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History
of Amateur Radio
In
The Kingdom of Bhutan
Written and Compiled by Yeshey Dorji, A51AA
‘Hello Hello..... Able Charlie Baker
Calling’
Going
by available records, this call was the first ever radio call sent out
over the Bhutanese airwaves. The year was 1955 - QTH was Rida in
Wangduephodrang, Western Bhutan.
The
call was made by N Chhawna (AC5PN) on the famous B2. The occasion was
the Royal tours of His Majesty King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck to Eastern
Bhutan.
N
Chhawna (AC5PN) was the first radio amateur to ever operate from
Bhutan. Thus, credit goes to him for putting Bhutan on the world map
of amateur radio.
N
Chhawna was an Indian national from the North-Eastern state of Mizoram.
He worked in Bhutan’s Royal Bhutan Wireless as trainer and
supervisor.
The first western operator
to operate from Bhutan was Mr. Gus Browning of USA - a legendary
Dxpeditioner. It is still a mystery how Gus managed to enter Bhutan
during a time when Bhutan remained almost exclusively forbidden
territory to foreigners. It would seem that in return for permission
to enter Bhutan and operate from this extremely rare location, Gus
offered to train local personnel in the use, repair and maintenance of
the B2 radio.
Gus
began a series of transmission from Bhutan – first in1963 and then
again in1965.
Gus
reports, in one of his articles, that he intended to come back to
Bhutan in 1975 – but there is no proof of him ever returning to
Bhutan – after 1965. The last record of his relation with Bhutan is
a black and white photograph of him with Dasho K Letho whom he met in
New York in 1973. During that time, Dasho Letho was the Secretary of
Communications.
Bhutan
was listed in the original pre-war ARRL, DXCC Countries list -
published in 1937. However, due to lack of radio activity from within
the country, it appears that a country pre-fix was not allocated to
Bhutan. In a letter dated 1972, the then Director of Wireless writes
that Bhutan has been allocated a country pre-fix - exact date when it
was done in not known but it is safe to assume that it was an outcome
of Bhutan joining the UN system in 1971.
In
the amateur radio world, as well as international terms, Tibet ceased
to be a DXCC country on 30th May, 1974. Sikkim went the
same way in 1975. That left Bhutan as one of the rarest DXCC countries
in the Himalayan region as well in the world. Bhutan remained to be
listed as the 2nd rarest country – until the operation of
the A52A DXpedition after which the ranking began to slide.
As
of the year 2000, with the introduction of The Bhutan
Telecommunications Act of 1999, Bhutan formally authorised the
operation of amateur radio from within the country. The Act came into
effect as of April, 2000.
In
chronological order, the following is how the amateur radio activity
from Bhutan is recorded.
Year Month
CallSign
Operator
Nationality
1955
Nov.
AC5PN
N Chhawna
Indian
1960
Dec.
AC5PN
N Chhawna
Indian
1961
Mar.
AC5PN
N Chhawna
Indian
1961
Mar.
AC5PN
N Chhawna
Indian
1962
Apr.
VU2US
Lt Gen K Umrao Singh
Indian
1962
Apr.
VU2BK
Brigadier R Z Kabrajii
Indian
1962
Apr.
VU2PS
Colonel P S Gill
Indian
1962
Apr.
VU2TN
Capt T A Ramakrishnan
Indian
1963
Jul
AC5A
Gus Browning
American
1963
Aug.
AC5A
Gus Browning
American
1963
Sept.
AC7A
Gus Browning
American
1963
Dec.
AC7A
Gus Browning
American
1965
Feb
AC5H
Gus Browning
American
1965
Feb
AC8H
Gus Browning
American
1965
May
AC8H
Gus Browning
American
1965
Apr.
AC9H
Gus Browning
American
1965
Apr.
AC2H
Gus Browning
American
1965
Apr.
AC6H
Gus Browning
American
1965
May
AC0H
Gus Browning
American
1965
May
AC1H
Gus Browning
American
1965
Jun.
