Report on Hamfest India 2003

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Hamfest is a festival for hams wherein individual hams, clubs and national associations attend as one group leaving aside their individual affiliation. Hamfest is an annual event in India and is a good occasion for meeting other hams, exhibitions, technical discussions, sales of equipments and components, demonstrations of latest technologies etc. The first Hamfest in India was held at Kuttikanam, in Kerala on 27 & 28 Dec. 1991 with OM Jim, VU2JIM as the General Convenor. Hamfests have since been held at Alwaye, Salem, Mysore (twice), Mumbai, Kolkata, Kochi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Nagpur and Chennai. The venue of next Hamfest is decided at each Hamfest.

 The 13^th  Hamfest of India was held on November 8 & 9, 2003 at the Town Hall in Gandhinagar, capital of Gujarat. It was organised by Gujarat Institute of Amateur Radio (GIAR) with Mr. S.K.Nanda IAS, as the Chairman. About 450 delegates from different parts of India, mostly from Western part of the country attended it. A team of 18 members from National Institute of Amateur Radio (NIAR) Hyderabad lead by its Founder and Executive Vice Chairman & Director Mr.S.Suri, VU2MY also participated in it.

All the delegates were heartily welcomed at the venue with bouquets by children in local costumes. The program was inaugurated by Hon’ble Chief Secretary of Gujarat Shri. P.K. Laheri. Shri.E.Radhakrishna, IPS, VU3LRE, Vice Chairman of GIAR welcomed the delegates. Mr.S.Suri, VU2MY spoke on Disaster Management and latest developments on Amateur Radio. Mr.S.K.Nanda, IAS, Chairman of GIAR who is also the Relief Commissioner   thanked all the hams who had helped the Govt. of Gujarat by providing emergency Amateur Radio communications during the various calamities there.  A souvenir was also released on the occasion.

The following presentations were made during the Hamfest:

 1) National Disaster Communication Plan by Mr.Nilesh Rathod, VU2NLF,    Mumbai.

2) Amateur Radio Awards by Mr.Sushas Samant, VU2SMN, Kolhapur.

3) Indian Amateur Radio Practices, priorities and the State, during disaster communications by Mr.B.L.Manohar, VU2UR, Bangalore.

4) Components by Mr.Vilas Rabde, VU2VPR, Pune.

5) Amsat India Transponder by Mr.Gajendra Kumar, VU2BGS, Bangalore.

6) Interfacing the Computers by Dr. Sanjeevi Rao, VU2SJV, Visakhapatnam.

7) Miracle Antennas by Mr.Sunil U.K., VU2UKR & Mr.C.K.Raman, VU3DJQ both of  New Delhi.

8) Future of Ham Radio by Mr. Soma, VU2RO, Bangalore.

9) Internet via Satellites by Mr.Jinofer Bhujwala, VU2JJJ, Ahmedabad.

10)    10)  Everybody appreciated the live presentation of “Echolink- A new Revolution in Amateur Radio” by Mr.S.Suri, VU2MY and Mr.R.Sarath Babu, VU3RSB of NIAR, Hyderabad which got the “Best Presentation Award”. Using a VHF walkie talkie and internet, they were able to contact stations in India and abroad. NIAR setup a Repeater node at Gandhinagar with the callsign VU2RG and established contacts with the following stations during demonstration: VU2NRO/MYH, VU2SOC of Hyderabad, VU2KFR, VU2SKD of Kolkata and VE6XMX originally from Gandhinagar but now operating from Canada. After the demonstration many delegates established contacts with various stations across the world. A total of 165 Echolink contacts were from there.

The following stalls/displays were there at the Hamfest venue: 

1. HF, VHF sets and antennas etc. by Mr.Vinay Karan, VU3OJA, Hyderabad.
2. HF, VHF sets and antennas etc. by Mr.  Rajesh Vyas, VU2FCY, Bhavnagar.
3. NIAR Publications by National Institute of Amateur Radio, Hyderabad.
4. Prototype of Amsat India transponder etc. by Mr. Gajendra Kumar, VU2BGS, Bangalore.

On 8^th Nov., there was a visit to Akshardham temple followed by a cultural program of colorful dances. Tasty Gujarathi food was served at the venue. The weather was generally pleasant throughout the function. OM Joravar, VU2HBZ was the Master of Ceremonies.

   It was unanimously decided to hold the next Hamfest at Mumbai next year. Mr.Nilesh VU2NLF and Mr.Rajan VU2RIG from Mumbai invited everyone present there to attend the next Hamfest.

 The valedictory function was presided by Shri. Mishra, Secretary to Chief Minister of Gujarat. The senior hams were honored. The winner of the Eyeball Ball contest held at the venue was VU2DRK Mr.Ramki of Chennai. No doubt, everybody had nice Eye Ball QSOs.  The prize for maximum number of check ins for the “VU Friendly Net “conducted by Hamfest India 2003 on Sundays at 4.00 pm on 14150 kHz for the last one year was won by Mr.A.Ranga Rao, VU3ARZ of Hyderabad. Mr.Venu, VU3BAO was given award for best supporting Net Controller of VU Friendly Net. Mr.Mansukh VU2MOJ recited a Ham Poem. Mr.Adolf, VU2AF spoke on the theme of Hamfests.

  Mr.S.K.Nanda and Mrs.Bharathi Prasad, VU2RBI proposed changes to the present Indian Amateur Rules which was long due. Mr.S.B.Ram, VU2LIC, Addl. Director, NIAR also spoke on the occasion and conveyed his greetings to all the Hams assembled there

On the Hamfest days, “VU Friendly Net” was conducted on the Gandhinagar VHF Repeater 145.400 (- Shift) by Mr. R.Sarat Babu, VU3RSB in which lot of hams checked in.

The Vote of Thanks was given by Mr. Pravin Valera, VU2CPV. All the delegates were given a kit, participation certificate and a Hamfest wall clock. The Hamfest was well covered in the local press with photos of OM Bob VU2LK, YL Bharathi VU2RBI etc.