reply to listeners, particularly if they report receiving them at a significant distance.

QSL cards in amateur

QSL cards in amateur radio

QSL card.

Amateur radio operators exchange QSL cards to confirm two-way radio contact between stations. Each card contains details about one or more contacts, the station and its operator. At a minimum, this includes the call sign of both stations participating in the contact, the time and date when it occurred (usually specified in UTC), the radio frequency or Band used, the mode of transmission used, and a signal report. One national association of amateur radio operators, the ARRL, recommends a size of 3½ by 5½ inches (89 mm by 140 mm).^[2]

QSL cards are a ham radio operator's calling card and are frequently an expression of individual creativity — from a photo of the operator at his station to original artwork, images of the operator's home town or surrounding countryside, etc. They are frequently created with a good dose of individual pride. Consequently, the collecting of QSL cards of especially interesting designs has become an add-on hobby to the simple gathering of printed documentation of a ham's communications over the course of his or her radio career.

QSL Card

Normally sent using ordinary, international postal systems, QSL cards can be sent either direct to an individual’s address, or via a country's centralized amateur radio association QSL bureau, which collects and distributes cards for that country. This saves postage fees for the sender by sending several cards destined for a single country in one envelope, or large numbers of cards using parcel services. The price for lower postage, however, is a delay in reaching its destination because of the extra handling time involved. ^[3] In addition to such incoming bureaus, there are also outgoing bureaus in some countries. These bureaus offer a further postage savings by accepting cards destined for many different countries and repackaging them together into bundles that are sent to specific incoming bureaus in other countries. ^[4]

For rare countries, that is ones where there are very few amateur radio operators, places with no reliable (or even existing) postal systems, including expeditions to remote areas, a volunteer QSL manager may handle the mailing of cards. For expeditions this may amount to thousands of cards, and payment for at least postage is appreciated, and is required for a direct reply (as opposed to a return via a bureau).

Recently, the Internet has enabled electronic transmission as an alternative to the need for mailing a physical card. These systems use computer databases to store all the same information normally verified by QSL cards in an electronic format. Some sponsors of amateur radio operating awards, which normally accept QSL cards for proof of contacts, may also recognize a specific electronic QSL system in verifying award applications.

One such system, eQSL enables electronic exchange of QSLs as jpeg or gif images which can then be printed as cards on the recipient's local inkjet or laser printer, or displayed on the computer monitor. Many logging programs now have direct electronic interfaces to transmit QSO details in real-time into the eQSL.cc database. CQ magazine began accepting electronic QSLs from eQSL.cc for its four award programs in January 2009. 10-10 has been accepting eQSLs since 2002. Another, the ARRL’s Logbook of The World (LoTW), allows confirmations to be submitted electronically for that organization’s DX Century Club and Worked All States awards.

Even in the presence of electronic QSLs, physical QSL cards are often fine historical or sentimental keepsakes of a memorable location heard or worked, or a pleasant contact with a new radio friend, and serious hams may have thousands of them. Some cards are plain, while others are multicolored and may be oversized or double paged.

An illustrated history of one amateur radio operator's life and QSL collection was published in 2003.^[5]

QSL

History of QSL cards

An old QSL card from WWV.

The concept of sending a post card to verify reception of a station (and later two-way contact between them) may have been independently invented several times. The earliest reference seems to be a card sent in 1916 from 8VX in Buffalo, New York to 3TQ in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (in those days ITU prefixes were not used). The standardized card with callsign, frequency, date, etc. may have been developed in 1919 by C.D. Hoffman, 8UX, in Akron, Ohio. In Europe, W.E.F. "Bill" Corsham, 2UV, first used a QSL when operating from Harlesden, England in 1922.^[1]

Organization

While every ham has some emergency communications capability, those who are particularly interested in the public service aspects of the hobby usually affiliate with an organized group for disaster specific training, quick mobilization and to practice emergency skills. These major organizations include:

International

The Global Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Conference (GAREC) is held in a new location yearly by the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU), hosting discussion and coordination of large-scale and cross-border amateur radio emergency response.]]

Australia

In Australia WICEN (pronounced "wye-sen"), the Wireless Institute Civil Emergency Network is the officially recognized group that manages Amateur Radio operators to provide emergency communications. It is organised by state and region, with autonomous bodies in each state linked to that jurisdiction's disaster plan. In most states, WICEN is organized by a committee of the WIA state organization, but in New South Wales and Victoria, WICEN is separately incorporated. WICEN has been activated for various emergencies, notably in recent years the Black Saturday bushfires on 7 February 2009 in Victoria. In NSW, WICEN is an accredited squad of the NSW Volunteer Rescue Association.

Canada

In Canada, Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) is sponsored by the Radio Amateurs of Canada. Often other less formal networks of volunteer radio operators are also used and organized by the local emergency response agencies in conjunction with local ham radio operators. As in the United States, Radio Amateurs of Canada has memoranda of understanding with numerous agencies expected to receive services[2], including the Canadian Red Cross and Salvation Army.

India

Indian amateur radio operator, Bharathi VU4RBI, demonstrates Amateur Radio to local students in Port Blair, Andaman Islands, a few days before the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake

In India, Vigyan Prasar (a science promotion body under the Indian Department of Science and Technology) coordinates simulated disaster communication exercises and also organizes trainingto help people get a ham radio license in areas which are vulnerable to natural calamities.

Ireland

In Ireland (26 counties), the Amateur Radio Emergency Network (AREN), co-ordinates emergency communications activities on behalf of the Irish Radio Transmitters Society (IRTS). AREN membership is, however, open to all amateur radio operators whether members of IRTS or not.

