Eyeball Cards :

The term eyeball in HAM lingo means nothing but meeting a person and having eye to eye contact. Eyeball QSL Cards can make a lasting impression at club meetings, hamfests, or anywhere hams gather. They are visiting card size and are easier to carry around than a QSL Card. When I happen to run across a fellow Ham in public, I don’t miss the opportunity to hand out my eyeball card. I do digital graphic designing as an hobby, it was an added benefit. I have designed some custom made eyeball for me and my friends as well.

To view the album Click here

New IRC :

The new IRC, known as the Nairobi model, will go on sale on 1 July 2009. Postal customers, collectors and philatelists will probably be able to exchange it until the end of 2013. It will replace the current coupon, known as Beijing 2, which first went on sale on 1 July 2006 and will remain valid until 31 December 2009.

For details : Click here

New QSL card design by me :

My friend VU2BUG, OM Akshay wanted a QSL & eyeball card in a fancy manner. As his suffix is BUG it made me easier to design. I send the soft copy for approval to Akshay and immediately got a positive reply to go ahead for it. I am herewith uploading soft copy of it :

More photos of Kollam Hamfair :

Click here

Courtesy : Om VU3KER, Dr. Manoj

How the ISS was assembled :

Excellent flash movie on how International Space Station (ISS) was assembled. Worth watching do not miss. Click here for movie

Photos of Kollam Hamfair on houseboat :

First time in India this Ham meet called "Hamfair" conducted on house boat. Total 160 members participated from Kerala, Karnataka and Tamilnadu. Cruise started 10.30am return back at 5.30pm.

For photos : Click here

Courtesy : VU2YNS

More about Chuck Adams, K7QO :

Chuck copies Morse code accurately at 140 words per minute (WPM), making him one of the fastest operators in the world. For more Click here . Please do not miss this article it is really interesting.

CW training mp3's :

Chuck Adams, K7QO a very good cw op that can or has copied over 100 wpm, has on his site some mp3's to learn cw with. Both a 'course' and below that on the page, an 'training course in cw' to upgrade from tech to general that is 9.2 hours worth of cw.

The general upgrade is probably a very good course. Chuck is a retired college professor and I personally met one 'student' he taught and he said he is very good at explaining or 'making' you learn and want to learn. So download and enjoy. In fact, on the page he gives permission to do so! So if you need material, go for it.

http://www.k7qo.net/

Courtesy : HamRadioHelpGroup

AT9RS Grandi Is. Dxpedtion Photos :

The uninhabited Grandi Island, Goa, India (AS-177) was activated for the very first time for IOTA (Islands on the Air) in CW & SSB on 5th to 8th April 2009 by German DX Foundation (GDXF) National Institute of Amateur Radio (NIAR).

The World Light House on the Air (WLOTA) number for Grandi Island is : WLOTA 1641

The following operators participated in it..

OM Frank, DL4KQ (VU3FRK)
OM Sara, VU3RSB
YL Yamini, VU2YAM
OM Jose, VU2JOS
OM Roni, VU2ROE
OM Manju, VU2SMS

Here's the link for the pictures of AT9RS Grandi Island, Goa dxpedition
http://tinyurl.com/dyr98r


Courtesy : Jose Jacob, VU2JOS

Uploaded new QSL's :

I have uploaded some new QSL cards which I have received Click here to view.

World Amateur Radio Day :

PRE AND POST ACTIVITIES

1. Wednesday - 15th April 2009 : Talk on "Role of Hams during Disasters" - by Sathyapal, VU2FI for Rotary Club - West Venue: Vijayanagar Club at 1900 Hrs.

2. Saturday - 18th April 2009 : ASOC Exam - 28 SWLS will be appearing.. Venue: IIH, Ham Radio Station, Sree Kanteerava Outdoor Stadium, Bangalore. Time: 1000 Hrs. Mr Saravanan, OIC, Monitoring Station, Bangalore will conduct the exam.

3. Saturday - 18th April 2009: Lecture and Demonstration on Ham Radio, IIH - Ham Radio Station for General Public Time: 1800 Hrs.

4. Sunday - 19th April 2009: Get together Eyeball QSO of Hams and SWLs at IIH, Ham Radio Station, Sree Kanteerava Outdoor Stadium, Bangalore. Time : 1000 Hrs

Courtesy : Sathyapal, VU2FI

Registration Open for Bangalore ARDF :

In series with the Celebrations of Golden Jubilee Year of Bangalore Amateur Radio CLub - VU2ARC and Hamfest India 2009, the Organizing Committee is pleased to announce the Tenth VHF Fox Hunt in Bangalore on 17 May 2009. This day also happens to be celebrated as "World Telecom Day" across the Globe.

The complete details of the event, entry fee, rules & regulations, etc are available at :
www.hamfestindia.com or www.barc.in

We expect your participation in big numbers. Please feel free to write to us at info@hamfestindia. com or info@barc.in for any further information.

Courtesy : Ramesh Kumar,VU2LU

World Amateur Radio Day :

Indian Institue of Hams will be meeting all the Hams / SWLs on the occasion of WORLD AMATEUR RADIO DAY scheduled on Sunday, April 19th 2009.

Time: 10.00a.m

Venue: Ham Radio Station, 2nd Floor, Gate No.2, Sree Kanteerava Outdoor Stadium, Kasturba Road, Bangalore-560 001.

Amateur Radio / Echolink demonstrations will also be conducted for interested aspirants.

Courtesy : SATHYAPAL, VU2FI

Hamsat Birthday Workhop Advance info :

Hamsat 4th Birthday is coming up next month, 5 May 2009 and Hamsat has been the most popular Amateur Sat for beginners and veterans all over the world.

