RACES

 

Radio Amateurs Civil Emergenies

To,

GSDMA throgh district collectors office.

Veraval

Thank you for inviting me for providing citizens input as Ham radio operators.

My name is indrajit. I am one of the oldest Radio ham based at the Junagadh. My identification call sign is VU3INJ . VU stand for india, 2/3/22/33 etc grade nuber, INJ is 2-3-word alphabet. This call sign recognized world over and points to me only.

We have very few radio amateurs in old junagadh district and lesser in Gir-Somanth district. Hams are concentrated around Rajkot, Bhavnagar, Surat, Baroda, Amdavad, Gandhinagar, Mumbai etc

Junagadh, Gir somanath, Porbunder [ all old Junagadh district ], Bhavanagar, Jamanagar has long sea shore lines thus prone to natural calamities. One of the serious threat is Tsunami. Thus i seize this opprtunity to apraise few thoughts regarding usefulness of radio.

Ham radio is primarily used for self learning the electronics & communicatins, radio engineering, making own stuff and self communication as non profit hobby.

Historically in the early days around 1900 the long wave used with simple instruments for ship to shore morse code message. See titanic movie & famous SOS message. There was no rules regulations except non-interference to commercial service & interest of state. There were already transatlantic cables for communications usages. The USA was leading in making technology rules world overs under International Telegraph & Telecome Unions. American Hams were allotted short waves. Their experimentation leading to many technology innovations, commercial interest grew thus world over only few bands of frequncies on non-interference primary basis was given to ham radio related comunications. India honors it. ARRL is their leading body.

In india, Central govt allotts the licenses to all, be it govt agencies, commercial or citizens under Indian Telegraph Act etc . license is a must to use any radio equippment for any communcation. Only central govt has jurisdiction over this matter. State agencies are exluded in this matters.

Radio Hams helped in first, second WW for providing self trained engineer expertize. In natural calamities radio hams volunteers to civilian aid. We expect that in the time of natural calamities the radio hams will come with their fancie equipments and help local govt agencies. It is not so simple, the states govt secretariat HQ gives autharizations and relaxes rules for hams to operate in field for certain time period everything is tolerated as long as useful to society.

In india the usage of citizen band and ham radio usage is there but not higlighted.

Is there a way out lets explore ;--

We citizens in good times have easy communications due to mobile fone network, BSNL fibre optics. The govt have , the police wireless network of HF & VHF, RRTY & many digital modes, Forest has VHF network, customs, port authorities, air port, cost guards with own dedicated HF network. Railways have its own servers, firbre network under CRIS delhi,& telefone,VHF. Powerline suplliers has their own point to point. But, all these are not accessible to even state's other agencies nor states general administrations. Gujarat state has state wide area network. GSWAN. All are bell and whiste, when calmities comes nothing works for citizens.

All these comunication platfoms have their dedicated users but not tailoured for the emergencies as they can not be deployed within short time in the fields. Satelite fones can also replace land based comunications platforms but its costly in equipment, use and number of devices needed will be large. Not easy solution for releif work.

Then why depend on Amateurs ?

Ham radio can be deployed into field within short time with enough manpower with minimum of cost and can provide point to point, state/dist HQ to field & within local areas. Long range and short range, low power to high power stations. VHF HF all mode. Beside ham radio systems do not require testing time as they are always in use.

How to use Ham radio in disaster management, Tsunami situatoins ?

Its a valid question, for that we need licensed ham radio operators and their eqipments with temporary moratorium in license operating restrictions.

Where we can find hams ?

First easiest is search them https://www.qrz.com/db/VU3INJ

second is hamfest directory, call boooks which list all past present HAMS with their postal address. Many hams have their social media groups of their CLUB stations.

