Apr 18, 2015
World Amateur Radio Day : April 18th IARU Bulletin
On Saturday, April 18, radio amateurs worldwide will take to the airwaves to celebrate World Amateur Radio Day (WARD) 2015. It was on April 18, 1925, that the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) was founded in Paris, with ARRL Co-Founder Hiram Percy Maxim, 1AW, as its first president. The primary purpose of World Amateur Radio Day is to highlight Amateur Radio and its benefits to countries and communities. The IARU said World Amateur Radio Day is an opportunity for IARU member-societies to demonstrate Amateur Radio to the public and make friends with other amateurs around the world. Special event stations will be on the air over the April 18-19 weekend to highlight World Amateur Radio Day and the IARU’s 90th anniversary.
“Since its founding, the IARU has worked tirelessly to defend and expand the frequency allocations for Amateur Radio,” the IARU said in marking World Amateur Radio Day. “Thanks to the support of enlightened administrations in every part of the globe, radio amateurs are now able to experiment and communicate in frequency bands strategically located throughout the radio spectrum.”
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has recognized the IARU as representing the interests of Amateur Radio. Amateur Radio is more popular than ever today, with more than 3 million enthusiasts around the world, the IARU has estimated. As 2015 also will mark the 150th anniversary of the ITU, the IARU has adopted the theme, “ITU & IARU: Celebrating 150 years of Advancing the Telecommunication Art” for World Amateur Radio Day 2015.
From 25 countries in 1925, the IARU has grown to include more than 160 member-societies in three regions. IARU Region 1 includes Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Northern Asia. Region 2 covers the Americas, and Region 3 is comprised of Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific island nations, and most of Asia.
“April 18 is the day for all of Amateur Radio to celebrate and tell the world about the science we can help teach, the community service we can provide, and the fun we have,” the IARU said.
HAM Repeater Coming up at Vijayawada : The Hindu Coverage
Ham radio operators in the region, who all set to celebrate the World HAM Radio Day on Saturday (April 18), have yet another reason to cheer up. A fully professional commercial HAM Radio repeater-cum-duplexer equipped with all other accessories is ready for installation atop the Gunadala Hill. An amateur radio repeater is an electronic device that receives a weak or low-level amateur radio signal and retransmits it at a higher level or higher power, so that the signal can cover longer distances without degradation.
“At present, it has been put on testing mode by installing the antenna at a height of 100-feet from the ground level and it is working well. Once it is elevated to the hilltop at a height of around 750 feet, it will cater to the HAMs in and around Vijayawada,” says A. Ramesh Babu, VU2RDM, coordinator, Ham Radio Training Centre.
Mr. Ramesh Babu says the repeater will remain connected round the clock to EchoLink, a computer-based Amateur Radio system, which is distributed free of charge, that allows radio amateurs to communicate with other amateur radio operators using Voice over IP (VoIP) technology on the Internet . “This will pave the way for global communication, making it possible for those having valid HAM Radio license to opt for interlinking of their smart phones. Besides Krishna and Guntur districts, the new facility will cover most parts of West Godavari and Khammam districts and some parts of Ongole and East Godavari district,” he says.
The long-cherished dream is being fulfilled, thanks to the initiative of Chandana Kedarish VU2JME. Vijayawada is a big railway junction and HAMs passing through the city can try to trigger the repeater, he says, adding small, low-powered VHF handy is enough to trigger it.
In a world where iPhones enable Internet searches from any location with a good cell signal, communicating with a radio may seem a bit old fashioned. But a new generation of HAM radio operators is keeping the tradition alive by combining decades-old radio techniques with modern technology.
Apr 4, 2015
The upcoming Wouxun KGUV9D handie!!!
Looking like it will be a nice little radio , likely to be released this month globally , offcourse first should be available in China.
Freq.
76 – 108 Mhz (FM RX)
108 – 136 Mhz (Air Ground)
136 – 174 Mhz (FM RX/TX)
230 – 250 Mhz (FM RX)
350 – 400 Mhz (FM RX)
400 – 512 Mhz (FM RX/TX)
700 – 985 (FM RX)
Freq.
76 – 108 Mhz (FM RX)
108 – 136 Mhz (Air Ground)
136 – 174 Mhz (FM RX/TX)
230 – 250 Mhz (FM RX)
350 – 400 Mhz (FM RX)
400 – 512 Mhz (FM RX/TX)
700 – 985 (FM RX)
Mar 8, 2015
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.
Mar 3, 2015
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:
******************************
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.
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
Feb 20, 2015
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/
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
Feb 14, 2015
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.
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.
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