Sri Lanka makes urgent appeal for radios

Victor 4S7VK, President of the Radio Society of Sri Lanka, has made an appeal for more HF and VHF radios to help in setting-up of vital communication links following the tsunami earthquake disaster.

Victor, who has set up communications links from the prime minister's official house, has now been asked by the government to set-up radio links to the east of the country. However, the lack of enough two-way radio equipment is hampering their efforts. In addition to the transceivers, portable generators are also needed.

Victor's email appeal, sent to Malcolm Harwood, M0XAT in Cumbria, shows their plight. His email reads:

Today they pleaded for our services in the massive disaster relief distribution programme, We are dreadfully short of equipment now.
They wanted us to help in the East but we haven't enough HF and VHF equipment. This is going to be a round the clock operation. So Malcolm, we need whatever HF and VHF equipment that you can get including any HF mobile and VHF mobile antennas. Thanks for all what you are doing.

Thanks for all the help.
Victor

Malcolm has already found several HF radios and equipment, and a further offer of help came from our own club's Chairman, Nick Earl, G8DWF, who has been able to offer a large quantity of VHF transceivers.

However, as the equipment is needed urgently, it will need to be shipped by air if it's to be of any immediate use.
Air freight charges will be a considerable obstacle here, with the expense being beyond the means of most, if not all amateur radio clubs or individual radio amateurs.

We are therefore looking for offers of help - preferably from a large company - in order to help us cover the costs of the air freight charges to Sri Lanka. Perhaps your company or the company that you work for would like to help?

Please contact:
Malcolm Harwood M0XAT on 01900 601551
or email The Southgate Amateur Radio Club
srilanka@southgatearc.org and we will do the rest.

Thank you very much
73 de Richard Brunton G4TUT

Other recent stories..