The Netherlands

The Dutch Amateur Radio Emergency Service (DARES) was founded in 2003 as a result of the World Radio Conference 2003, where was decided that licenced Dutch radio amateurs were allowed to offer their services to third-parties in an emergency situation. DARES is recognized by the State Department of The Netherlands and supported by the two largest national radio amateur organisations: VERON and VRZA.

DARES consists of a group of radio amateurs and shortwave listeners who offer their knowledge and radio equipment during a disaster or major incident. The organisation is built upon the 25 safety regions defined by Dutch authorities.

DARES has been represented at the Global Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Conference (GAREC) since 2005.

New Zealand

In New Zealand the New Zealand Association of Radio Transmitters provides the AREC - Amateur Radio Emergency Communications (formerly Amateur Radio Emergency Corps) in the role. They won the New Zealand National Search and Rescue award in 2001 for their long commitment to Search and Rescue in NZ.

Trinidad and Tobago

In Trinidad and Tobago, the Emergency Amateur Radio Service (EARS) is a non profit organization registration number E 1772{95} and is part of the Trinidad and Tobago Amateur Radio League TTARL. They coordinate emergency communications activities within its membership and others who wish to volunteer with EARS in times of emergency. The Office of Disaster Preparedness Management (ODPM) is actively involved in amateur radio and maintains an active amateur radio station and five repeaters.

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom Radio Amateurs Emergency Network (RAYNET) provides the organizational backbone of their amateur radio emergency communications groups. It was formed in 1953 in the aftermath of the North Sea flood of 1953.

United States of America

In the United States, there are two major methods of organizing amateur radio emergency communications: the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES), an organization of amateur operators sponsored by the American Radio Relay League (ARRL); and the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES), a radio service regulated by the Federal Communications Commission. RACES requires registration with a local civil defense organization, to allow continued operation under Part 97.407^[2] of the FCC regulations in the event the Amateur Service is ever shut down by presidential order. ARES and RACES involvement within the same area are usually intertwined, with many governments requiring membership and service in that locale's ARES organization as well. Many government Emergency Operations Centers, Red Cross Chapters and National Weather Service facilities have permanent Amateur Radio stations installed.

Radio clubs independent of the ARRL and ARES also participate in emergency communications activities in some areas, and some non-radio organizations have their own amateur arm. The Department of Defense sponsors the Military Affiliate Radio System (MARS) program which utilizes Amateur Radio operators for emergency communication using military radio frequencies. The National Weather Service Skywarn weather-spotter program has a strong amateur radio contingent. And amateurs dedicated to the Salvation Army are organized under their Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network program.

Emergency communications and disaster assistance is usually done in conjunction with volunteer disaster relief organizations such as the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army, local government emergency management agencies, as well as volunteer fire departments and ambulance corps.

The ARRL has memoranda of understanding with numerous agencies expected to receive services^[3], including the American Red Cross and Salvation Army and is a partner in the Citizen Corps program of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The ARRL also is a member of the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD) and conducts emergency communications certification courses for interested Amateur Radio operators.^[4]

Band plans and frequency allocations

Main article: Amateur radio frequency allocations

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) governs the allocation of communications frequencies worldwide, with participation by each nation's communications regulation authority. National communications regulators have some liberty to restrict access to these frequencies or to award additional allocations as long as radio services in other countries do not suffer interference. In some countries, specific emission types are restricted to certain parts of the radio spectrum, and in most other countries, International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) member societies adopt voluntary plans to ensure the most effective use of spectrum.

In a few cases, a national telecommunication agency may also allow hams to use frequencies outside of the internationally allocated amateur radio bands. In Trinidad and Tobago, hams are allowed to use a repeater which is located on 148.800 MHz. This repeater is used and maintained by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), but may be used by radio amateurs in times of emergency or during normal times to test their capability and conduct emergency drills. This repeater can also be used by non-ham NEMA staff and REACT members. In Australia and New Zealand ham operators are authorized to use one of the UHF TV channels. In the U.S., in cases of emergency, amateur radio operators providing essential communication needs in connection with the immediate safety of human life and immediate protection of property when normal communication systems are not available may use any frequency including those of other radio services such as police and fire communications and the Alaska statewide emergency frequency of 5167.5 kHz.

Similarly, amateurs in the United States may apply to be registered with the Military Affiliate Radio System (MARS). Once approved and trained, these amateurs also operate on US government military frequencies to provide contingency communications and morale message traffic support to the military services.

Amateur radio emergency communications

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

For the New Zealand organization, see Amateur Radio Emergency Communications.

Solar-powered Amateur Radio Station in tents. Note the portable VHF/UHF satellite and HF antennas in the background

In times of crisis and natural disasters, amateur radio is often used as a means of emergency communication when wireline, cell phones and other conventional means of communications fail.

Unlike commercial systems, Amateur radio is not as dependent on terrestrial facilities that can fail. It is dispersed throughout a community without "choke points" such as cellular telephone sites that can be overloaded.

Amateur radio operators are experienced in improvising antennas and power sources and most equipment today can be powered by an automobile battery. Annual "Field Days" are held in many countries to practice these emergency improvisational skills. Amateur radio operators can use hundreds of frequencies and can quickly establish networks tying disparate agencies together to enhance interoperability.

Recent examples include the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center in Manhattan in 2001, the 2003 North America blackout and Hurricane Katrina in September 2005, where amateur radio was used to coordinate disaster relief activities when other systems failed.

