A ham radio workshop and demonstration programme was
organised by Vigyan Prasar at the Indian Institute of Technology,
Guwahati (IITG), from October 8 to 10, 1999. It was attended by 120 participants
from different engineering colleges across the country. The distinguished guests present
in the programme were Dr. Narender K. Sehgal (VU3NKS), Director, Vigyan Prasar
and also the Head of the National Council for Science & Technology
Communication, New Delhi, Sri J.M. Misra, Chief General Manager, Telecom (Assam
Circle), Sri D.N. Buragohain, Director, IITG, Dr. Anil Mahanta, Head of the Deptt.,
Electronics & Communication, IITG, and Dr. Anup Kr. Gogoi, Assoc. Prof., Electronics
& Communication, IITG.
Sri Amalendu
Piplai (VU2AP), a veteran ham from Calcutta responded to a general radio call
given from the homemade radio station of Sri Ranjit Chaliha (VU2RCH), who
had represented the VU2NCT Club Station of Vigyan Prasar and NCSTC. Sri Piplai (VU2AP)
enlightened the participants with his on-the-air lecture on ham radio. Sri Sandeep
Baruah (VU2MSY), Scientific Officer, Vigyan Prasar, also delivered a lecture
apprising the participants about the different exciting aspects of ham radio. It was
followed by a lecture on "Technology and Indians" delivered by Dr.
Sehgal, Director, Vigyan Prasar. Sri P.M. Dastidar, Director, Assam
Police Radio Organisation (APRO), in a lecture stressed the promotion of
ham radio in the North Eastern part of India citing its importance in the event of
frequent natural calamities taking place in this region.
There was a keen interaction between the participants and the organisers in the interactive
session where many queries related to ham radio were answered by Sri
Debajit Sarma (VU2DBM). A practice session apprised the participants of the ham
radio communication procedures along with an on-the-air demonstration of Morse
Code communication given by Sri D.P.Dey (VU2DPD) from Calcutta. A laboratory
session for transmitter design was also conducted at the basic electronics laboratory of
IITG where 'study materials' and booklets on ham radio ("Be a Ham! Talk to the World")
published by Vigyan Prasar were distributed freely among the participants. A book ("Scanning
the World with Amateur Radio") written and compiled by Sri Sandeep
Baruah (VU2MSY), Scientific Officer, Vigyan Prasar, was also distributed
freely to all the participants. The Vigyan Prasar venture was very satisfying in
the sense that all the participants were greatly motivated towards this noble scientific
pursuit.
VU2MSY