The State Council of
Educational Research and Training has developed the State Curriculum Framework
– 2011 and Position Papers in tune with the National Curriculum Framework -2005
and the Right to Education Act – 2009. Accordingly a new set of Text books have
been designed to be introduced phased manner. In the class 9th this year added a lesion a new curriculum.
The HAM Radio
The world is not a very safe
place to live in these days as disaster and terrorism can strike at any moment.
Communication is the only relief in times of disaster and hence the need for an
efficient disaster management system becomes imperative in public places and
even in business establishments and important commercial joints where people
move around in large numbers. Disaster might strike in the form of natural
calamities, terrorist attacks and accidents. Thus an efficient disaster management
system which will work in adverse conditions is needed.
Disaster management crew must
be well trained and equipped with the best appliances which might help them to
communicate the condition they are in and the status of the calamity in the
region they work for. In times of natural calamity like floods, storms or fire
the usual mode of communication like phone, mobile ect might not work or might
become inoperative in the calamity. Underground communication lines get
disabled due to flooding, cell towers are blown over or simply choke due to
high utilization, backup generators run out of fuel, or are filled up with
water. This is where HAM Radio (Amateur Radio) comes into picture. Using HF
(High Frequency) radio sets, messages can be conveyed or relayed to long
distance. Accurate picture of situation on the ground, requirements and key
information could be sent to disaster response team.
With Amateur Radio Operators,
you have a ready workforce that is efficient with regards to communicating with
each other ‘efficiently’ and effectively’. They are known for innovation and
are adept at adapting to situations. Unlike commercial systems, Amateur radio
is not dependent on terrestrial facilities that can fail. It is dispersed
throughout a community without “choke points” such as cellular telephone sites
that can be overloaded.
Amateur radio operators are
experienced in improvising antennas and power sorces and most equipment
available today can be powered by an automobile battery. Annual “Field Days”
are held in many contries to practise these emergency improvisational skills.
Amateur Radio Operators volunteer to help, as and when needed; however there is
no national database on active operators who can be called upon during any
disaster, and also if they have right setup (which means – ready to go on air
gear)at short notice. Amateur Radio Operators can use hundreds of frequencies
and can quickly establish networks tying disparate agencies together to enhaned
interoperability.
In the Gujarat (India) earthquake
on the 26th january 2001, Amateur Radio Operators of Gujarat
commenced disaster relief communications within hours of the tragedy. With the
help of Hams from various parts of the country, an emergency traffic nerwork
was esranlished to exchange information to various parts of the country.
Recent examples include the
September 11 attacks in the World Trade Centre in Manhattan in 2001, the 2003
North America blackout and Hurricane Katrina in September 2005, where Amateur
radio was used to coordinate disaster
relief activities when other systems failed.
On September 2, 2004, Ham Radio
was used to inform weather forecasters with infirmation on Hurricane Frances
live from the Bahamas. On December 26, 2004, an earthquake and resulting
Tsunami across the Indian Ocean wiped out all communications with the Andaman
Islands, except for an expedition that provided a means to coordinate relief
efforts. Recently, Amateru Radio Operators in the People’s Republic of China
provided emergency communications after the 2008 Sichuan eatrhquake and U.S.
Jams did similar work following Hurricane Lke.
But cyclones, earthquakes or
floods are not everyday events. What we see every day is that someone in the remote place is
struggling for life, awaiting the arrival of an essential drug from another
town or someone has lost a dear one because medical attention could not reach
him on time. All thes happens because most often communication is slow of
impossible. Hams have special section to handle medical and other emergency
traffic on their dail nets.
How to Become a Radio Amateur?
Amateur
Radio Operators have to qualify in an examination conducted by Ministry of
Communications, Government of India and obtain license for operating /
possessing a Operator License Examination and No Educational qualification is
prescribed. It takes just two months (say two hours a day training) to become
eligible for the examination. One should qualify a simple test conducted in
three subjects namely:
I.
Morse Code (Transmission
& Reception)
II.
Communication Procedure
III.
Basic Electronics.
The Officer – In – Charge,
Wireless Momitoring Station, Dept. of Telecommunication under Ministry of Communiation, Govt. of India is the authority for conducting these
test in their own town provided there are sufficient number of applicants. The
licenses are issued by Wireless Planning & Co- ordination Wing of DOT,
Govt. of India after passing the test.
