S21ZA

It took almost three years to get Bangladesh off the ground in an amateur radio sense. It was not the sort of place where one could go, set up a station and start making QSOs. No legislation was in place to direct amateur radio operation, and such legislation did not feature on top of the new Bangladeshi Government's list of priorities.

Jim, VK9NS started dealing with the relevant Government departments in February 1990. In March 1991 he travelled to Dhaka in response to a 'Telex of Invitation' from the Ministry of Information, only to find that permission to operate amateur radio in Bangladesh could not be granted at that time. During his stay in Dhaka, Jim established contact with various departments and had many meetings with government officials. There was considerable suspicion about amateur radio with fears that it could jeopardize the country's security. Top officials were also generally too busy to pursue the matter further.

On 2nd. April Jim received a telephone call confirming that everything was finally approved for a demonstration of amateur radio. Operation would be restricted to using three frequencies for SSB, one each on 20, 15 and 10 M. and would be conducted in the office of the N.B.A. monitoring section. Jim thus made 730 QSOs as S21U under supervision.

The monitoring was a success, giving some locals also a chance to say hello to some amateur voice from Australia, Japan, Norfolk Island and so on. Officials of the new government were also impressed and happy to hear that Bangladesh was the centre of international attention. Jim succeeded in making them aware that amateur radio is a hobby, good fun and involves people from all walks of life.

The groundwork was done but it was to be another year before everything was in place for amatuer radio in Bangladesh to take its rightful place. Jim helped with the actual writing of the necessary legislation and in July 1992 he received a Telex from Teleboard - Dhaka informing him that the Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh had approved Amateur Radio Service in Bangladesh, and invited him to make his application for a license. Jim duly made his application and had all paperwork in order by the end of the month. He travelled to Dhaka in early August and operated as S21ZA, this being the first license issued to a foreigner.

Many other foreign operators have followed and Bangladesh now sports its own Amateur Radio Society.

http://www.hidxa.nlk.nf/ExpeditionsS21ZA.htm

How I become a HAM - S21AM

How I Become a HAM !

I was interested about electronics specially radio electronics from my school life . I became a serious SWL ( short wave listener ) from 1980 . As a part of my radio related experiment I made a BFO ( beat frequency oscillator ) on 1982 to listen SSB ( single side band ) signal through my normal Short wave radio .At the end of October 1983 once afternoon first I heard that some body discuss on 20mb through Bengali language . Next two days I heard the same frequency and understood that they are all talking from INDIA.

I was surprised to listen that they were discussing all technical matter specially radio related and some times talking some code such as VU2AP, VU2APU ,VU2DPD etc. I became crazy to contact with them too but I didn't know their address. So I wrote a letter to Indian DX Club which I found earlier from Radio Netherlands’s Booklist. After some days I got a letter from FARSI & informed me that was the Indian Amateur Radio Net and send me one of their postal address. I wrote to VU2APU Apu regarding my interest of amateur radio but after some days a reply came from VU2APU and come to know that SSB transceiver buildup is too critical and on the other hand the HAM radio not allowed in FARSI Bangladesh . But he advise me to contact to ARRL and collect a ARRL hand book from USA. After this information I wrote to American Radio Relay league on November 1983 and really surprised to see when ARRL's reply and finally received an ‘ARRL HAND BOOK 1983' free of charge by sea mail. They had informed me that there is a amateur radio society in Bangladesh, called “Bangladesh Amateur Radio League“ . That was first time I heard about BARL and wrote a letter to BARL express my interest about HAM radio

I got a letter from BARL on that the Amateur Radio not Yet permitted in Bangladesh . After this I met two times to Mr. Saif Shaid ( S21A ) the founder and former President of BARL . At the same time we are some young enthusiast start to contact several HAM organization in our own way . After the divesting Cyclone of April 30, 1991 our govt . realized the importance of HAM radio and finally the ban lifted officially on August 28, 1992. Then another question who and how will amateur radio license will be issue ? Which Syllabus will be followed ? Who will conduct the Amateur Radio Examination ? At this situation we found that Mr. Saif Shaid ( S21A ), Mr. Nizamuddin Chowdhury ( S21B ) got their license . The authority informed us that they have decided if any Bangladeshi have any foreign Amateur Radio License so the BTTB will issue Bangladeshi Call Sign and License until they arrange any HAM examination so as a part of that they have issued the license for S21A, S21B, S21C, S21AR.

That time we were too much crazy for our Bangladeshi Call sign and License so we are trying to obtain any Foreign Amateur Radio License. Finally as per our request one of the Amateur Radio Society of USA called “Foundation for Amateur International Radio Service [ FAIRS ]“ response and they informed us that as a part of promotion amateur radio in the under developing country they will come Bangladesh conduct a FCC ( US License ) examination here at Dhaka. The FAIRS International team lead by Mr. David Larsen ( KK4WW ) came Dhaka on March 12, 1993. FAIRS conduct a two week amateur radio tanning program at BUET about 34 people was participate that program including BTTB officials.

Finally 17 person passed and open the door for apply the Bangladeshi Call Sign and License Following the previous way I got my S21AM Call sign and License on September 12, 1993 that was the 5th Bangladeshi License in our Country.

We formed FAIRS Bangladesh on 1993 pls visit http://www.fairs.org/


- Manjurul Haque S21AM / KE4AEV