What is Amateur Radio?
Amateur radio is a form of two-way radio communication for recreation and community service. Amateur radio operators are commonly known as hams. “hams” in India must be licensed by the WPC, department of communication, government of India. Amateur radio operators can make contacts worldwide, and even with astronauts in space! Their extra effort is well – rewarded! It is an exciting way to discover new friends and disseminate knowledge. The amateur radio service (amateur service and amateur-satellite service) is established by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) through the Radio Regulations. National governments regulate technical and operational characteristics of transmissions and issue individual stations licenses with an identifying call sign. Prospective amateur operators are tested for their understanding of key concepts in electronics and the host government’s radio regulations.
Radio amateurs use a variety of voice, text, image, and data communications modes and have access to frequency allocations throughout the RF spectrum. This enables communication across a city, region, country, continent, the world, or even into space. In many countries, amateur radio operators may also send, receive, or relay radio communications between computers or transceivers connected to secure virtual private networks on the Internet.
Amateur radio is officially represented and coordinated by the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU), which is organized in three regions and has as its members the national amateur radio societies which exist in most countries. According to an estimate made in 2011 by the American Radio Relay League, two million people throughout the world are regularly involved with amateur radio. About 830,000 amateur radio stations are located in IARU Region 2 (the Americas) followed by IARU Region 3 (South and East Asia and the Pacific Ocean) with about 750,000 stations. A significantly smaller number, about 400,000, are located in IARU
Region 1 (Europe, Middle East, CIS and Africa).
Amateurs use a variety of voice, text, image, and data communications modes over radio. Generally new modes can be tested in the amateur radio service, although national regulations may require disclosure of a new mode to permit radio licensing authorities to monitor the transmissions. Encryption, for example, is not generally permitted in the Amateur Radio service except for the special purpose of satellite vehicle control uplinks. The following is a partial list of the modes of communication used, where the mode includes both modulation types and operating protocols.
THE BENEFITS FOR PURSUING AMATEUR RADIO SERVICE
- Will be introduced to the scientific activity and will create awareness on the importance of Information Technology and Communications in life.
- Can interact with other Students, Teachers, Scientists, Doctors, Lawyers, etc. from all over the World.
- Can take part or share information on the latest developments in various technologies.
- Can win a lot of Awards and Certificates by participating in various events all over the world sitting in their own room.
- Can discuss views and ideas freely and can educate self and others to improve knowledge on various Subjects.
- Will inculcate the communication and leadership skills.
AMATEUR RADIO - KEY TO DISASTER MANAGEMENT - EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
The world is not a very safe place to live in these days as disaster and terrorism can strike at any moment. Communication is the only relief as times of disaster and hence the need for an efficient disaster management system becomes imperative in public places and even in business establishments and important commercial joints where people move around in large numbers. Disaster might strike in the form of natural calamities, terrorist’s attacks and accidents. Thus an efficient disaster management system which will work in adverse conditions is needed. In times of natural calamity like floods, storms or fire the usual mode of communication like phone, mobile etc. might not work or might be lost in the calamity.
Whatever be the situation, one cannot rely transporting fuel to keep the power up for vital facilities since the power lines could be snapped (often seen in photographs) with uprooted trees and power lines and towers twisted and broken completely, or simply there is no road to the generators – either due to floods, or due to various obstacles like trees, or damaged roads or bridges.
Disasters are extreme events which result in widespread social disruption, trauma, property damage and loss of life. A number of natural hazards have resulted in disasters. India has been traditionally vulnerable to natural disasters on account of its unique geo-climatic conditions. Floods, droughts, cyclones, earthquakes and landslides have been a recurrent phenomenon. About 60% of the landmass is prone to earthquakes of various intensities; over 40 million hectares is prone to floods; about 8% of the total area is prone to cyclones and 68% of the area is susceptible to drought. The super cyclone in Orissa in October, 1999 and the Bhuj earthquake, Gujarat in January, 2001, Tsunami in 2005 underscored the need to adopt a multi-dimensional endeavour involving diverse scientific, engineering, financial processes; the need to adopt multi-disciplinary and multi sectored approach incorporation of risk reduction in the developmental plans and strategies.
An amateur radio operator can do!
1. Talk to other hams using voice, morse code or computers.
2. Build radios, antennas and learn electronics.
3.Help in emergencies by providing communications.
4. Help others to become hams.
5. Participate in contests and field days events.
6. Participate in transmitter (fox) hunt games.
7. Transmit and receive pictures.
8. Experiment with satellite communications
An amateur radio operator can't do!
1. use it for transacting business.
2.Cause interference to other hams or radio services.
3. Use of indecent language or profanities.
4. Broadcast music.
5. Send messages to or on behalf of non hams.