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National Institute of Amateur Radio

My Expiriences of The VU4 Dxpedition and Tsunami Relief Work (ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLANDS). D.Bharathi Prasad VU2RBI. National Institute of Amateur Radio. INDIA. NIAR, a non-governmental organization located in the heart of Hyderabad city in South India.

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National Institute of Amateur Radio

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  1. My Expiriences of The VU4 Dxpedition and Tsunami Relief Work (ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLANDS) D.Bharathi Prasad VU2RBI National Institute of Amateur Radio INDIA

  2. NIAR, a non-governmental • organization located in the heart • of Hyderabad city in South India. • A number of International hams • including IARU members have • visited the Institute. • It has a Chairman and a • governing council. • NIAR received Golden Antenna • award from Germany in recognition • of its services in emergencies. About NIAR

  3. About NIAR • NIAR has been Promoting ham radio activity in India for the last over two decades and providing emergency communication during natural calamities. • Mr. Suri, VU2MY, Chairman NIAR and my self are the founder members of the Institute. • NIAR has conducted four dxpeditions thus far, and I had participated in three of these dxpeditions. • Members of NIAR have also rendered services during: • Tsunami relief work in Andaman & Nicobar Islands; • earthquake of Gujarat; • super cyclone of Orissa; • land slides of Uttaranchal; • earth quake of Latur; • cyclone affected coastal areas of AP etc.

  4. VU4 Dxpedition • A team of 5 hams of NIAR got special permission for dxpedition to Andaman & Nicobar Islands after 17 years from the Govt. of India. • Event was flagged off by the Governor of Andhra Pradesh State (for which Hyderabad is the capital city with about 5 million population) on 26.11.04. • Dxpedition was sponsored by NIAR & supported by MIT, GOI. • International support, particularly from the USA & German hams, has also made the event successful.

  5. VU4 Dxpedition With great difficulty we could make air travel arrangements for three of the team members to reach Port Blair on 1.12.2004 and the rest reached by ship on 2.12.2004 from Chennai. Met the local authorities and explained about our mission and the importance of radio communication by amateurs. This was appreciated by the Chief Secretary of the Government of Andaman & Nicobar and we were extended complete cooperation. Also army signals unit was cooperative in extending support.

  6. Tsunami Relief Work & Ham Communication • The Dxpedition was suspended and switched over to emergency communication in the early morning of 26.12.04 after Tsunami struck the islands at 6.29 am - a sheer coincidence • This was the main means of communication with main land thereafter. • Station was operated with generator/batteries. • Our services were offered for helping local administration

  7. Tsunami Relief Work & Ham Communication • Emergency Communications were held on 7090 khz & 14195 khz in HF and 14500 mhz in VHF • Relief Operations from Hotel Sinclair by VU2RBI • Preparations for Relief Operations at DC’s Office Port Blair • Relief Operations from Polytechnic College, Port Blair by VU3RSB

  8. Tsunami Relief Work & Ham Communication • Hundreds of messages were handled on behalf of administration from different islands. • Messages of health & welfare of individuals from mainland and islands were handled. • Whereabouts of 15 foreign tourists were conveyed. • Hams from main land acted as relay stations and handled a number of messages. • Ham stations continued till 15th of Jan ’05 when telecom was mostly restored in different islands.

  9. Tsunami Relief Work & Ham Communication • Our team members were air lifted for Carnicobar Island on 27th and for Hutbay Island on 28th Dec by ship. • VU2MYH, VU2DVO & VU2JOS moved to affected areas. • Few more members from NIAR joined on 1st Jan and hams from Gujarat joined on 4th Jan’05. • Stations at Carnicobar, Cambelbay & Teresa Islands were established. • 3 stations in Port Blair, 2 stations in Carnicobar, one each at Cambelbay and Teresa Island were operating.

