HAM radios to play communication saviour during disasters

  • 24/06/2008

  • Indian Express (Mumbai)

This time when heavy rainfall plays havoc in the city breaking all communication channels, the newly installed HAM radio stations would act as a saviour during the disaster. One of the HAM radio stations has been set up atop 14-storeyed Acropolis building, the highest point in the city, at Malabar Hill by the Malabar Hill Residents Association (MHRA) with the help of JNA wireless association. "We jointly approached the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for the radio station for alternate communication. Moreover, Malabar Hill has an advantage of being the highest point which adds more clarity in communication of HAM radio,' said Indrani Malkani, secretary, MHRA. The other radio stations have been set up at the BMC headquarters in Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST), D ward office at Nana chowk and the regular flooding zones of Milan Subway and Mithi river. Sudhir Shah, secretary of the JNA wireless association, which has helped in setting the HAM radio stations free of cost, said that the initiative was taken after the BMC sought their help for the disaster management. "During a disaster, when all communication networks fail, HAM radio works. As a metropolis and the city which has seen disasters from flooding to bomb blasts, HAM radio communication is very important,'' Shah said. The HAM radio uses VHF (Very High Frequency) technology with short range trans receiver to convey messages, which can cover almost the entire city. The radio will be useful for the BMC to communicate with the operators on the location of disaster and to mobilise its machinery.