VIJAYAWADA: As many as 22 Ham Radio operators from two Telugu speaking states - Andhra Pradesh and Telangana - will be connecting all the important key points of International Fleet Review scheduled to be held in Visakhapatnam from February 4 with the Ham radio communication network.
They will deploy their personal modern all mode communication equipment (single unit capable of functioning in multi modes like HF, VHF and UHF) that have ability to transmit in the ranges of both global and local. Further, they will be deploying VHF repeater for linking all the walkie-talkies in the vicinity of Visakha City.
According to A Ramesh Babu, coordinator at Ham Radio Training Centre in Vijayawada, efforts are being made to interlink repeater communication with the internet using eco link technology extending communication to global range making accessible to all Hams even with a small handset. Some of the Ham radio operators are even carrying software defined radio, the latest in Ham radio communication technology.
All the 22 Ham radio operators have volunteered for the task and all of them are experts and had served previously during natural disasters in the state, other states and even other countries. It was Visakhapatnam district collector, convener of IFR 2016, who has decided to utilise the services of the HAMs. Wireless planning and coordinator wing in Delhi had issued necessary clearance and permission for the use of HAMs for IFR.