Media Network correspondent Victor Goonetilleke, 4S7VK, who is president of the Radio Society of Sri Lanka, believes that “uncomplicated shortwave” radio saved lives. “Ham radio played an important part and will continue to do so,” he said in an e-mail. Until 28 December the Radio Society of Sri Lanka operated a shortwave radio link between Hambantota and the Prime Minister’s disaster management office, and government offices in the stricken area. “We closed the link after the police got a communications link up in Hambantota,” Victor said. “We went in because the District Secretary’s office only had a satellite phone and communications were difficult.” The Hambantota station was operated by Asantha Illesinghe (4S7AK), Dimuthu Wickremesinghe (4S7DZ) and Kusal Epa (4S7KE). However, there was one major problem: batteries were running out, and there were no generators to recharge them.
Radio amateurs used to be the only line of communication to disaster struck areas in the past. But Victor says the amateur community in Sri Lanka is not getting enough young blood to keep it going, partly because getting an amateur radio license is a tedious process, requiring defence clearances, in addition to an examination and licensing by the telecommunications regulatory authorities. However, Victor feels that the presence of radio amateurs inside the Prime Minister’s official residence shows how the authorities in Sri Lanka value the services of the amateur radio community.
on Jan 5th, 2005 at 18:34
When I met Victor in late 2003 he explained that the Sri Lankan government also offered a 50 watt transmitter on loan to communities for special events, a sort of RSL. Seems to me that this is also a great way to get people into the content side of radio..compared to the commercial stations, the SLBC is still rather old fashioned in its methods and presentation style.