Third, In gujarat state we have biggest elite working club GIAR, Gandhinagar with its own web site. Most of them are state secretariates babus and other well todo good hearted peoples. doing examinations, expeditions, making new hams .They are instrumental in many good work. https://giar.org/

Fourth in-house. If GSDMA dont find local hams then make/ create new hams from their own staff. Investing in them will help increase the network reachability, instant access to dedicated human technical assets which makes situations easy.

What is the disaster management need & how ham radio can fit in.

In my humble imagination it will be, primary chanel is not/working but you want backup chanel or your intented area is not covered by primary regular communication system when it failed due to emergencies , then

State HQ/Gandhinagar wants to relay a message information,

with HF equipment relayed message come to districts and/or clubstation or

to local ham radio statation in nearby area,

which further gives that to concerned ones.

In the field where we are doing relief & rescue work we need to communicate, there low power hand-held VHF walkey-talkey comes into handi work, seemleesly talking with each other in local language in real time with all human emotions. Voice is an excellent mode here.

Anyone having ham radio equipment & licenses can use it. In radio hams presence other civilion can use radio. Generally VHF radio works 5km to 50km depending on antenna radio power mode etc Now a days radio VHF equipment are manufactured in india and comes cheap in bulk buy.

What is the problem

All communications, equipments, frequncies, usage highly regulated by central govt. Even local state bodies are not excempt from it. Hower noble cause, you can not break law. We need radio amateurs, if we can't find , then we should create them.

How to create hams & use them for disaster mangement use.

Yes, we do have glaring example in south india, there NIAR national institution of amateur radio made club stations, gave coaching training for examination of ham radio licenses. Facilitated for examination to be taken by Wireless Planning & Coordination Wing, govt. NIAR with state and central govts equipment-funds/grants deployed many HF VHF radio stations for volunteer work. http://www.niar.org/

first we can impliment same model with help of our own GIAR. This way you can fetch volunteers from general public, provide equipments from govt funds.

Second way is fetching from govt serving individuals. In district administrations there are many educated qualified peoples in various technical / normal posts. Say police 'wireless' service, Science teachers, Science college professors, polytechnic teaching staff ,department of post & telegraph, there willing volunteers can be found and requested to render services as ham. retd staff will also work fine.

Third way, Science and engineering students can be also motivated to give examination and get ham licenses. And if institutes can install club stations then it will be a big solutions.

Forth way, creating in-house in disaster management communcation centre. the GDMA staff volunteers can be motivated to give exam and use govt funded radios and establishing ham radio club within GSDMA premises as done is USA. ARRL, american radio relay league also do RACES radio amateurs civil emergencie https://www.arrl.org/

In india who gives lienses ?

WPC wing, Ministry of Communications Department of Telecommunications Sanchar Bhawan, 20 Ashoka Road New Delhi- 110001

here is https://saralsanchar.gov.in/wpc_usermanual_list_for_home.php read ASOC

The WPC is the National Radio Regulatory Authority in India and manages the country's frequency spectrum for all wireless users, including amateur radio enthusiasts.

The WPC conducts the Amateur Station Operator's Certificate (ASOC) Examination, which is mandatory for obtaining an amateur radio license. There are many types of licenses, Restricted Grade [VHF telephony only] Grade II, Grade I, Advanced Grade I with various different frequencies mode power usage differences.

State-region has its own Radio Monitoring Station, forbidden for any inquiry visit or tresspass, they monitor everything. The organization is responsible for monitoring the airwaves to ensure compliance with regulations. They take exames and gives result to regional HQ which gives it to Delhi .After an applicant passes the examination and meets all other security requirements, the WPC issues the license and allots a unique call sign.

To become a licensed ham radio operator in India, an applicant must Be an Indian citizen and at least 12 years of age. The examination tests knowledge of basic radio theory, regulations, and Morse code proficiency for certain license grades are required which needs training. [very important for success in examination] License fees are nominal & low. Only equipments cost high.

