Bihar’s HAM operators have a field day on a remote Ganga island

Patna: The Society of Radio Amateurs (SORA) – a group of Ham Radio operators from Bihar – organised a two-day field day programme to test their emergency operation skills from remote areas on March 12 and 13, 2022.

The programme was held at a remote island on River Ganga near Patna, the capital city of Bihar and the HAM operators made hundreds of long-distance contact in Europe and other countries on battery power from this remote island.

The communication was both in analogue and digital modes on 40/20/15/10 meter bands and VHF and UHF communication with nearby stations and repeaters were practised during the event. Sumita Sahi, President of SORA with the call sign VU2IO along with VU2VFA, VU2VFB, VU2XH, VU2VFC and VU3NFF, was on the band for more than 30 hours during the exercise. The Kolkata-based Indian Wave of Amateur Radio group headed by Tapas Chakraborty and Rajani Mohan from Delhi also operated from this location during the exercise. 

Field day programmes constitute a special part of training for the HAM operators. They are regular exercises by Amateur Radio operators all over the world to practice sharpen the skills and be prepared for operating anytime from any location in adverse situations.

It may be mentioned that hams all over the world use their skills for emergencies during floods, earthquakes and other natural or man-made disasters when other communication channels get cut off. They also coordinate with other agencies to bring relief and rescue during such emergencies.

Also read: Bihar HAM operators are reaching out to the world

During disasters and emergencies, they provide wireless communication over long distances in difficult times when no other communication channel works. During these times the Ham Operators working on the independent wireless networks without any additional help provide the vital link to communicate messages and bring rescue teams. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) too, recognises Ham as an essential tool for disaster management.

As it is, Bihar is flood and earthquake-prone, and SORA has played an important role every time such calamities struck the state. It had also provided vital communication links and rescued many during the Nepal Earthquake a few years back.

Pranav Sahi, one of its founders, told Global Bihari that SORA is now trying to set up an alternative channel all over the state “on its own and without government support”.

Giving information about SORA’s plans, Sahi said that every district was getting connected with each other and density in some districts was being increased for relief n rescue operations. He further revealed that SORA was also coordinating with Nepal Hams.

– global bihari bureau