On September 2, 2004, ham radio was used to inform weather forecasters with information on Hurricane Frances live from the Bahamas. On December 26, 2004, an earthquake and resulting tsunami across the Indian Ocean wiped out all communications with the Andaman Islands, except for a DX-pedition that provided a means to coordinate relief efforts. Recently, Amateur Radio operators in the People's Republic of China provided emergency communications after the 2008 Sichuan earthquake and U.S. hams did similar work following Hurricane Ike.

The largest disaster response by U.S. amateur radio operators was during Hurricane Katrina which first made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane went through Miami, Florida on August 25, 2005, eventually strengthening to Category 5. More than a thousand ham operators from all over the U.S. converged on the Gulf Coast in an effort to provide emergency communications assistance. Subsequent Congressional hearings highlighted the Amateur Radio response as one of the few examples of what went right in the disaster relief effort.^[1]

Newcomers

Newcomers

Many people start their involvement in amateur radio by finding a local club. Clubs often provide information about licensing, local operating practices and technical advice. Newcomers also often study independently by purchasing books or other materials, sometimes with the help of a mentor, teacher or friend. Established amateurs who help newcomers are often referred to as "Elmers" within the ham community.^[20][21] In addition, many countries have national amateur radio societies which encourage newcomers and work with government communications regulation authorities for the benefit of all radio amateurs. The oldest of these societies is the Wireless Institute of Australia, formed in 1910; other notable societies are the Radio Society of Great Britain, the American Radio Relay League, Radio Amateurs of Canada, the New Zealand Association of Radio Transmitters and South African Radio League. (See Category:Amateur radio organizations)

[edit] Call signs

Upon licensing, a radio amateur's national government issues a unique call sign to the radio amateur. The holder of a call sign uses it on the air to legally identify the operator or station during any and all radio communication.^[22] In certain jurisdictions, an operator may also select a "vanity" call sign although these must also conform to the issuing government's allocation and structure used for Amateur Radio call signs.^[23] Some jurisdictions, such as the U.S., require that a fee be paid to obtain such a vanity call sign; in others, such as the UK, a fee is not required and the vanity call sign may be selected when the license is applied for.

Call sign structure as prescribed by the ITU, consists of three parts which break down as follows, using the call sign ZS1NAT as an example:

1. ZS – Shows the country from which the call sign originates and may also indicate the license class. (This call sign is licensed in South Africa, and is CEPT Class 1).
2. 1 – Gives the subdivision of the country or territory indicated in the first part (this one refers to the Western Cape).
3. NAT – The final part is unique to the holder of the license, identifying that person specifically.

Many countries do not follow the ITU convention for the numeral. In the United Kingdom the calls G2xxx, G3xxx, and G6xxx may be issued to stations, these are Full License Holders. Additional licenses are granted in respect of Foundation Licensees M3xxx and M6xxx, Intermediate Licensees 2E1xxx and 2E0xxx and Full License Holders M0xxx and M1xxx. In the United States, the numeral indicates the geographical district the holder resided in when the license was issued. Prior to 1978, US hams were required to obtain a new call sign if they moved out of their geographic district.

Also, for smaller entities, a numeral may be part of the country identification. For example, VP2xxx is in the British West Indies (subdivided into VP2Exx Anguilla, VP2Mxx Montserrat, and VP2Vxx British Virgin Islands), VP5xxx is in the Turks and Caicos Islands, VP6xxx is on Pitcairn Island, VP8xxx is in the Falklands, and VP9xxx is in Bermuda.

Anybody can look up who a specific United States call sign belongs to using the FCC's license search database. Information may be available for other jurisdictions on websites such as Callbook.

Many people start their involvement in amateur radio by finding a local club. Clubs often provide information about licensing, local operating practices and technical advice. Newcomers also often study independently by purchasing books or other materials, sometimes with the help of a mentor, teacher or friend. Established amateurs who help newcomers are often referred to as "Elmers" within the ham community.^[20][21] In addition, many countries have national amateur radio societies which encourage newcomers and work with government communications regulation authorities for the benefit of all radio amateurs. The oldest of these societies is the Wireless Institute of Australia, formed in 1910; other notable societies are the Radio Society of Great Britain, the American Radio Relay League, Radio Amateurs of Canada, the New Zealand Association of Radio Transmitters and South African Radio League. (See Category:Amateur radio organizations)

Call signs

Upon licensing, a radio amateur's national government issues a unique call sign to the radio amateur. The holder of a call sign uses it on the air to legally identify the operator or station during any and all radio communication.^[22] In certain jurisdictions, an operator may also select a "vanity" call sign although these must also conform to the issuing government's allocation and structure used for Amateur Radio call signs.^[23] Some jurisdictions, such as the U.S., require that a fee be paid to obtain such a vanity call sign; in others, such as the UK, a fee is not required and the vanity call sign may be selected when the license is applied for.

Call sign structure as prescribed by the ITU, consists of three parts which break down as follows, using the call sign ZS1NAT as an example:

1. ZS – Shows the country from which the call sign originates and may also indicate the license class. (This call sign is licensed in South Africa, and is CEPT Class 1).
2. 1 – Gives the subdivision of the country or territory indicated in the first part (this one refers to the Western Cape).
3. NAT – The final part is unique to the holder of the license, identifying that person specifically.