AC0H
Gus Browning
American
1972
Jan.
A51TY
T Yonten
Bhutanese
1972
Feb
AC5TY
T Yonten
Bhutanese
1972
May
A51KV
Venkat (VU2KV)
Indian
1973
Mar
A51PN
H N Pradhan
Bhutanese
1973
May
A51PN
H N Pradhan
Bhutanese
1980
May
A51PN
H N Pradhan
Bhutanese
1995
Feb
A51MOC/JH1AJT
Yasuo Miyazawa (JH1AJT)
Japanese
1995
Feb
A51MOC
Mitty (JE1OMO)
Japanese
1995
Feb
A51MOC
Jin (JF1IST)
Japanese
1995
Feb
A51MOC
Victor (JR6GV)
Japanese
2000
May
A52GJ
Glenn Johnson (W0GJ)
American
2000
May
A52MJ
Mark Johnson (N0MJ)
American
2000
May
A52YC
James Brooks (N1YC/9V1YC)
American
2000
May
A52VN
Al Hernandez (K3VN)
American
2000
May
A52VT
Vince Thompson (K5VT)
American
2000
May
A52EE
Bob Allphin (K4UEE)
American
2000
May
A52WL
Wes Lamboley (W3WL)
American
2000
May
A52DG
Don Greenbaum (N1DG)
American
2000
May
A52BU
Jari Jussila (OH2BU)
Finlander
2000
May
A52WW
Mark Demeuleneere (ON4WW)
Belgian
2000
May
A52UU
Igor (Harry) Booklan (RA3AUU)
Russian
2000
May
A52AB
Andy Chesnokov (UA3AB)
Russian
2000
May
A52IG
Yuuji Yoshitani (JA3IG)
Japanese
2000
May
A52US
Mac Shimamoto (JA3USA)
Japanese
2000
May
A52IST
Jin Fujiwara (JF1IST)
Japanese
2000
Jun/Jul
A52NL
Isamu Kamibeppu (V63KU)
Japanese
2000
Sept
A52FH
Thierry V L Cleach (F6HWU)
French
2000
Sept
A52FH
Denecker Vincent (G0LMX)
Frenh
2000
Sept
A52FH
Tuduri Alain (F5LMJ)
French
2000
Sept
A52FH
Mesnier Alain (F6ANA)
French
2000
Sept
A52FH
Debelle Gerard (F2VX)
French
2000
Sept
A52TT
Peter E Casier (ON6TT)
Belgian
2000
Oct/Nov
A52XX
Tsukahara Hirotaro (JA1PCY)
Japanese
2000
Oct/Nov
A52DX
Kukita Harumi (JF1PJK)
Japanese
2000
Oct/Nov
A52B
Nakamura Takashi (JR7TEQ)
Japanese
2000
Oct/Nov
A52JA
Owada Fumiyuki (JK1AFI)
Japanese
2000
Oct/Nov
A52W
Uchiyama Yosuke (JH1NBN)
Japanese
2000
Dec
A52AP
Jani Kusmulyana (YB0US)
Indonesian
2000
Dec
A52UD
Charles Harpole (K4VUD)
American
2001
Jan
A52GJ
Glenn Johnson (W0GJ)
American
2001
Jan
A52VJ
Vivien Johnson (KL7YL)
American
2001
Jan
A52YL
Melissa Johnson (N0MAJ)
American
2001
Jan
A52MJ
Mark Johnson (N0MJ)
American
2001
Jan
A52PJ
Paul Johnson (W0PJ)
American
Key
Players:
Obviously,
it takes many to make a thing happen and, in the area of amateur
radio, two key foreign players feature prominently. One of them is
Yasuo Miyazawa (JH1AJT) who is fondly remembered in Bhutan as
“Zorro” from Japan. Strangely, not much record is available about
his activities from Bhutan. However, any mention of amateur radio –
and Zorro is mentioned – first and foremost.
Another
person who will remain a fore-runner in re-vitalizing amateur radio
activity in Bhutan is, without doubt, Jim Smith (VK9NS) of Australia.
