A radio wireless system becomes force multiplier for disaster management team

Subject : Science and technology

Section: Awareness in Computers AI

Concept :

The District Emergency Operation Centre Thrissur, which received information about the missing fishing boat from the Coastal Jagratha Samithi, managed to contact the fishermen through the wireless system that functions in radio frequency. Their GPS location was shared with the Coast Guard team from Kochi and they were rescued.
A radio wireless system under the Revenue department in Thrissur has been used to effectively coordinate relief and rescue work during floods and natural calamities.
The system emerged as a force multiplier and a fallback for the disaster management force when power outages and remoteness render other communication systems defunct.
Interestingly, a radio wireless network system was installed in all districts in the State in 2009. But it was abandoned later due to poor range and lack of proper maintenance.
The network of 35-odd amateur radio operators (HAM radio) too can be integrated into the system in case of emergency.
Their service was used for official communication during the Thrissur Pooram when all the mobile services got jammed as lakhs of people gathered in the city.

Radio Access Network

A radio access network (RAN) is the part of a telecommunications system that connects individual devices to other parts of a network through radio connections.
A RAN resides between user equipment, such as a mobile phone, a computer or any remotely controlled machine, and provides the connection with its core network.
The system, which uses radio frequency, can function even when all other communication links fail.
The RAN is a major component of wireless telecommunications and has evolved through the generations of mobile networking leading up to 5G.
This network platform, similar to how open source software became a game changer in the 1990s, attempts to build telecom radio and base stations using non-proprietary technology.

HAM Radio

Amateur radio, also called ham radio, is a noncommercial two-way radio communications.
They use many frequency bands across the radio spectrum.
HAM radio is a real-time communication network. This is much like wireless communication which is quick and transparent.
Amateur Radio operators set up and operate organized communication networks locally for governmental and emergency officials, as well as non-commercial communication for private citizens affected by the disaster.
Amateur Radio operators are most likely to be active after disasters that damage regular lines of communications due to power outages and destruction of telephone, cellular and other infrastructure-dependent systems.

Indian Scenario

According to the Indian Wireless Telegraphs (Amateur Service) Amendment Rules, 1984, ‘Amateur service’ means a service of self training intercommunications and technical investigation carried on by Amateurs that is, by persons duly authorized under these rules interested in radio technique solely with a personal aim and without pecuniary interest.
It is a non-commercial radio communication service.
Amateur radio operators are commonly known as hams. The term “Ham radio” is used to describe the hobby of Amateur radio and not the equipment.
Similarly the term “Ham” is used to describe a radio amateur enthusiast and not the equipment.
Any citizen of India who is above 12 years of age can become a ham by qualifying in the Amateurs Station Operators’ examination (ASO) and obtaining a valid Amateur wireless telegraph station license.