Many countries do not follow the ITU convention for the numeral. In the United Kingdom the calls G2xxx, G3xxx, and G6xxx may be issued to stations, these are Full License Holders. Additional licenses are granted in respect of Foundation Licensees M3xxx and M6xxx, Intermediate Licensees 2E1xxx and 2E0xxx and Full License Holders M0xxx and M1xxx. In the United States, the numeral indicates the geographical district the holder resided in when the license was issued. Prior to 1978, US hams were required to obtain a new call sign if they moved out of their geographic district.

Also, for smaller entities, a numeral may be part of the country identification. For example, VP2xxx is in the British West Indies (subdivided into VP2Exx Anguilla, VP2Mxx Montserrat, and VP2Vxx British Virgin Islands), VP5xxx is in the Turks and Caicos Islands, VP6xxx is on Pitcairn Island, VP8xxx is in the Falklands, and VP9xxx is in Bermuda.

Anybody can look up who a specific United States call sign belongs to using the FCC's license search database. Information may be available for other jurisdictions on websites such as Callbook.

Licensing

Main article: Amateur radio license

An amateur radio antenna tower

A handheld VHF/UHF transceiver

In all countries that license citizens to use amateur radio, operators are required to pass a licensing exam displaying knowledge and understanding of key concepts.^[19] In response, hams are granted operating privileges in larger segments of the radio frequency spectrum using a wide variety of communication techniques with higher power levels permitted. This practice is in contrast to unlicensed personal radio services such as CB radio, Multi-Use Radio Service, or Family Radio Service/PMR446 that require type-approved equipment restricted in frequency range and power.

In many countries, amateur licensing is a routine civil administrative matter. Amateurs are required to pass an examination to demonstrate technical knowledge, operating competence and awareness of legal and regulatory requirements in order to avoid interference with other amateurs and other radio services. There are often a series of exams available, each progressively more challenging and granting more privileges in terms of frequency availability, power output, permitted experimentation, and in some countries, distinctive call signs. Some countries such as the United Kingdom and Australia have begun requiring a practical training course in addition to the written exams in order to obtain a beginner's license, called a Foundation License.

Amateur radio licensing in the United States serves as an example of the way some countries award different levels of amateur radio licenses based on technical knowledge. Three sequential levels of licensing exams (Technician Class, General Class and Amateur Extra Class) are currently offered, which allow operators who pass them access to larger portions of the Amateur Radio spectrum and more desirable call signs.

Amateur radio

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

(Redirected from Ham radio)

Jump to: navigation, search

"Ham radio" redirects here. For other uses, see Ham radio (disambiguation).

An example of an amateur radio station with two transceivers, amplifiers, a computer for logging and digital modes. On the wall are examples of various awards, certificates, and a reception report card (QSL card) from a foreign amateur station.

Amateur radio, often called ham radio, is both a hobby and a service in which participants, called "hams," use various types of radio communications equipment to communicate with other radio amateurs for public services, recreation and self-training.^[1]

Amateur radio operators enjoy personal (and often worldwide) wireless communications with each other and are able to support their communities with emergency and disaster communications if necessary, while increasing their personal knowledge of electronics and radio theory. An estimated six million people throughout the world are regularly involved with amateur radio.^[2]

The term "amateur" reflects the principle that amateur radio and its skilled operators are committed to helping communities without financial compensation; whereas commercial radio operates for profit.

Wouxun Amateur VHF/UHF Handy
Group Import

Several Non Chennai hams have expressed the difficulty in taking physical delivery of sets from Chennai. Hence we have decided to have couriering of the sets also as an option with the following criteria. "I agree to bear the packaging and couriering cost. I ALSO AGREE TO BEAR THE RISK OF LOSS DURING TRANSIT WITH NO OBLICATIONS / IMPLICATIONS TO THE ORGANISERS". We also encourage you to collaborate with hams in your locality/city and intimating us that you wish the couriering to be done to one hams address in your location/city with the others picking up the set from that location . You may also nominate 1 ham from such group to pick up all the group member's sets from Chennai on your behalf. Forming such group can help group members in bulk purchase of coaxial cable, fabrication of dual band omnidirectional antenna's, dual band beams (for satellite working), diplexers and help each other in antenna tuning and erection. Folks who have already filled the form and wish to opt for couriering can mail me requesting this. I will change the form data accordingly.

Best regards

Aravind

We (Me Aravind vu2abs, Das vu2dh and Deepan vu2dpn) plan to facilitate group import of the below equipment. Wouxun VHF handie KG-816 http://www.wouxun. com/Two-Way- Radio/KG- 816.htm and Wouxun VHF/UHF Dual Band Handie - KGUVD1P http://www.wouxun.com/Two-Way-Radio/KG-UVD1P.htm This is not for profit, cost sharing, volunteer driven group import venture. We are doing this neither as a part of any amateur radio body/club nor as a commercial entity. We will begin import, once we reach interest for at least 100 sets for each model above. We will give preference to new comers (i.e. hams who have no equipment and will be using this equipment to come on the air). We have no relationship/ partnership with Wouxun or any Honkgong based reseller. As part of the group buy we will get the manufacturer' s warranty (18 months for radio body and 6 months for all accessories) .