Apply through the Saral Sanchar portal--

as per Office Memorandum No. P-14036/03/2023- COP, dated 28 February 2025 all applications for amateur radio licenses must be submitted online through the Saral Sanchar portal of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT)

The rules for amateur radio operation in India are governed by the following .The Indian Wireless Telegraphs (Amateur Service) Rules, 1978 (and subsequent amendments)The Indian Wireless Telegraph Rules, The Indian Telegraph Act, 1885.

role of police is regarding verification during license process, this is the biggest bottleneck any citizen faces as this request is different from their regular police work.

Administration has official secrets act. IPC chapter VI offences against state. Generally all ham are security cleared by state and central agencies. Hams are visible, accesible, well regulated, documented. Thus nothing to fear from them. Ham radio frequencies are monitored by central govt ITU ARRL other hams world over and any untowards incident, misuse, piracy etc are always complaint made to wireless monitoring agencies of central govt. Ham radio frequencies are openly audited by listener world over.

Lets see freqience bands modes

BAND meter	Frequencies megahertz	CW, RRTY and Data modes	Voice mode
160	1.800-2.0	1.800-1.860	1.843-2.000
80	3.500-4.0	3.500-3.750	3.700-4.0
60	5.5	Not allowed in india
40	7.00-7.300	7.000-7.150	7.150-7.300
30	10.1-10.15	10.100-10.125 cw 10.125-10.150 rtty data	Not allowed in india
20	14.000-14.350	14.000-14.150	14.150-14.350
17	18.068-18.168	18.068-18.100	18.110 -18.168
15	21.000-21.450	21.000-21.200	21.200-21.450
12	24.890-24.990	24.890-24.930	24.930-24.990
10	28.0-29.7	28.000-28.300	28.300-29.700
2	144.000-146.000	digital telemetry etc	NBFM

Indian hams generally use 2 meter, 20 meter, 40 meter SSB voice & CW.

The old marine radio equipments from alang shipbreaking is nolonger available and not useful .But there are many excellent designs kits parts from china components supply are in open market. Dont make own equipment but In my humble opinion save a bit of money and import from japan/usa ie YASUE kenwood etc.

For Emergencies usage the factory built equipments are must. They are costly but useful. Hand held walkey talkey VHF/UHF in various power ratings are needed. For base station high power VHF station with big antena, directional antenna will be useful. They should be easy to use , low weight, water proof, easy to repair.

Ham radio is for ham only. Unfortunately disaster management authority can not get seperate frequiency in it, but in Citizens Band of 26.957 to 27.275 mhz any citizen can use it with some restriction. For Citizen Band no licensing required only factory built equipment with fixed power mode frequencies. State govt GSDMA may think over this citizenband. Going for citizen band will be also viable option for day to day radio use instead of ham radio.

For field usage some sort of battery, generator, solarpanel, chargers etc needed. Some packing bags water tight containers for communication equipment storage needed. Various types of antenna for VHF and HF needed. Some measuring instruments, small repairing instruments which can be carried needed. When camping in wild, there hygine, water, food suplly, tents etc needed. All this are practical things, once we make few mock drills then can know better. Refine the parameters and devise a checklist of all things.

My advise after many years of hamming is that we needs to constantly be prepared and do preparation consistantly, so when times comes we do what we are supposed to do -Aid /rescue/ save stranded injured citizens without harming ourselves. Hams are untrained volunteers compared to dedicated emergncies staff. My sincere request, invite HAMs to GSDMA offices, make list of volunteers, what equipment they have, what type of work assistance render and make club station there. If they come, trained well then they will be useful.

In preparing this keynote i have avoided all technical words, details and tried to make sense in few words, thus lots of things associated which are glorified with hams-tales are omitted at this stage. And focused only around how its useful to tsunami rescue and how to become ham to be useful there.

Ham radio is a fascinating very very expensive hobby thus it has bloomed around those people who are willing to work hard or spend money resorces without any pecunary gain. But, togather we can grow and reach out to society at large.

Date 6 october 2025

Junagadh/Veraval