What is common between the Gujarat earthquake, tsunami, and Mumbai floods? Ham radios!
When all means of communication was cut off between Andamans and the mainland during the tsunami, and again when thousands of people were stranded on flooded Mumbai streets due to heavy rain and flood on that fateful day, it was the ham radios that came to their rescue. Ham radios are always at hand in times of disaster—natural or man made. Ham radios work on batteries and therefore do not require a mains power which makes it ideal for work in areas where basic amenities are scarce or unavailable.
Hams don’t get active only during emergencies. It is also a powerful tool for communication and information exchange. A college kid in Delhi can exchange notes with a counterpart in England; a housewife can share recipes with a French cook and delight her family with her cooking skills or a doctor can exchange medical data with thousands of other doctors in 100 countries in a matter of days.
This is what amateur radio is all about – fun, service and friendship. There are several theories about the origin of the term ‘ham’ applied to amateur radio. It could have originated in as a pronunciation of the first syllabus in the word ‘amateur’, or could have been a pejorative term to begin with. Well, it’s no longer an insult to be called a ham with around 6 million involved in amateur radio all over the world. They have proved their utility in times of disaster and are now considered to be a powerful mode of wireless communications.
Can I be a ham?
Anyone can be an Amateur Radio operator - be it students, housewives, doctors, cab drivers, plain folks or movie stars. They communicate in many languages and in many ways - ages, sex, income and nationality no bar. What’s common between all hams is their interest in the events happening all over the world and they use their radios or even computers transmitting messages via satellite to reach out to their counterparts spread all over the globe.
If you aspire to be a ham, you need to have basic technical knowledge and a knowledge of radio operating principles. You will also need to pass an examination to qualify for a licence given by the government to communicate on ‘radio band’ or the frequency on which ham radios operate.
‘Amateur’ does not mean that the participants are unskilled. It simply indicates that this form of communication is not for commercial purposes.
But I can chat with people over the Internet!
Ham radio means different things to different people. It is a highly enriching high-tech hobby. Many factors attract hams to this mode of communication. Some are drawn to the idea of being able to communicate with people in all parts of the country, world and even with astronauts aboard a space ship. Others are attracted by the technology and like to try their skill with electronics. But the biggest appeal is its ability to open the door to new friendships. Amateur radio enthusiasts have their own clubs and meet regularly to update each other of the latest technology or just share their experience of communication on the air.
Yes, it is not as simple as logging into chat, but it’s a pervasive technology that has been used for years for the same purpose. And of course, it is not dependent on power and Internet bandwidth problems. It’s one more great way to communicate. Try it!