Please go through the product reviews at eham.net and other forums and user feedback in the yahoo groups ([Wouxun_KG- UVD1], [kg-uvd1] [Chinesehamradios] ) and other user groups in the INTERNET and satisfy yourself that the features and functionality of the above models are to your liking and satisfy your needs.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS GROUP IMPORT

1. No more than 2 sets per individual (2 VHF/2 Dual/ 1 VHF - 1 dual)
2. We expect the cost of the equipment including the import duties, shipping and clearing to be KG-816 - Rs 4000/- and KGUVD1P - Rs 6000/
3. List of accessories as part of each set is yet to be finalized.
4. Please see http://chennaihams. blogspot. com/2010/ 01/chennai- hams-import- 30-nos-dual- band.html for details about our earlier group import.
5. No user manual and gift packing box included in the import to save weight and volume to reduce shipping costs. The manuals are available at www.wouxun.com
6. Post import and distribution, warranty claims will be directly between the manufacturer and group member and no organizer will be legally responsible for the same.
7. We will get advance clearance from Chennai customs for the group import after getting consent letters, photocopy of license and renewal from all group members. Your license HAS TO BE CURRENT.
8. Equipment has to be collected by the member from Chennai only. No shipping/couriering .
9. If any additional cost in incurred over the amount collected in advance, the member will have to pay the his share while collecting the sets.
10. The scanned copy of your license and renewal document SHOULD BE SENT TO vu2abs@gmail. com after filling this form, without which WE WILL NOT INCLUDE YOU in this group import.
11. Once we reach the 100 mark for each set we will kickstart the purchase process and intimate you the mode of payment and date before which payment has to be made (Typically 2 - 3 days from the date the intimation mail is sent).
12. Advance customs clearance, remittance to manufacturer, shipping and customs clearance took around 3 weeks the last time we did the group import.

HAM Radio Events in India

The HAM RADIO EVENTS in India.

Instructions for Events Submissions :-

You can submit the details of the Events Happening in your city by two ways:

1. By becoming a registered member on IndiaHamS.com ,login in and submitting directly on this page-(Click the link on right, top corner above, Link visible only for logged in members) .
or
2. By sending a email to vu3fun@indiahams.com with all the details of the event.

### Please note:- The events submitted will be published only after approval by Admin ###.

Filter TitleVenueCityType

Limit 5101520253050100All

Date	Title	Venue	City	State	Type
20.12.2009 - 20.12.2009 21.00 h - 21.30 h	VHF Simplex Communications test	New Delhi	New Delhi	Delhi	Other Events
09.01.2010 - 09.01.2010	Antenna workshop at Kollam	Kollam	Kollam	Kerala	Other Events
10.01.2010 - 10.01.2010	Annual Delhi HAMS Picnic	NOIDA	NOIDA	Uttar Pradesh	Field Day / Eyeball Meets
11.02.2010 - 11.02.2010	FOX HUNT @ IITK	Kanpur	Kanpur	Uttar Pradesh	Fox Hunt
13.02.2010 - 13.02.2010	Mahabalipuram Eye ball Meet	Mahabalipuram	Mahabalipuram	Tamil Nadu	Field Day / Eyeball Meets
06.03.2010 - 06.03.2010	Ham Radio Demo at Chennai	Chennai	Chennai	TamilNadu	Other Events
10.10.2010	Hamfest 2010 , India	Pollachi	Pollachi, District Coimbatore	Tamil Nadu	HAM FEST
11.10.2010 - 12.10.2010	GAREC	Curacao

What is HAM RADIO ? This question will not have one single answer to it.HAM Radio may be described into many definitions, and it would be individuals own discretion to accept what ever he is convinced with.

Some of the popular definitions are listed below:

IndiaHamS.com defines HAM Radio as:
Amateur Radio or HAM Radio as it is popularly known as, is a Hobby in which licenced HAM Radio operators use wireless communication equipment to communicate with other licenced HAM Radio operators throughout the world.

HAM Radio operators are "Amateur Professionals" in the field of communication as they don't use this hobby for any commercial or professional gain or to make money.

HAMs use Amateur Radio for pure communication, experimentation and R&D, They also render their services during public service events and times of emergency when the conventional means of communication are either broken down or are heavily overloaded due to increase in traffic.

According to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia :
"Amateur radio, often called ham radio, is both a hobby and a service in which participants, called "hams," use various types of radio communications equipment to communicate with other radio amateurs for public service, recreation and self-training."

RSGB (Radio Society of Great Britain) - defines HAM RADIO as : What is Amateur Radio? Amateur Radio is a unique, fascinating and friendly hobby that captivates the interest of millions of people around the world. Amateur radio is all about the skill and fascination of communicating using radio. Radio amateurs have their own communication satellites, talk to the international space station and are at the very cutting edge of technology in many areas. Amateur Radio operators come from all walks of life. They are all ages, sexes, income levels and nationalities. Whether they prefer Morse code, voice communication on a hand-held radio, or computerized messages transmitted via satellite, they all have an interest in what's happening in the world, and they use radio to reach out,

The Amateur's Code The Radio Amateur is

CONSIDERATE...never knowingly operates in such a way as to lessen the pleasure of others.

LOYAL...offers loyalty, encouragement and support to other amateurs, local clubs, and the American Radio Relay League, through which Amateur Radio in the United States is represented nationally and internationally.

PROGRESSIVE...with knowledge abreast of science, a well-built and efficient station and operation above reproach.

FRIENDLY...slow and patient operating when requested; friendly advice and counsel to the beginner; kindly assistance, cooperation and consideration for the interests of others. These are the hallmarks of the amateur spirit.

BALANCED...radio is an avocation, never interfering with duties owed to family, job, school or community.

PATRIOTIC...station and skill always ready for service to country and community.

--The original Amateur's Code was written by Paul M. Segal, W9EEA, in 1928.

