Hello DXers:
A huge congratulations to the VU4 team, the follow-up operators there, and NIAR for a magnificent DXpedition put together in about 15 days and, of course, for the super human job of supplying EFFECTIVE emergency communications all over the Andaman and Nicobar island chain. They, along with hams in the other affected countries, delivered on the great public service promise of ham radio. The world can now see that indeed HAM does mean Helping All Mankind and that we are not a bunch of old fuddy duddies in the cellar with our crystal sets. Well Done!
Thanks also to the scores of hams out of the affected areas who also helped with messages, etc.
AND, big big thanks for all the hams of the world for doing what some thought impossible---EVERYONE STOOD BY during the emergency traffic. WOW. I listened for hours on the VU4 frequencies from Thailand and NOT ONE ham called to try to get that rare DX contact during the emergency communications activity. Hungry as we all were for VU4, we universally respected the emergency work and held our transmitters on stand-by! This is ham radio at its best in every way.
Bharathi is safely back in her Delhi home, and reports are that all hams are home from Andaman duty now. I hope she will write her story for the ham mags. Please look for my small part of the story in DX Magazine--Carl asked for that, thanks. And, I am safely back in my Florida home.
I think the rapidity of the development of the VU4 activity can be a lesson to the DX clubs and foundations to see that maybe their donation request process should be speeded up because, if NIAR lacked radios and pre-made dipoles, VU4 would have been there, but with a tin can and a string--lacking as the participants did the personal resources to mount this operation. The NIAR emergency radio/antenna kits they had already prepared made the difference this time, but we need to be aware that there are some DXpedition opportunities that can come along in which those getting the permits lack the personal money to do the DXpedition. Thanks to the donors who did ship yagis (and a bandpass filter!) to the team .
The individual donors, also, did step up to the plate and to NIAR, DERA, and myself, thousands of dollars came in, often in singles but sometimes in nice fat checks. HUGE THANKS to all of you who sent what you could, having faith even before the first VU4 transmission. As a result, I think Bharathi herself broke even although NIAR must have put in lots of other help. Thanks to all.
The NIAR web site will, I am assured, soon post detailed information about (1) sending QSL requests, (2) a donor list, (3) the logs. Please do not send QSLs to me.
Thanks to all who sent warm messages of good words to the team and myself. I will treasure all the good that came from this great and then tragic adventure of a lifetime. 73,
Charles Harpole [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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