  10. Tsunami Relief Work & Ham Communication • Ham communication has once again proved its importance in the hour of need • Ham’s services recognized worldwide • On arrival of few more members of NIAR, I left Andamans on 1st January 2005. • I enrolled my self with ARICC group organizers of Tsunami relief net for emergency communications and provided them with the latest information about relief activities in A&N Islands.

  11. Tsunami Relief Work & Ham Communication The following stations operated in Andaman & Nicobar Islands as of 07/01/05: VU2LIC DC’s office, Port Blair VU2LFA APWD office, Port Blair VU3RSB Nehru Yuvak Kendra, Port Blair VU2MYH Port Office, Nicobar Islands VU2DVO Andaman VU2DSV DC’s office, Nicobar Islands VU2MCK Andaman VU2 JOS Hudbay Islands VU2CPV & Others Cambel Bay islands VU3VCC Naval Base, Cambel Bay

  12. Tsunami Relief Work & Ham Communication The following stations operated from MAIN LAND (India VU2) as of 07/01/05: VU2MY – HYDERABAD VU2NRO – HYDERBAD VU2KAN – HYDERBAD VU2JMA – HYDERBAD VU3LMS – HYDERBAD VU2MYN – HYDERBAD VU2MYL – HYDERBAD VU2GMN – CHENNAI VU2WAP – BANGALORE VU2HIT – MUMBAI VU2MUE – DELHI VU2DBP – DELHI VU2NXM – MUMBAI VU2CYL – KERALA VU2GDX – CHENNAI VU2WAP – BANGALORE VU2HFR – KOLKATA VU2AF – MUMBAI VU2MTQ – BHOPAL VU2PEB – KERALA VU2GMN – CHENNAI VU2HIT – MUMBAI VU2MUE – DELHI VU2DBP – DELHI VU2NXM – MUMBAI VU2CYL – KERALA VU2GDX – CHENNAI VU2DVP – COIMBATOOR VU2CBE – COIMBATOOR AND SO MANY OTHER OP.

  13. Problems faced in providing emergency Ham Radio Communications • Disruption of Power supply – we were to rely on generators and car batteries and thanks to the hotel managemet and army signals for providing us with the same. • Antennas were to be re erected – on disruption of antennas due to earth quake, they were to be re erected and new antennas to be installed. • Water and food supplies – my team members were to carry water and food for their survival in the badly effected areas like Nicobar Islands. • Transportation problems – we were to depend on military services for logistics within the islands. • Lack of resources – mobilising the financial resources for moving hams to the front was a big problem and NIAR was left with a bank OD of Rs.6 lakhs by the end of the operations and no support was available for the same.

  14. Scope to improve ham communications for social cause • We need to improve awareness of this resource in the society. • We need to undertake more and more demonstration and training programmes in this direction. • There is a need for capacity creation countrywide through establishing rural ham clubs • Remote areas and Islands would need to be equipped with ham stations for facing any eventualities. • Ham communications need not be considered good only for handling emergencies, rather it should be taken to main stream for the benefit of different walks of life.

  15. Role of InternationalOrganisations • Need for creation of an International Organisation for Global Amateur Radio Emergency Communications in line with Red Cross & St. John Ambulance Associations with regional centers for bringing in synergy and coordinate with local bodies. • Liberalise rules and procedures for such activity in order to reduce bureaucratic delays in obtaining permissions. • Educate Governments to help bodies working in these areas and creating capacities. • Recognise the efforts of the local bodies with a view to encourage them in continuing such activities. • Consider extending support to local bodies by providing financial resources and equipment and training the people.

  16. NIAR Delegation with Dignitaries NIAR Delegation meets the President of India, Bharata Ratna Dr. A.P.J.Abdul Kalam on 26-08-2003 at Rastrapathi Bhavan, New Delhi. Release of VU4 Dxpedition QSL Card by Hon'ble Minister of Comm. & Info. & Technology Dr. Dayanidhi Maran, VU2DMK NIAR Delegation meets the Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh on 05 March 2005 at New Delhi after VU4 DxPedition

  17. Thank You

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