VHF Moon bounce Concept!!!

To communicate over the longest distances hams use moon bounce. VHF signals normally escape the Earth's atmosphere, so using the moon as a target is quite practical. Due to the distance involved and the very high path loss getting a readable signal bounced off the moon involves high power ~ 1000 watts and steerable high gain antennas. Receiving these very weak return signals, again involves the use of high gain antennas (usually the same ones used to transmit the signal) and a very low-noise front end RF amplifier and a frequency stable receiver. However, new and recent technological advances in weak signal detection has allowed the successful reception of signals off the moon using much smaller or less well equipped stations allowing reception of signals that are "in the noise" and not audible to the human ear. One of these modes is JT65 which is a digital mode. Due to the delay of the signal traveling to the moon and back (travel time approx. 2.5 seconds), a person transmitting may hear the end of his own transmission returning. 

Some pics of recent full moon at Chennai on 6th March Friday.

OM VU2VIT Vittal Ji became silent Key : Condolences & Remembrances from all HAM's

Its a sad news for all HAM / Amateur radio lovers as a very senior HAM and legend in his own terms today became silent at his QTH in Chennai, he was 83 years old . All Chennai Hams express their sincere condolences & remembrances to this great person and pray for his soul to rest in peace. 

His profile from QRZ.com:

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I am 83 years old and have four children. K.Srinivasan VU2KSV, K.Kamakshi, VU2KEL, Swami, W6SMI, K.Bala, VU2KAF. Two boys and 2 girls a balanced lineage! 

By profession I was an accountant and retired from a Tata Group of companies as Regional Accountant in 1991. I was an active amateur photographer and organised international salon in the year 1956. I was hardly 23 years old at that time. 

Subsequently got interested in radio homebrewing from 1960. At that time it was great mystery and wanted to know how radio works. This later led me to Hobby of Ham radio.

Even as an Ameteur Radio man my propensity for organisational work dominated and was Jt.Secretary and Treasurer for 5 years and President for 2 years of MADRAS AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY continuously till 1989. During my tenure VU2RKR VU2TTL VU2DQP were secretaries who ably carried on the activity of promoting ham activity by conducting regular classes and arranging field days. Subsequent to my retirement I took up reviving the ARSI which was suffering dimnished membership and was active in running the qsl buro for nearly 10 years. This work really increased my popularity.

I also made hundreds of straight keys and sold them in spite of the warning of notable CW enthusiast VU2DX OM Sifuddin. Hi. Along with VU2UR, VU2RMJ, VU2NDR spearheaded activating Pamban Island, AS-173 with 7 other hams. VU2FBI secretary of Ramanathapuram club and District collector provided space in their Premises and geuest house for the purpose. Since 1993 annual eye ball meet is organised continuously at Mahabalipuram till now and will be continued on every 2nd Saturday of each February. I get able assistance from VU2INA, VU2KBX, VU2MPK and the support base is increasing. Salient feature of the meet is that no money is collected for participation. There is no free lunch and each take care of himself. No speeches or lectures and no formal agenda. Hams can show off there homebrew articles. Senior hams are honoured on the occassion.

This hobby gave me pleasure in home brewing and knowing prominent hams vu2nr and vu2rm. Wish you all enjoy your hobby and share your knowledge.

73s vittal

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Amateur Radio / HAM Shopping scene in HongKong : A first hand experience!!!!

I recently visited Hongkong on an official trip so tried to take some time out to check for some HAM stuff and look at what items you get and any price benefit . Contrary to what people say that that are plenty of shops , technically there is only one street in Hongkong where you get some decent amateur radio stuff and that too hardly 4 to 5 shops which have the true amateur range . Offcourse for someone from India where I don't think you even have even one decent dedicated Amateur radio shop , its still felt like paradise with such wide range and display . Offcourse the overall market had items which felt like a gizmo world all together from some science fiction movie . Apliu Street runs parallel to Cheung Sha Wan Road between Yen Chow Street and Nam Cheong Street. An easy way to reach it is to get off at the MTR Sham Shui Po Station. Use the A2 or C2 exit and you will be ascending directly into Apliu Street. You can easily take a taxi and show the driver the location on map or phone. 

Apliu Street has a huge flea market containing electronics, electrical components, and related items. A shopper can find both new and used merchandise in the area. Apliu Street is well known for geek shopping, and at one time it had an unsavory reputation as a "thieves' market".

Firstly the available few shops mostly stock only some cheap Chinese brand like BAOFENG , TYT etc . Wouxun I guess is considered a high end chinese brand known for quality and hence only available if you specifically ask for and not readily displayed or stocked . A typical display in the showcase is as below with models starting from 150 HKD upwards and defenitely cheaper than you get in India , you can bargain to some extent. 

While Apliu Street is famous for electronic parts, the Golden Shopping Arcade found on the other side of Cheung Sha Wan Road is famous for computer hardware and related items.

Two shops I visited are below , first one owned by Mr.Alan and other is this lovely lady called Ms.Yu . I was looking for specific models and both were courteous and kind enough to help me with arranging those models. Spoke to both for quite some time and Ms.Yu was very pleasing in explaining various products, clarifying doubts and offcourse giving some decent discounts also. Picked up the new Wouxun KGUV8D handy plus some accessories at HKD 900.

One another shop which sells on Japanese or US make and offcourse expensive but quality stuff is CQ Shop Hongkong and has very good display and the Manager Mr.Hung is a very professional and knowledgeable person. The shop pics as below.  

CQ Shop

Mr Simon, H.K. Hung, Manager

252 Apliu St, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon, Hong Kong / HOURS: 11AM-7:30PM Mon-Sat/ CLOSED SUNDAY

(852) 2708-7161 or 2728 1180 Fax 2708-7164

E-mail: Info@CQShopHK.com
http://www.cqshophk.com/

Anybody visiting Hongkong and wanting to check out some HAM stuff can directly go to Apliu Street and visit these shops which are only true shops selling Amateur stuff in Hongkong. 

G.Vipin Shankar

VU3NKQ

ChennaiHamsBlogspot Team

Maham meet 2015 starts off!!!!

The annual casual eyeball get together for Amateur Radio operators/HAM's in Chennai got to a wonderful start this morning with good participation from Chennai HAM's as well as few who came from outstation. A quick photo profile for info , almost 120 HAM's along with XYL's , Harmonics & SWL's as well participated in this wonderful event. 

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Maha Meet is convened every year on 2nd Saturday of February with the great support of all Ham and SWL friends.  Motto : Eye ball @ low expense

VENUE: HOTEL MAHABSOPP.MAHABALIPURAM MAIN BUS STAND(TERMINUS)BEHIND- STATE BANK OF INDIA (ATM)MAHABALIPURAM. NEAR CHENNAI. TAMIL NADUMahabalipuram Ham Eye Ball Maha Meet was started by OM Vittal, VU2 VIT in 2003 in a small scale with the support of INAR/VU2INA, APPAN/ VU3MPK and ANNA VU2KBX in order to encourage Hams who cannot afford economically and school students to meet other Hams of our motherland without spending much money.