back

Some facts related to ham radio

First ham in India
-Amarendra Chandra Gooptu (received his licence in 1921, Call-sign VU2JK)
Source:  Brief History of Amateur Radio in Calcutta-by Avinash Missra, VU2EM:Hamfest India '96 Souvenir

India's first public broadcasting station belonged to
-a ham Dr. Metcalfe (Call-sign VU2KH). He was the Vice-Chancellor of Mysore University. He and his group of hams established an entertainment public broadcasting station VU6AH in 1935.
Source: Wireless-Glimpses of Yesteryears by S. Ramamoorthy, VU2SRJ: ZERO-BEAT, August/October 1985

Amateur Radio licences were withdrawn in-
-1939 when the World war II started and ham equipments were sealed by the authorities of different countries.

First ham radio club of India is
- Amateur Radio Club of India (ARCI). Major B.M. Chakravarthy, VU2BU founded this club on May 15, 1948 in the School of Signals, Mhow.
Source:  Brief History of Amateur Radio in Calcutta-by Avinash Missra, VU2EM:Hamfest India '96 Souvenir

Amateur Radio Society of India (ARSI) was born
-On May 15, 1954, at New Delhi.
Source:  Brief History of Amateur Radio in Calcutta-by Avinash Missra, VU2EM:Hamfest India '96 Souvenir

Federation of Amateur Radio Society of India (FARSI) was founded in -1972.

First Ham Radio Station established by the Governement of India's Department of Science and Technology with an aim to popularize ham radio is
-VU2NCT. It  became operational in 1991.

By the begining of 1948, there were hardly 50 odd licensed hams in India.

Total ham population in India at present is 15,000 (aprox.).

The first ham radio operator to participate in an expedition(to the Arctic in 1923) was an American, Don Mix.
Source: ARRL Handbook, 1993

Country with the highest ham radio operators is Japan (more than 1.5 million).

World's first broadcasting station
became operational from as early as 6th November, 1919, which belonged to a Dutch ham- Hanzo Idzarda.
Source: Wireless-Glimpses of Yesteryears by S. Ramamoorthy, VU2SRJ: ZERO-BEAT, August/October 1985

World's first ham radio organisation (American Radio Relay League) was established by Hiram Percy Maxim in May, 1914. He and Clarence Tuska, a college student started publishing an amateur radio magazine named "QST" in 1915.
Source: ARRL Handbook, 1993

The first artificial communication satellite meant for ham radio operators is Orbital Satellite Carrying Amateur Radio-I (OSCAR-I). It was launched by the hams from USA on December 12, 1961.

The first Indian ham radio operator who have been to Antarctica is
Dr. Ashutosh Singh, VU2IF of Amateur Radio Association, New Delhi. His station became operational from the expedition ship "Finnpolaris" on 4th December, 1983.
Source: Department of Ocean Development, Technical publication No. 3, p-265-266.

back