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www.southgatearc.org
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Experiences of Dxpedition to Andaman and Nicobar Islands
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Bharathi, VU2RBI
at the microphone
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Amateur Radio Dx-pedition is a radio sport activity for HAM Radio operators
worldwide and HAMs conduct expeditions to various islands with an aim
to contact more distant countries. These expeditions with continuous operations
help in studying propagation conditions, conducting research work in wireless
activity with state-of-the-art equipments held
by HAMs. It would also prove capabilities of Indian HAMs to reach out
to millions of people across the globe by establishing direct radio contact
with as many people as possible, which in turn promotes international
understanding and tourism.
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The group. Left to
right: |
A team of five Amateur radio operators under the leadership of the undersigned, Mrs. D. Bharathi Prasad (VU2 RBI) with other hams with call signs, VU2 DBP (D.N. Prasad), VU2 MYH (S. Rammohan), VU3 RSB (R. Sarath Babu) and VU3 DVS (D.S. Varun Sastry, aged 15 years and the youngest of all) was permitted by Department of Telecommunications, Ministry of Information & Technology, Government of India to proceed to Andaman & Nicobar Islands on a dx-pedition of Amateur Radio communication from 3rd to 31st December 2004 with special call signs of VU4 RBI & VU4 NRO.
National Institute of Amateur Radio (NIAR), an NGO with its head quarters
in Hyderabad, which is promoting the subject of amateur radio communication
in the country and Ministry of Information Technology, Government of India,
have sponsored the dx-pedition.
The dx-pedition was formally inaugurated by Honble' Governor of Andhra
Pradesh on 25th of November 2004. Team members met in the head quarters
of NIAR to select the equipment needed for the communications from NIAR's
inventory before proceeding to Port Blair. The equipment comprised of
high frequency transceivers, yagi antennas, vertical antennas, dipole
antennas, masts, amplifiers etc. and arranged for packing of the same
for safe transport to Port Blair. It was also decided about the frequencies
of operation and modes of operation for communication.
Three members including me proceeded by air and reached Port Blair on
1st December 2004 and the rest of the members and other technical assistants
of NIAR came by ship from Chennai on 2nd of December 2004. On reaching
the Port Blair we met the local authorities including Chief Secretary,
Govt. of Andaman & Nicobar; Secretary, General Administration and
other functionaries including the Principal, Govt. Polytechnic College
and explained them about the expedition. Chief Secretary desired that
a station should be established in the Science Centre where students would
have opportunity to understand the amateur radio communication in addition
to a station in Polytechnic College and if possible to go over to some
other Islands also. They have extended complete support to the team. One
station was erected in Govt. Polytechnic College, the second in the hotel
premises where some members were accommodated and the third in the Science
Centre.
In addition to the support extended by the local administration, the officers
of the Army Signals Unit of Port Blair have also extended their cooperation
to the team by sparing the technical manpower to help erecting the antennas
and also for some local logistics. Erection of yagi antennas and dipole
antennas was very interesting. It took almost two days to assemble the
seven element tri- bander yagi antennas and for their erection.
Dipole antenna erection was comparatively easier.
Mr. Suri, the chairman of NIAR, k4vud Mr. Charles Harpole and Mr Henry,
smojhf visited us after 15th of December and inspired us with their experiences
and some ham demonstrations for local people at science center, port blair.
The antennas shipped by German Dx Foundation arrived in Port Blair around
15th December and the same were useful specially for WARC bands.
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The following frequencies (in mega hertz) and modes were operated by
the team members.
These frequencies are operated as per the Indian rules and regulations.
Propagation wise, 7 megahertz was open from about 3.00 A.M. to 8.00 A.M.
for distant (dx) contacts and from 9.00 A.M. onwards 14 Mhz/18 Mhz/21
Mhz/24 Mhz/28 Mhz were active for SSB/CW.
The propagation was observed through east covering all the eastern countries
including Japan and back to west covering European countries. After 6.00
P.M. onwards, North American Stations were prominent on these frequencies.
Different types of antennas at different points of time i.e. yagi, dipole,
vertical and mobile whip antennas were used for communication purposes.
It was possible to contact long distance stations even with simple dipole
antennas due to sea coast.
It was a pleasure in talking to hundreds and hundreds of radio amateurs
round the globe and controlling the pileup each day of the expedition.
Some times it used to be difficult in catching up with low power operators
as high power operators used to 'hijack' the situation. However, I have
taken every care to exchange report with such low power operators including
mobile operators.
I have operated the radio from early hours of 3.12.2004 to early hours
of 26.12.2004 for dx-pedition with hardly three to four hours of sleep
a day and made about 23000 contacts individually with almost all the countries
and including other team members we have made a total of about 35000 contacts
before the earthquake and the associated tsunami struck our location in
the wee hours of the 26th December, which was terrible. We have communicated
through almost all the modes mentioned above.
In the early hours of December 26, while the other guests in the hotel
were fast asleep, I was continuing with my dx-ing with the usual spirit
and was talking to an Indonesian ham. All of a sudden, I felt tremors
at around 6.29 a.m. and realized it to be an earthquake and shouted "tremors"
into microphone and rushed out of the room raising alarm alerting others....
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