ARLA/CLUSTER: India: Uma rede radioamadoristica pode sempre fornecer uma alternativa fiável quando ocorre uma catástrofe

[João Costa > CT1FBF]

Getting the right signal

Smartphone and web-based communications can be prone to failure when
they are needed most such as in last month's floods in Tamil Nadu.
Amateur Radio can provide a reliable alternative when disaster strikes

The Hindu newspaper reports:

This is where the simplicity of a standalone communication system like
amateur radio (also known as ham radio) gets a chance to burnish its
image. “Usually the more sophisticated the technology, the less
foolproof it is,” says A. Aslam VU2AXL, assistant professor,
Department of Botany, Jamal Mohamed College and co-founder of the
Tiruchi Amateur Radio Association. “Ham radio is very reliable. If one
antenna falls down, I have a pile of antenna I can choose from. And
most of them are made of junk material, like used aluminum pipes and
copper wires. So it is easy to erect an antenna and start
communications.”

Amateur radio has a history going back to the early 20th century.
It continues to pull in millions of enthusiasts who share a liking for
electronics and communication equipment.

“Amateur radio actually helps students in academics, by introducing
them to complex subjects in an easy way. If a student learns ham radio
electronics, they will surely do well in 12th Standard Physics. It is
a highly educative hobby,” says Dr. Aslam, who is also an adviser to
the Amateur Radio Club at the Jamal Mohamed College, where 32 students
have assembled receivers, and several faculty members are preparing
for the licensing exams.

Read the full story at
http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/society/getting-the-right-signal/article8054467.ece