Notice 'HAMFEST'

 
It was proposed to hold a hamfest on Sunday the 21st August 1949 at Ekala, the site of the Radio Ceylon Short wave Transmitting station, and hide-out of VS7PS. For newcomers to the Ham fraternity, "Hamfest" may be defined as a gathering of the clans - or , a meeting of amateurs designed to facilitate the organization of Ham activities in experimental and social fields and to enable the participants to have an interesting and enjoyable outing. The invitation is therefore hereby extended to all VS7 amateurs, who would be interested in coming to have a look around the Short wave transmitting station, and to meet each other and in particularly to discuss about the organization known as "R.E.V.S" about which you will have already heard from VS7GR. It is regretted that the invitation cannot be extended to XYLs, friends or relations owing to lack of space and amenities. All licensed VS7s and anyone who has submitted his application for a license but has as yet received no reply, will be welcome.
It is suggested that those who can come to the HAMFEST should arrive at the transmitting station shortly after lunch on the 21st. A conducted tour of the station will commence at approximately 1430 hrs. It is hoped to be able to provide a cup of tea about an hour later after which discussions concerning "R.E.V.S", slow Morse transmissions for practice and a formation of a club, will be held.It is not expected that the activities will continue later than1700 hours. For people travelling a great distance, there is no objection to bring a picnic lunch and arriving earlier, or use may be made of the Ja Ela Rest house, only a mile and half away.The location of the site is approximately 1 1/2 miles inland from Ja Ela, which is on the main Colombo - Negombo road, at about the 13th mile.The station is identified by the lattice steel masts, which may be seen on the left hand side of the Ja Ela - Minuwangoda road, just after the 14th mile post. It is hoped that as many as possible of the VS7s will turn up to this hamfest, which if successful might be made an annual event.
If you know of any VS7s who has not received this invitation, please pass on the news as the available list of addresses is not up to date.
73 DE VS7PS
P.H. Sollom
Asst. Supdt.Engineer
Radio Ceylon.
11th August 1949.
An Extract from the 4S7 Journal , October 1963
 
Written by Jim White 4S7NX
 
The Hamfest was a great success. Everybody duly arrived at Ekala on the 21st August and was shown around the transmitting station.I remember there was a AR88 being lined up with the aid of an oscilloscope and a wobbulator designed by Paul Sollom VS7PS.
A note of the proceedings was made by Ernie Perera VS7EP on a half sheet of foolscap which I have in my possession. According to this note I was elected QSL manager and against "REVS", Ernie has written "Request to telegraph dept. re Xtals" and also slow Morse practice lessons on 4640 Kcs between 7PM and 9PM - VP3CO". Would Ernie or anyone else who was present like to enlarge on this ?. Ernie's note further indicates that the following hams were present.
Syd de Jong VS7DJ
Reg Karunarathne VS7RL
Roguie Fraquarson VS7RF
MMP Gunawardana VS7MP
Ted Beford VS7EB
Tony Wilson VS7PW
Ernie Perera VS7EP
Shelly Gunawardana VS7SG
Paul Sollom VS7PS
BD Rampala VS7BR
Dawson Burgess VS7JB
Bob Taylor VS7H
Gabrial Rockwood VS7GR
Jim White VS7NX
There were also present
Ebert Silva, Noel Gunasekara, Nissanka Meegama, C.D.Silva, H.B.F De Silva, Engineer of VPB transmitting station at Welikada and Dixon Samaranayaka.
It was arranged to read a Ham news bulletin on Sunday mornings from 8AM to 8.30 AM on approximately 7030 Kcs from VS7PS.

4S7 Newsletter

 
No 1/1 July 1950.
 
Our Society has at last been formed. As you must know by now, it was decided to call it the Radio Society of Ceylon so that it may be more comprehensive than the name suggested in the draft rules. A fairly complete record of the proceedings of the meeting is given lower down.
The first committee meeting also was held and one of it's first decisions was that, a newsletter should be issued monthly. The main features are expected to be editorial comments, news and announcements of the society and the members activities. Extracts from current literature, short articles and personal advertisements of gear for exchange, sale, purchase etc. will also be published when the opportunity arises.
The title and design as you see above , was provisionally adopted. The hut is supposed to be a ham shack, the coconut trees to show that it is Ceylon.A tea bush or a rubber tree couldn't be put in because they would not have been recognized as such in the drawing. The "map" is supposed to be an azimuthal equidistant projection on the world centered on Colombo.I am afraid the execution of the work leaves much room for improvement. It was not drawn by an artist and duplicator stencil is a difficult medium for a ham-handed ham to work on!. When a satisfactory design is developed, it can be executed by a competent person and reproduced more elegantly. Meanwhile any criticisms or suggestions will be greatly appreciated - or better still, some artistically inclined ham can send a design for the consideration of the committee.
Here is a summary of the minutes of the inaugural meeting. Sixteen hams were present. Jim (VS7NX) thanked all those who were present and explained the purpose of the meeting.He then proposed Professor A.W. Malivaganam to the chair. Letters fro six hams were tabled. Matters raised in them were subsequently discussed under the appropriate items.
A formal resolution that a society of Ceylon Radio Amateurs be formed was duly adopted.
The draft rules that were previously circulated were discussed in detail, amended and finally adopted in the amended form.
It was decided to invite the Hon. Minister of Posts and Telecommunications and the Postmaster General to be the patron and the vice patron respectively.
The following office bearers and the committee were elected :
 
President : Prof. A.W.Mailvaganam
Secretary : John Amaratunga
Committee : Jim White
A.M Rahim
Paul Sollom
Ernie Perera
 
As associate member would be elected when a sufficient number of such members were enrolled.
A vote of thanks to Mr. NG Abeynayake Principal of the school was passed .The meeting terminated with a vote of thanks to the chair.
After the meeting Paul took a photograph of those who attended. Unfortunately the available machinery does not permit me to publish it in this newsletter - or is it fortunately, because everyone looks so strained waiting for the delayed action shuttle to go off! In fact everyone was quite happy, judging by the look on their faces afterwards.