Eastern India HAM Meet 2018 at Puri.

HAM or amateur radio is a technical hobby. Like any other country in the world.Number of active hams in India is not as much as is in Japan USA or Europe. But people like Farhan VU2ESE, Ramprabhu VU2DEV, Rahul VU3WJM and Charu VU2UPX are name a few... Who made india proud. Eastern India i.e Bihar,Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, Asam and Northeastern states of India had a good number of active HAMs.

For the last 2 years Eastern India HAMs meet on a forum known as EIHM. This year it was organized by HAMs of Odisha and it was held at Puri,Odisha on 17th and 18th March 2018. HAMs from Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal attained this year. One interesting thing is Banglades HAM Tuhin S21ED also attained this year.

Besides popularizing "Amateur radio" talks and disaster management issues, this years attraction was "Contesting and DXing" delivered by VU2YVK Bijoy. Among technical session "PHSNA" and "UBITX Workshop" delivered by Guru VU3GDP and "modified Tasa's SDR" delivered by Ashok(me) VU3VFU.

On the stage front line from left to right VU2PGU, VU2YVK, VU2JAU, VU2MUE
back line from left to right VU2AES, VU3NEJ, S21ED, VU2PQS, VU3NFF, VU2HRF.

 I am receiving Memento from VU2JAU.

Relaxing in the evening... light technical discussions.

And the Famous Jagannath Temple, for which not only Puri but also Odisha is Famous in the world.

My Experience with GP-5/SSB

Countycomm's GP-5/SSB is the prime radio for me now. Earlier I used RTL SDR and Kchibo.

Kchibo is not for HAM use. It is suitable for Broadcast(MW/SW/FM) listening. Where as RTL SDR is good for 5MHz to 1.7 GHz. I used it for BC,HAM band in 40m and 2m reception. 20m reception using modified driver under linux was not possible( I don't know Windows performance though).

After I got this GP-5/SSB receiver, my evening time pass is to listen to HAM QSOs on 20m mostly and sometimes on 40m too. This radio is a cute radio as you might have seen from my previous write-up or elsewhere. My friends here are envious about its performance and size.
With this GP-5 SSB I have received stations as far as Australia, Siberia, Srilanka, Oman and my latest reception of Netherlands (PD9Z). So also i have received local (VU) stations from Mangalore,Bangalore, Chennai, Vishaka Pattanam, Kolkata, Berhampore(Murshidabad), Patna, Nagpur, Kolhapur, Ahmedabad, Sambalpur, Bhubaneswar, Bramhapur and Delhi.

QRP and homebrew stations VU3JOJ from Murshidabad, VU3PLP from Bhubaneswar are my regular favourite.
QRO stations such as VU2DPI, VU2YK and VU2KD are received like broad cast station clarity.

To emphasize the sensitivity of this receiver, i can say I have received a portable mobile HF station(VK6HCF) from VK land.

Power consumption is higher ( As i observed). In the beginning  I used AA alkaline cells made by Panasonic India (Golden colour). Those cells are drained out in 3 to 4 days if I use for 2 hours in the evening and one hour in the morning. To eliminate the battery issue i started using 2100mAh NIMH cells. The same thing happened as I have to recharge the cells every 3 to 4 days. I consulted the manual. There it says "if NIMH cells are used then the set must be set for NIMH cells". I changed the setting to my surprise after even 7 days cells are showing full power and there is no issues.

Bottom line:
Cute small Radio for radio lovers.
 

Alert Earthquake in India and Nepal

Since yesterday (25th april) #earthquakes are experienced at Cuttack,Odisha; my home town. Though Odisha faces Cyclone and Flood like natural calamities every year or every other year, but earthquakes are rare. But since yesterday Odisha have witnessed several quakes some are major and some are minor.

Why Earthquakes happen?

 Yesterday few school students for the first time (perhaps) experienced earthquake so they asked me "Uncle What is earthquake? why it happens? and how it happens?" Looking at their tender age and curiosity I described them as follows.

 During break you play in the school right? "Yes uncle we do". Do you run on the corridor? "Yes uncle". Good, now tell me do you hit during running? "Yes". So when you hit someone while running what happens? I asked, "It hurts" they replied. Similarly the surface of earth is moving constantly, as you have studied in your science book core of earth is not solid, it is molten rocks. and the upper surface which is cooler is harder and it floats on the molten rock. When these floating harder rock hits other floating rock earthquake happens. Like you also shake when you hit your friend, earth's surface also shakes, this is known as earthquake.

 In Technical terms, earth surface is divided into several tectonic plates. These tectonic plates are floating on the molten core of the earth. These tectonic plated are in constant movement. So they press with each other. Due to this pressure sometimes they break or one plate dives in and other plate goes up. Himalayan mountain is created by this tectonic plate movement. Our Indian plate hits Eurasian plate and dives under it, and Himalayas is created.

[Source of the image is "http://www.tectonics.caltech.edu/"]

Is there any way to predict

No. There are several attempts made to predict earthquake but there is no way it can be predicted. But there are precursors to earthquake.

1. Soil resistivity change
2. change in radioactivity profile of a place
3. sudden change in water table
4. unusual lights and sound

Measuring Earthquakes 

 There are 2 scales but the most common now a days is Richter scale and another scale is Rosi forel scale. The former is scientific based on mathematical formula, the later is a visual scale based upon experience.

The instrument which measures earthquake magnitude is known as seismometer. 

 Seismometer operates on the principle of Inertia of rest. a simple seismometer is a simple pendulum. A simple seismometer can be made by attaching a pencil to a pendulum.

Precautions

"Earthquake doesn't kill, structure collapse kills". So there is only precautions we can take. such as

1. Earthquake resistant construction practice
2. If earthquake happens then quickly get out to open sky
3. If getting out is not possible then go to a corner of the room and hold a pillow or some thing over head
4. If that is also not possible then hide yourself under a strong table with a pillow or something.

this way one can minimize the risk and fatality though it may not be possible to escape the collapsing building.