The role of HAM radio operators in the just-concluded Krishna Pushkarams has come in for appreciation by one and all.
A team of 70 HAM radio licence holders, which included engineers, government officials, college students and other professionals, under the leadership of their coordinator A. Ramesh Babu, established a link between the important ghats and other key points like the bus stand and railway station and maintained a hawk’s vigil throughout the 12-day river jamboree.
A HAM radio control station was established and operated from the Control and Command Centre (CCC) and it was in operation 24x7 to receive live inputs from all the key points. HAM radio operators were active in Durga, Krishnaveni, Punnami, Padmavathi, Vijayakrishna, Bhavani and Gollapudi ghats.
“At Gollapudi ghat, an elderly person suddenly collapsed after he suffered a heart attack while offering pinda pradanam . An alert HAM radio operator moving around the ghat with a walkie-talkie communicated the matter to the CCC. The Deputy District Medical and Health Officer there took control of the situation,” said Mr. Ramesh Babu.
Citing other incidents Mr. Ramesh said at Padmavati ghat, there were reports of a few pilgrims entering the bathing ghat along with their dogs, polluting the water and causing inconvenience to pilgrims. The Ham radio station also reported to the CCC a case of eve-teasing by a few local youth at the same ghat, responding to which the security personnel removed the youngsters from the place.
Modern equipment
Mr. Ramesh Babu said the operators made use of their personal modern equipment like all-mode communication which is a single unit capable of functioning in multi modes like HF, VHF and UHF. “The communication equipment is capable of transmitting messages both at global as well as local level destinations. Besides, installation of a Repeater on a tower atop Gunadala hill at a height of 700 feet high, proved to be of great help,” he said.
The Ham radio experts interlinked the Repeater with the Internet using eco link technology. This facilitated extension of communication to global range and bringing all the Hams of Vijayawada into its fold. They can access the Repeater even with a small walkie-talkie and avail themselves of global communication facility from any corner of the city. A small handset available for a lesser price than an ordinary mobile phone also can do the magic, he said.