First
among First:
The
first properly (officially) licensed Bhutanese hams are:
A51YL Ambika Gurung
A51UD Dorji Yeshey
A51KC Kesang Namgyel
A51PK Parop Kinley Dorji
A51PR Pema Rinzin
A51WD Wangpo Dorji
A51AA Yeshey Dorji
Dr.
Glenn Johnson (W0GJ) an American orthopaedic surgeon, while
volunteering his services at the JDWNRH – a government run general
hospital - in Thimphu during January 2001 - taught the first ever
amateur radio class in Bhutan - both the Novice Theory and the Morse
Code. A total of seven individuals completed and passed the written
Novice exam and the 5wpm Morse Code exam conducted on January 29,
2001.
In
appreciation of his contribution, the Bhutan Telecommunications
Authority - at a modest official ceremony held at the BTA office and
covered by the BBS and the Kuensel - gave Dr. Glenn Johnson the rare
honour of handing out the Certificates to the 7 successful hams.
First
Bhutanese YL:
The
first licenced Bhutanese lady ham is: Ambika Gurung (A51YL).
Bhutan’s
First Ham Shack:
BHUTAN
HAM CENTRE - established by Yeshey Dorji (A51AA) - is the first
officially authorised Ham Shack in the country.
Bhutan’s
Amateur Radio Club:
BHUTAN
AMATEUR RADIO CLUB (BARC) is the first radio club in the country.
Established in Thimphu, it helps train new operators and is currently
operated out of the office of the Bhutan Telecommunications Authority.
First
DXpedition to Bhutan:
First
officially recognized group operation was led by Glenn Johnson (W0GJ)
and comprised of the following 15 members:
1.
Glenn Johnson (W0GJ)
A52GJ
American
2.
Mark Johnson (N0MJ) (age 14)
A52MJ
American
3.
James Brooks (N1YC) (9V1YC)
A52YC
American
4.
Al Hernandez (K3VN)
A52VN
American
5.
Vince Thompson (K5VT)
A52VT American
6.
Bob Allphin (K4UEE)
A52EE
American
7.
Wes Lamboley (W3WL)
A52WL
American
8.
Don Greenbaum (N1DG)
A52DG American
9.
Jari Jussila (OH2BU)
A52BU
Finlander
10.
Mark Demeuleneere (ON4WW)
A52WW
Belgian
11.
Igor (Harry) Booklan (RA3AUU)
A52UU
Russian
12.
Andy Chesnokov (UA3AB)
A52AB Russian
13.
Yuuji Yoshitani (JA3IG)
A52IG
Japanese
14.
Mac Shimamoto (JA3USA)
A52US Japanese
15.
Jin Fujiwara (JF1IST)
A52IST
Japanese
Their
Group Callsign was: A52A. They made 82,087 contacts with 100 watts of
power. They operated from the Pine Wood Hotel in Thimphu.
The
First ladies:
Three
of the first lady hams to ever operate from Bhutan are (in order of
operation):
Ms
Thierry Veuve Le Cleach (A52FH)
French
Ms
Vivien Johnson (A52VJ)
American
Ms
Melissa Johnson (A52YL)
American
The
Youngest:
The
youngest ham to ever operate from Bhutan was Paul Johnson (W0PJ) -
aged 13 years at the time of his operation from Bhutan in the year
2000-2001. He used the Callsign A52PJ.
The
Oldest:
The
oldest Ham to operate from Bhutan was: Thierry Veuve Le Cleach (F6HWU)
- a French national. She was born in 1924. She operated from Bhutan in
the year 2000. She was then over 76 years old!! She operated under the
group Callsign: A52FH.
Special
honours:
The
Callsigns with the pre-fix “A51” is issued only to national
amateurs. However, in recognition of their contribution to the
development of amateur radio in the country, two non-nationals have
been honoured with very special calls each which will remain valid for
life:
1.
Yasuo Miyazawa, Japan
A51A
2.
Glenn Johnson, USA
A51B
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