Hamsat is very healthy and should serve the ham community for many more years.Amsat India is pleased to announce that we are conducting a Workshop to coincide with the 4th anniversary celebrations of the Hamsat( Note this is an advance information, complete program schedule is frozen and will be announced shortly)

Date 10 May 2009
Starts at 8 AM with registration and breakfast Morning sessions include various topics
Lunch Afternoon session
Tea & close by 4 pm

Venue : Little Lilly English School, Vidyaranyapura, Bangalore Delegate fee Rs 100/-

Detailed program schedule etc will be announced shortly on these email groups, local nets etc. You may also check our web page www.amsatindia.org email : info@amsatindia.org

We request all hams and would be hams interested in Amateur Satellite activity to kindly participate and make the event a grand success.

Looking forward to your participation.

Courtesy : Pop,VU2POP

Ham Club Station :

Nitte Meenakshi Institute of Technology, Bangalore will be setting up the Ham Radio Station, They will be getting Club Licence very soon. Mr Ram Prabhu, VU2DEV is the Hon.Secretary and Custodian. Dev has taken keen interest in assisting the students on technical matters.

Similary Bhoomreddi Engineering College, Hubli is all set to get the Ham Club Licence and to setup the Ham station very soon, looking for Grade -I licence holder from HUBLI or surrounding place to be the custodian and help the students.

Courtesy : Sathyapal-VU2FI

Deceptively Simple Filter :

Tired of noise? Noise that isn't the signal you want to copy? White noise, line noise, hiss? And off frequency stuff you don't want to hear? Do you want to modernize your old rig without spending thousands of dollars? The new SCAF-1 filter from Idiom Press makes your radio listener friendly, whether you are an SSB or CW operator.

For details : Click here

Amateur Radio Emergency Preparedness :

Homebrewed CW Paddle :

Homebrewed CW Paddle by VU2NGB, OM Binu

Some HAMs are really die hard homebrewers. Besides hamming they do lot of homebrewering either making radios, antennas, Morse keys, computer interactive cables, amplifiers, weather satellite decoders etc. As I am member of VUHAMS yahoo egroup, I came across to an email by VU2NGB, OM Binu mentioning a cw paddle made from a telephone relay which he has homebrewed it for more than 10 years back and still working without any problem. He owns Bencher BY-1 also but he likes his homebrewed paddle more than commercial one. OM Binu uses it mainly for his portable work. Presently OM Binu is in VK land and his callsign is VK2BNG.

Courtesy : VUHAMS egroup.

The 2009 VK Shires Contest :

Starts: 06.00 UTC Saturday, June 6, 2009
Ends: 06.00 UTC Sunday, June 7, 2009

Objectives: The objectives of this contest are for amateurs around the world to contact as many VK shires as possible in the contest period. ie VK amateurs are to work the world including VK, whilst the rest of the world can only work VK

A) Bands:. 80 Metres 3.500 - 3.700 MHz, 40 Metres 7.000 - 7.250 MHz, 20 Metres 14.000 - 14.300 MHz, 15 Metres 21.000 - 21.350 MHz, 10 Metres 28.000 - 28.600 MHz. Please note there is no 75m dx window permitted.

B) Modes: SSB and CW only

For more info log : http://www.vkshires.info

IndiaHams.com relaunched :

The Indiahams website has been updated and relaunched http://www.indiahams.com

You are requested to post your view on the website layout and suggestions on the content on the website. We have worked hard on the website, It has been entirely redesigned and developed by VU3FUN, the best we could do with little knowledge and limited resources.

1.Please register at http://www.indiahams.com

2.Visit to participate in the new monthly poll.

3.There is a new IndiaHams.com AV zone (for register members of indiahams.com) where you can upload and share your pictures, videos, audios, Youtube Video URLs can also be shared and viewed.

We would like to make this website more interactive and dynamic and would keep on adding information related to HAM Radio, Disaster communication and Astronomy.

We request one and all to please review the website and send your valuable comments either on the Indiahams yahoo group or the 'Contact Us' link on the Indiahams website itself.

Waiting for your responses..

P.S. Critical comments are welcome.

73s

Rajesh Bakshi, VU3FUN
&
Karan Bakshi, VU3GTF

Bulkhead Adapter :

Now after having a beautiful apartment, flat or a bungalow you will certainly not feel like boring holes to pass your coax, which will look very crude and the beauty of your shack is also gone. Above all Owners, fundamentals and XYL QRM too. Yesterday while going through QST magazine I came to know about bulkhead adapter. If you need to go through a board in a window, a wall, a metal plate; this is the coax adapter. So go ahead for this wonderful thing and it is available cheap too.

You can book online : Click here

80 meter dipole :

When I was a Novice, that is what I used, a center fed 40 meter dipole,and worked 40 and 15 meters with it. I made a couple of contacts on 80 but stayed mostly on 40. Coax connected directly to antenna at the center insulator. Now days, I am using an 80 meter bent into a U shape and fed off center and I get better results. Not much is needed for it except 135 feet of wire, three insulators (in my case, I only use one insulator and insulated wire and attached to the rain gutters with Christmas decoration clips), and a 4:1 balun.

Here is a website that explains how such a simple antenna works.

http://www.yccc.org/Articles/Antennas/N1IW/OCFD_basic.ppt

Courtesy : Jim (ham-antennas@yahoogroups.com)

Bangalore ARDF 10th VHF Day Fox Hunt :

In series with the Celebrations of Golden Jubilee Year of Bangalore Amateur Radio CLub - VU2ARC and Hamfest India 2009, the Organizing Committee is pleased to announce the Tenth VHF Fox Hunt in Bangalore on 17 May 2009. This day also happens to be celebrated as "World Telecom Day" across the globe.

Courtesy : Ramesh Kumar,VU2LU