Ham radio centre at Ganga Sagar

Kolkata: In a bid to help people access information when phones and conventional broadcast systems fail during natural calamity, Ham radio operators have installed amateur radio satellite communication (using Qatar OSCAR-100- the first geostationary amateur radio transponder) at Ganga Sagar Island.

"Through this system, we will be able to send live video, photos and data of the situation after the natural disaster anywhere and help can also be sought by making a voice call," said Ambarish Nag Biswas, custodian and secretary of West Bengal Radio Club (WBRC), an organisation of ham radio enthusiasts in the state.

He reiterated that people will be able to send and receive signals to Qatar's satellite Oscar-100, installed in space 36,000 km from the earth, even when mobile, telephone and internet stop working.