Amateur Radio Newsline has announced the winner of its first "International Newsmaker of the Year" award - India's West Bengal Radio Club.
The group has 285 active members and goes beyond ham
radio in providing community service. In addition to providing critical
communications during natural disasters, the West Bengal
club transmits election results from rural polling stations and teaches farmers
how to protect themselves from lightning while working in the fields. According
to Newsline, nearly all of the group's communications are done via simplex, as
it has no budget for a repeater and sometimes borrows equipment from the
National Institute of Amateur Radio in Hyderabad.
The Newsline
"International Newsmaker of the Year" award honors amateur radio
groups that have consistently shown leadership and commitment to the ham radio
community.