::::: Listen to CQ Serenade Song !Click the Play button below:::::

VIJAYAWADA, April 20: With a view to protect the, environment and regularise the fish cultivation in coastal areas, the government issued GO No. 24 asking the fish growers to take permission from the state-level authorities without fail for conversion of agriculture lands into fish tanks.

Fish is grown in over 60,000 acre in Kalidindi, Kaikaluru, Mandavalli, Mu-dinepalli, Machilipatnam, Nandivada and Nagayalanka mandals of Krishna district. Fish growers are earning Rs 60,000 per annum on each acre land because demand for fish is increasing in the country for the last few years.

Due to the indiscriminate digging of agriculture lands, drinking water is getting contaminated in villages. Besides, cultivation of paddy and other commercial crops are declining. In this backdrop, the government has decided to strictly regulate fish cultivation and indiscriminate digging of lands.

As per GO 24, the fish growers have to obtain permission from the commissioner of fisheries to convert the agriculture lands into fish tanks. The government is planning to constitute committees with officials from the departments of fisheries, agriculture, irrigation, ground water and revenue etc. Besides, an environmentalist and model farmer will also be made members of the district-level committees, for which the district collector will be the chairman.

Earlier, the fish growers used to secure permission from the mandal and district level officers to convert agriculture lands into fish tanks. If the officials do not sanction permission in two months, it was considered as the permission was granted. Unless there is specific objection, the fish growers continued transforming agriculture lands into fish tanks. As a result, environment was damaged in these mandals.

The minister for animal husbandry and fisheries, Mr K. Parthasarathy, said on Tuesday that the state government had taken the decision after consulting the Central government on regularisation of fish cultivation. He said permission is must for converting agriculture lands into fish tanks otherwise the government would demolish the tanks.

The government has extended the time for regularisation of existing tanks from April 30 to May 31. It is asking the fish growers to pay Rs 200 per acre for regularisation and penalty of Rs 500 for each acre for delay.

VIJAYAWADA, April 20: With a view to protect the, environment and regularise the fish cultivation in coastal areas, the government issued GO No. 24 asking the fish growers to take permission from the state-level authorities without fail for conversion of agriculture lands into fish tanks.

Fish is grown in over 60,000 acre in Kalidindi, Kaikaluru, Mandavalli, Mu-dinepalli, Machilipatnam, Nandivada and Nagayalanka mandals of Krishna district. Fish growers are earning Rs 60,000 per annum on each acre land because demand for fish is increasing in the country for the last few years.

Due to the indiscriminate digging of agriculture lands, drinking water is getting contaminated in villages. Besides, cultivation of paddy and other commercial crops are declining. In this backdrop, the government has decided to strictly regulate fish cultivation and indiscriminate digging of lands.

As per GO 24, the fish growers have to obtain permission from the commissioner of fisheries to convert the agriculture lands into fish tanks. The government is planning to constitute committees with officials from the departments of fisheries, agriculture, irrigation, ground water and revenue etc. Besides, an environmentalist and model farmer will also be made members of the district-level committees, for which the district collector will be the chairman.

Earlier, the fish growers used to secure permission from the mandal and district level officers to convert agriculture lands into fish tanks. If the officials do not sanction permission in two months, it was considered as the permission was granted. Unless there is specific objection, the fish growers continued transforming agriculture lands into fish tanks. As a result, environment was damaged in these mandals.

The minister for animal husbandry and fisheries, Mr K. Parthasarathy, said on Tuesday that the state government had taken the decision after consulting the Central government on regularisation of fish cultivation. He said permission is must for converting agriculture lands into fish tanks otherwise the government would demolish the tanks.

The government has extended the time for regularisation of existing tanks from April 30 to May 31. It is asking the fish growers to pay Rs 200 per acre for regularisation and penalty of Rs 500 for each acre for delay.

What started off with a bang ended, ingloriously, with a tweet. Mr Shashi Tharoor, acclaimed writer, longtime international civil servant, India’s candidate for UN Secretary-General, and suave new-age Internet-savvy politician, finally had to depart under a cloud after a rocky 10 months, lurching from one crisis to another, as India’s junior foreign minister. It was perhaps his needless dabbling in efforts to cobble up an IPL team for Kochi that finally sealed his fate. Without doubt, as Thiruvananthapuram’s representative in the Lok Sabha, Mr Tharoor had every right to take more than a passing interest in getting a cricket franchise for his home state. But mentoring appears too inadequate a description of what he allegedly did. The disclosure that his friend Sunanda Pushkar was given free “sweat” equity worth around Rs 70 crore by the franchise owners created a cloud of suspicion, which soon darkened into a storm rattling the government and the Congress Party. Mr Tharoor’s considerable communication skills weren’t much help in his efforts to prove there was no hanky panky: the facts were too stark for the novelist to be able to obfuscate with a play of words, and carry conviction. The Opposition, unsurprisingly, smelt blood, while all that the Congress could smell was trouble. Ms Pushkar’s ill-advised last-minute damage control — sacrificing her free equity, and dissociating from the franchise at the eleventh hour — made things worse for Mr Tharoor. It only appeared to lend credence to the Opposition’s allegations. By the time the Congress core committee met on Sunday evening, it was evident that Mr Tharoor was on the way out. It was evident that the Congress president, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, did not want the party to exert itself in defending a minister mired in a controversy, which might get even worse in the days ahead. The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, who had allowed Mr Tharoor a lot of leeway when he got into earlier scrapes, had no choice but to ask him to go. Mr Tharoor’s exit signals the souring of a great promise — of a well-educated new-age politician giving a wide berth to sleaze. Mr Tharoor, who was to exemplify the New India and show others the way, instead invited trouble almost from the start. Soon after taking over, he embarrassed the government then in the middle of an austerity drive by staying at a five-star hotel suite costing Rs 40,000 a day. After that, it was one controversy after another — from ridiculing the austerity measures with his “cattle class” remark, mocking the policies of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, to openly criticising the government’s new visa guidelines. It almost seemed he could not let go of any issue without a foot-in-the-mouth comment. Worse, many of these smacked of elitism, something that politicians in any democracy should avoid like the plague for their own good. He also appeared to exude an air of contempt for the khadi-clad brigade, so it was really no surprise that when IPL commissioner Mr Lalit Modi set a trap for him through a tweet (could there be a greater irony?), he found himself virtually friendless in the Congress. The MP who won the Thiruvananthapuram seat with a one lakh-plus majority could not generate even a single demonstration in his favour in his constituency in the past one week.
Mr Tharoor held out great promise when he joined the government in 2009; but today hardly a tear will be shed over his departure. In Machiavellian terms, his downfall holds practical survival lessons for other new-age politicians — don’t act too smart, and remember that those who project themselves as a cut above the rest will surely be cut to size.

