According to the Hindustan Times the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is planning to promote ham radio technology and are looking for two to three civic employees per ward to train as amateur radio operators. This is after recent floods brought problems in communications when landlines and mobiles did not work.Indrani Malkani, Malabar Hills Residents’ Association secretary, said: "During the deluge, I realised that alternate communication system is required and I knew about ham technology." Amateur radio clubs are tying up with the BMC to get volunteers trained to operate the ham radio.
Realising that amateur radio operators use private wireless sets to communicate with other hams and can be used to communicate in disasters Municipal Commissioner Swadheen Kshatriya said "Disasters happens due to lack of communication. I am glad to hear that hams would be working in those conditions.” He was issuing certificates, on Saturday, to those who recently underwent training in Malabar Hill.
What a pity the authorities in the UK and elsewhere don’t have the same vision.
According to the article In Mumbai there are 24 ham radio operators. Mumbai formerly called Bombay, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, is the second most populous city in the world, with a population of approximately 14 million. Somehow I think there may just be a few more radio hams than the corespondant says there is.
No. This is the first step along the road the US has already been going down for some time, the end result of which will be to turn ham radio into an emergency service.
ReplyDeleteAmateur radio is not an emergency service! It is fine for amateurs to use their skills and equipment if needed to assist with an emergency situation, but to encourage people into the ham radio specifically so they can use it for emergency communications will eventually destroy the hobby.