Alternative dependable communication system in natural disaster, available in India

World Communication Day is 16th May. There are amateur wireless operators who are operating there systems 24x7. These operators give yeomen services to mankind specially during natural disasters. In India, the National Disaster Policy does not include such operators in their disaster mitigation as per the 2005 Policy. The matter was discussed during the Indian national Disaster Congress of 2006. During the Tsunami of 2004 Andaman & Nicobar Islands were cut off from the world, it was the Amateur wireless operators who were temporally operating there they contacted the World first time.

An Indian who was there in December 2004 was asking a media person based at Port Blair regarding their alternative communication system in case of a natural disaster (it was before Tsunami). He was not aware of such a condition. There was no permanent functional amateur wireless station at Andaman & Nicobar in 2004. But the various VHF/HF sets in operation by various agencies never thought that they may be functional after this disaster if they had an alternative plan.

Hut Bay, an Iceland of Andaman & Nicobar https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zznfq56_OCXg.kV881f9TT5QA

This Iceland was detached for a few days during the tsunami, 2004. I understand Bharat Sevashram Sangha of Port Blair went first to relief to this Iceland after this Tsunami.I had visited this Iceland after the Tsunami, the SBI Branch was much affected by this disaster, the branch and staff accommodation were at ground level and the distance is from sea line in normal condition is only 550 meters. These premises has been repaired but still at the same location and even at the same floor. It is difficult to understand why they have not shifted to an alternative safe place. The business area is shifting to higher ground.

I had an opportunity to discuss with the police personnel why there VHF set they could not shift to alternative places to communicate outside the Hut Bay? They have never thought of such a situation. I am not sure are they equip in present day? The authority of the Governments may think satellite phones may be the answer to such situations. My question is this service is free? Amateur wireless operators give service free of charge as a volunteer. Are we not welcome and salute them?

17^th May 2015

KOLPEX 2015 at Nazrul Tirtha, New Town, Rajarhat under the arrangement of India Post

The smart and solar city is  having postal coverage of Kolkata, pin code 700156, and at present the post office located at the  out side the action area. One of the proposed post office  at New Town has acquired land, it will be functional in a latest services as stated by the Post Master General, West Bengal. 

Mr Debashish Sen, Principal Secretary of Department of Urban Development and Chairman of HIDCO was the Chief Guest in a function for opening a Philatelic Exhibition titled KOLPEX 2015 He inaugurated the exhibition and released a special cover on this occasion.

On 11^th march   the first time a philatelic exhibition was organised at New Town, Rajarhat at Nazrul Tirtha (1^st floor), it will be open for the public till 13^th March.

Collection of philatelic materials may be outdated hobby in the cyber age but exhibition shows a good collection of philatelist some of them are Dipak Dey, Malay Sarkar, Eeshita Basu, Souvik Roy and Kolkata GPO.

Hobby: Amateur Wireless Operation

Hobby : Amateur Wireless operation

People pursue them pursue their hobbies in their leisure time which is very difficult in real time. One of the is an amateur wireless operator. Such operators contact with each other through transreceiver. They have licence issued by the authority, in India Wireless Planning Coordinating wing of Ministry of Communication & IT issue the licence to those who pass the examination conducted by them.  

Each such operator is allotted a call sign which is unique to identify the individual or club station from where he/she is operating, it has a prefix, such as all Indian operators are having VU followed by figure 2 or 3 and then two or three alphabets may be his/her choice (if available). Our ex Prime Minister Late Rajiv Gandhi call sign is VU2RG, he had contributed a lot for promoting this scientific hobby. 

These operators give the service to the mankind in natural calamities, Maj De was at Andaman & Nicobar in December 2004 on Bank’s job , a team of such operators from Hyderbad were operating from Port Blair. They had given yeomen service when Tsunami took place. The only Bank was affected in Andaman & Nicobar was Hut Bay Branch of our. In 2006 the National Disaster Management Authority organised the first our National Disaster Congress at New Delhi, Sushanta De’s paper on ‘Role of Amateur Wireless operator for Disaster Mitigation’ was  discussed.  

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Now these operator can operate through internet with a soft ware call Echo link, the operators exchange their QSL card as a proof of  their contacts,  

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E mail : youthforum2k@yahoo.com,

29th December 2014