VIJAYAWADA, April 20: Over 600 workers laid a siege to the mandal development office in Jaggaiahpet on Tuesday demanding full payment of wages for the works under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS).

The workers alleged that they were paid only Rs 40 against Rs 100 per day announced by the government. The poor villagers from Takkellapadu reached the MDO office in Jaggaiahpet in tractors at 8 am and stormed the office till 11 am.

The villagers alleged the assistant project director, Ms Someswari, had paid lesser wages for the last few weeks and cheated them. They demanded that the mandal development officer, Mr Jayachandra should visit the office immediately. The protestors raised slogans against the erring official and demanded justice.

The MDO arrived at the office at 11 am and assured full payment as per rules. Sub-inspectors from Penuganchiprolu, Mr Prasad and Mr Venkata Narayana, reached the MDO’s office and tried to convince the agitators to call off the stir.

When the assistant project officer, Ms Someswari, visited the MDO office, the agitators protested against the under-payment and demanded action against the woman officer.

The MLA, Mr Sriram Rajagopal spoke to the officials and the villagers and tried to pacify the agitators. District Water Management Agency project director Mr Hanuma Naik visited the village and assured them of taking action against the APO.

Finally, the protesters called off the stir and left for their village.

Earlier, the Takkellapadu villagers staged a dharna in protest against the irregularities in the implementation of NREGS works.

What started off with a bang ended, ingloriously, with a tweet. Mr Shashi Tharoor, acclaimed writer, longtime international civil servant, India’s candidate for UN Secretary-General, and suave new-age Internet-savvy politician, finally had to depart under a cloud after a rocky 10 months, lurching from one crisis to another, as India’s junior foreign minister. It was perhaps his needless dabbling in efforts to cobble up an IPL team for Kochi that finally sealed his fate. Without doubt, as Thiruvananthapuram’s representative in the Lok Sabha, Mr Tharoor had every right to take more than a passing interest in getting a cricket franchise for his home state. But mentoring appears too inadequate a description of what he allegedly did. The disclosure that his friend Sunanda Pushkar was given free “sweat” equity worth around Rs 70 crore by the franchise owners created a cloud of suspicion, which soon darkened into a storm rattling the government and the Congress Party. Mr Tharoor’s considerable communication skills weren’t much help in his efforts to prove there was no hanky panky: the facts were too stark for the novelist to be able to obfuscate with a play of words, and carry conviction. The Opposition, unsurprisingly, smelt blood, while all that the Congress could smell was trouble. Ms Pushkar’s ill-advised last-minute damage control — sacrificing her free equity, and dissociating from the franchise at the eleventh hour — made things worse for Mr Tharoor. It only appeared to lend credence to the Opposition’s allegations. By the time the Congress core committee met on Sunday evening, it was evident that Mr Tharoor was on the way out. It was evident that the Congress president, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, did not want the party to exert itself in defending a minister mired in a controversy, which might get even worse in the days ahead. The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, who had allowed Mr Tharoor a lot of leeway when he got into earlier scrapes, had no choice but to ask him to go. Mr Tharoor’s exit signals the souring of a great promise — of a well-educated new-age politician giving a wide berth to sleaze. Mr Tharoor, who was to exemplify the New India and show others the way, instead invited trouble almost from the start. Soon after taking over, he embarrassed the government then in the middle of an austerity drive by staying at a five-star hotel suite costing Rs 40,000 a day. After that, it was one controversy after another — from ridiculing the austerity measures with his “cattle class” remark, mocking the policies of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, to openly criticising the government’s new visa guidelines. It almost seemed he could not let go of any issue without a foot-in-the-mouth comment. Worse, many of these smacked of elitism, something that politicians in any democracy should avoid like the plague for their own good. He also appeared to exude an air of contempt for the khadi-clad brigade, so it was really no surprise that when IPL commissioner Mr Lalit Modi set a trap for him through a tweet (could there be a greater irony?), he found himself virtually friendless in the Congress. The MP who won the Thiruvananthapuram seat with a one lakh-plus majority could not generate even a single demonstration in his favour in his constituency in the past one week.
Mr Tharoor held out great promise when he joined the government in 2009; but today hardly a tear will be shed over his departure. In Machiavellian terms, his downfall holds practical survival lessons for other new-age politicians — don’t act too smart, and remember that those who project themselves as a cut above the rest will surely be cut to size.

