My Journey with Amateur Radio - Part 1

My Journey with Amateur Radio - Part 1   By Sunish Sugathan, VU2SGJ

It was the summer of 1982. And myself, my mother and sister were travelling to Bahrain to join my father for spending our summer vacation. Back then, my father was employed as a Civil Engineer in the Kingdom of Bahrain. In those days, there was no direct flight to Bahrain, so we travelled via Mumbai(then known as Bombay) from Trivandrum. As soon as we landed at Bahrain International Airport, the first thing that caught my attention was airport personnel using walkie talkies to communicate with each other. I was too young to understand the details, but I was awe struck by the fact that it looked like telephones without wires. That scene would remain etched in my mind for a long, long time to come. I was so fascinated by those 'telephones without wires' that I started pestering my father to get one for me. He calmly explained to me that it is only for use by professionals and as an eight year old kid, I would not be able to get one. I was not satisfied and kept bothering my father. Finally he gave in and bought for me a pair of FM transmitter mikes and a pair of FM radios so that I could have a makeshift walkie talkie. I was very thrilled and used it along with my sister to communicate across very short distances that it allowed. That was my first experience with wireless communication.

Myself and my sister (left in the image) along with friends at Bahrain. circa 1982.

Fast forward to 1986, I came across an article in a magazine which described Amateur Radio. The article mentioned that Amateur Radio is a means for ordinary citizens to communicate using wireless sets. But I had no further information as to whom to seek help from, to know more about Amateur Radio. However, the spark remained in my mind till 1990, when I met the late Mr. Austin Thompson, a family friend. My parents knew that he used wireless equipment at home. I told him that I wanted to know more about Amateur Radio. He asked me to come to KSIDC building on Keston Road, Trivandrum on the next first Saturday of the month at 6 PM. 

Austin, VU2TF (right) along with Anil, VU2KHC

And there I was at 5:30 PM itself anxiously waiting for Austin. After a while, I saw a gentleman ride into the compound in a grey scooter. He had a walkie talkie like device clipped to his belt. I introduced myself and we shook hands. The next thing that I asked him was whether I could see him use the walkie talkie. He immediately unclipped the device and uttered a few words into the device, none of which I could understand. However, there was no response. And he explained that at this time of the day, it was unlikely to find others using the device. I would later learn that the device was a 144 MHz VHF handheld transceiver and that the operator was none other that the veteran radio amateur, Mr. Jojith Mathew who holds the call sign VU2JAW. The warm relationship with Jojith (affectionately called Jojith Chettan) which started on that April 1990 evening, continues to this day. 

Jojith's VHF handheld transceiver, ICOM IC-02A. circa 1990.

The meeting started at 6 PM and was attended by many, but I clearly recollect Mr. Austin Thompson, VU2TF, Mr. Jojith Mathew, VU2JAW, Mr. Girish Babu, VU2KGB and Mr. Sunil Rafeeq, VU2TEL attending the meeting among others. The meeting went on to discuss technical matters(most of which I could hardly understand), tea was served and the meeting concluded by around 8 PM. Thus, I was inducted into Trivandrum Amateur Radio Society (TARS) and later on every member of TARS helped me in every manner to ensure that I fullfil my dream of owning and operating radio equipment. 

To be continued...