Hams go 'fox hunting'

If you had come across boys on bikes holding radio antenna and climbing building searching for signals on Sunday, it was because these Hams were part of the Amateur (Ham) Radio Direction Finding - Fox Hunting competition hosted by National Festival of Hams ‘Hamsfest India 2009’ on the occasion of Golden Jubilee year of Bangalore Amateur Radio Club.

The event was flagged off by the Joint Managing Director, The Printers (Mysore) Private Limited K N Tilak Kumar at the Bharat Scouts and Guides on Lalbagh Fort Road.
Hams started their search for the Fox (hidden transmitter) which was located within 35 kms radius from Vidhana Soudha.  After three hours 30 minutes, Hariharan Srinivasan (VU3HEA) Srinivas Shenoy found the transmitter hung on a tree off Kanakpura Road near Sri Ravishankar's Art of Living Ashram. The second place went to Balaji K (VU3PZA) and Biju (VU3BJZ, third place to H N Suresh Kumar (VU2HNS) and Vikas Kashyap (SWL). Consolation prize for youngest team went to Deepa Girimaji and Abhay Girimaji.
Winning experience
Sharing the winning experience Hariharan said, “I am very thrilled to have won the first place. We had made our plans before the competition, first we went around Majestic and got the signal from a high rise building; then took Mysore Road where the signal then led us to Kanakapura Road to find the fox.”

Popular in England

“The name ‘Fox’ comes from the fox hunting that was very popular long back in England. We had even ‘Fox hunt’ held during night said, Ham Madhukar (VU2-MUD).
Praising Hams in Bangalore, Hamfest India General Convener M R Sampath Kumaran said, “Our club members have participated in International competitions and have recently secured prizes in Andhra Pradesh and Kerala.”  
Amateur Radio or Ham Radio is a very expensive hobby; one has to write Amateur Station Operator Certificate (ASOC) test conducted by the Ministry of Telecommunications to avail the licence from the Central government.
Hams are not permitted to have conversation related to business, religion or politics or use any foul language or pass on third party messages on air, once the licence is availed.
However, Hams normally use their radio equipment to inform police about signals from anti-social elements or terrorists.  
Bangalore alone has maximum Ham radio activity with around 200 active Ham members and more than 1,000 having legal licence.
It is also called the Ham Capital of India.