VIJAYAWADA, April 20: Over 600 workers laid a siege to the mandal development office in Jaggaiahpet on Tuesday demanding full payment of wages for the works under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS).

The workers alleged that they were paid only Rs 40 against Rs 100 per day announced by the government. The poor villagers from Takkellapadu reached the MDO office in Jaggaiahpet in tractors at 8 am and stormed the office till 11 am.

The villagers alleged the assistant project director, Ms Someswari, had paid lesser wages for the last few weeks and cheated them. They demanded that the mandal development officer, Mr Jayachandra should visit the office immediately. The protestors raised slogans against the erring official and demanded justice.

The MDO arrived at the office at 11 am and assured full payment as per rules. Sub-inspectors from Penuganchiprolu, Mr Prasad and Mr Venkata Narayana, reached the MDO’s office and tried to convince the agitators to call off the stir.

When the assistant project officer, Ms Someswari, visited the MDO office, the agitators protested against the under-payment and demanded action against the woman officer.

The MLA, Mr Sriram Rajagopal spoke to the officials and the villagers and tried to pacify the agitators. District Water Management Agency project director Mr Hanuma Naik visited the village and assured them of taking action against the APO.

Finally, the protesters called off the stir and left for their village.

Earlier, the Takkellapadu villagers staged a dharna in protest against the irregularities in the implementation of NREGS works.

Two events in the last few days deserve special attention of the readers — one, a meeting of the Maha Panchayat of 36 “khaps”, or gotras, in Kurushetra, Haryana, on April 13, to protest against the death sentence of awarded to the five accused in an “honour killing” case and the other a march to Jaipur being organised by Rajasthan’s Gujjar community to demand five per cent special quota within the quota of other backward classes (OBCs). Though unrelated, both these events provide us an opportunity to take note of certain disturbing trends of social and political behaviour in our democracy and to consider what immediate steps are required to deal with such challenges to the authority of the Constitution and the law.

Let us first take the case of the Maha Panchayat in Haryana. The facts of the case are shocking, even sickening, to any civilised person. A young couple, Manoj, 23, and Babli, 19, were killed allegedly on the diktat of the panchayat two months after their wedding in April 2007. The two had eloped to Chandigarh where they got married in a temple as their parents and “khap” were opposed to their marriage on the ground that they belonged to the same gotra, Banwala. The additional district and sessions judge, Karnal, had sentenced five of the culprits to death, one to life imprisonment and another to seven years imprisonment. The “khap” has come out in angry protest against the court’s judgment and has demanded that the government take necessary steps to get the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, amended so that all matters relating to “social life and moral responsibility” are dealt exclusively by khap panchayats according to the traditions of their gotras. One of the most disturbing aspects of the speeches made at the Maha Panchayat in the Manoj-Babli case is that many among those who protested vigorously against the court’s order were educated and well-to-do people.

It is hard to believe that in a civilised society like ours, and at a time when India is emerging as one of the shining examples of technological progress, a young couple could be quietly murdered by hirelings for the simple reason that they chose to get married. Incidents like these are the real challenge to our democracy and if they are allowed to go unchecked and unpunished, India’s claim to be the largest genuine democracy in the world may not be accepted by those who believe in human rights and liberties.

We in India were very quick to condemn the Taliban rule in Afghanistan as barbaric, but we often seem to forget that such mock trials and kangaroo courts are active in our country also — in a India that has a rich cultural heritage, with progressive and tolerant traditions. What is equally surprising is that our politicians have not taken serious note of what happened in the Maha Sabha. Obviously, politicians do not want to risk losing the votes of the khaps and Maha Sabhas and prefer to leave the issue to the courts.

I SHALL now turn to the Gujjar agitation for the five per cent sub-quota. Perhaps, Gujjars have a legitimate grievance that they have not received what they deserve and that the crows have been eating away what was intended for the sparrows.

The Gujjar agitation is not an isolated one in India. There have been some demands for quotas within quota in other parts of the country too and certain concessions have been made by some state governments. But now we find that every time an attempt is made to improve the lot of the really disadvantaged backward classes, there is a simultaneous demand for sub-quotas for the most backward categories within that group. We find such demands being made by certain political leaders even in the case of the one-third representation for women in the legislatures for which a bill has already been introduced in the Rajya Sabha.

Perhaps former Prime Minister V.P. Singh believed that it was politically expedient to introduce the reservation system for the other backward communities without really examining how it could be implemented without provoking demands for sub-quotas from all those who claim to be the “most backward group” of the OBCs. Very often governments prefer to yield to political pressure from their votebanks and if this trend is allowed to continue we would have facilitated further hardening of the caste and sub-caste divides in the Hindu community. And eventually this can lead to irreparable consequences affecting national integration and unity of the whole country.

If the government sincerely accepts that the reservation system has not succeeded inadequately delivering social justice expected of it to the deserving communities, the right thing for the government to do is to examine the whole question of reservation and examine what can be done to ensure protection of the legitimate claims of those who are really suffering from various handicaps without having to create sub-quotas.

In fact, the Gujjar agitation has pointed to the need for such an introspection by the government and for appointing a committee of experts to make recommendations for protecting the interests of the most deserving among the backward sections. If on the other hand the government yields to pressure from the agitators and recognises such sub-quotas, the future governments will find that the entire reservation system has become administratively unimplementable — If nothing else, just corruption on a massive scale would have neutralised the benefits of reservation because of the proliferation of sub-quotas.

- P.C. Alexander is a former governor of Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra