Spreading the Triumph of Chandrayaan-3 via Ham Radio: A Stellar Initiative by West Bengal Radio Club
In an endeavor to amplify India’s celestial achievement, the West Bengal Radio Club has undertaken an extraordinary mission: disseminating the triumph of Chandrayaan-3 through the airwaves. This dedicated group of licensed ham radio operators has taken it upon themselves to communicate the nation’s latest space accomplishment to audiences worldwide. Their efforts are set to continue until August 30.
The initiative has garnered official recognition, as the Center’s Wireless Planning and Coordination Branch, operating under the Department of Telecommunications, has designated a special call sign, “3CY,” for ham radio operators to use during communications. Ham radio operators, also known as hams, are making use of this unique call sign as they engage in conversations with fellow operators across the globe.
The significance of this mission was heightened on August 23, when Chandrayaan-3’s lunar lander, Vikram, made a successful and gentle touchdown on the Moon’s southern pole. In response to this achievement, the government released a circular endorsing the use of the designated call sign.
Ambrish Nag Biswas, Secretary and Founder of the West Bengal Radio Club, expressed enthusiasm for the project, stating, “The government’s decision to assign a special suffix to all ham radio operators across the country in honor of Chandrayaan-3’s success is truly exciting for us.” The West Bengal Radio Club, an assemblage of ham radio enthusiasts in the eastern state, is at the forefront of this initiative.
Biswas elaborated on the call sign structure, sharing that each licensed operator possesses a distinctive identity. Call signs for operators in India typically start with “VUtu” or “VUthree,” followed by a two or three-letter code. The government has granted operators the privilege of appending “3CY” with a slash as a suffix. This modified call sign will be operational from August 23 to August 30.
To illustrate, a radio station associated with the West Bengal Radio Club would utilize the call sign “VU2WB/3CY,” while an individual operator’s call sign might resemble “VU2” or “VU3,” succeeded by a set of two or three letters, followed by “/3CY.” This creative approach ensures that every communication exchange serves as a platform to celebrate the successful Chandrayaan-3 mission. Following this introduction, conversations will naturally flow onward.
As ham radio operators across the nation embrace this unique opportunity, the story of Chandrayaan-3’s accomplishment is poised to reverberate across the global airwaves, uniting people from various corners of the world in shared admiration for India’s space triumph.
