This was a business trip for my company, but generally, I'm not the type to go out partying every night.  It also seems that this city is not the center of the nightlife.  As such, I thought it would be fun to bring along a portable radio.  Travel to India should not be taken for granted.  This is something that needs to be planned well, and followed through with.   First, there are visa applications, this can take up to a month to secure, so you should start early.  If you are going to operate in India, you will need to apply and receive a recripicoral license.  You should start this process at least three months prior to leaving for India, the only exception to this is if you happen to make a stop or stay in New Delhi, you can visit the wireless commissioner in person to receive your license (or so I have heard.)   Unfortunately, I did not start my process soon enough to receive a "real" VU2 call sign.  However, the Monday of my arrival, a simple call to the wireless commissioner and a short chat resolved the issue, and I became VU2/KG7HF. 

• March 30, 2007 -- Depart Logan airport for my first stop, London, UK.  I arrived in London at 7:30am Saturday (March 31) morning.  What a bone head I am;  I have a 7 hour layover, and didn't figure to operate or meet up with any UK hams!  Next time, I had KB1OGL's Yeasu FT-817 as carry on luggage, fully charged.  I could have easily played around on VHF or UHF and made some repeater contacts.  NOTE TO SELF... calculate in some operating time for the layovers.

  April 1, 2007 -- 5:00am, arrived in the bustling city of Chennai.  WOW. that was a long flight, 10.5 hours in the air.  And still, this is not my final destination.  I've collected my luggage and was met by an official from the company I was visiting (their branch office.)  We chatted and had breakfast together, and a quick auto tour of the city.  What a big and bustling place.  Too bad I do not have time to explore.

  April 1, 2007 -- After another hour and a half flight, I have finally, I have arrived in Visakhapatnam (Vizag); it is now 1:30pm.   I was met by the company driver and whisked away to my hotel, the Taj Residency.   My room, third floor, north east facing window, clear views of the ocean and beach.  Seems like it would be a good operating spot.  But, I am way too tired to even think much about radio.  I unpack and settle in for a short nap. 

  April 2, 2007 -- I finally contact the wireless commission and get the licensing thing straitened out (who knows, I could well have been talking to the janitor).  At any rate, I'm now officially VU2/KG7HF.  Surprisingly, after review of the hotel room, I notice that the windows actually open!  I break open my gear.  A 100' spool for #22 solid copper hookup wire, MFJ 949E, and the Yeasu FT-817.  The first antenna is simple, roll the spool out until it is just above the ground, and use the long wire approach.   Listening around, few stations are heard, the noise level is S9 on almost every band.

  April 3, 2007 -- I contact VU2SJV "Sanjeevi" via email, we had been corresponding over the weeks prior to my trip.  We are now trying to arrange an eyeball qso.

  April 4, 2007 -- Still high noise levels here.  I've managed to throw the wire out over a tree for a sloping long wire, additionally, I've routed a second wire back and have something of a loop configuration feeding the balanced portion of the tuner.  The noise seems to be reduced, and I now hear a few hams.  I hear VU3PAT calling CQ on 20m ssb, I make the contact with Patrick he gives me an 57 report.  Patrick's QTH is in the extreme north of India near Nepal, he is about 900 miles from me, so there is some hope of long distances contacts...Remember, I'm running 5 watts, and we were working SSB! 

  April 4, 2007 -- Thinking that it would be better to get a room higher up, I request the manager to move me to a higher floor.  He accommodates me and puts me on the fifth floor facing south east, I still have an ocean view.  That night I work the wire out the window.  Thinking now I have 40 more feet to work with.  The noise levels are even worse on this side.  All bands are S9+, conditions are very poor.  I end up making two more short contacts via CW on 20m, DL5WW and UR2VA.  Not from lack of trying, but all other amateur radio contacts occured over echolink (VU3NYD, VU2JJS, VU3SNK, VU2RQR) .

  April 8, 2007 -- Sanjeevi and I finally make our eyeball QSO.  He talks about how much better it would be to be on the North East side, exactly where I just came from.  He suggests that next time, when I arrive to call him right away and we will setup an antenna on the roof of the hotel.  He gives me many recommendations for the next time.  One piece of advice, don't ask permission, just plead ignorance.  I think this comes from the class system in place, and that we (Sanjeevi and other hams) fall into the elite class, which can do little wrong.

  Overall, I thought that I had a fairly good plan to operate in India, and that I would make many more contacts than I did.  It was unfortunate that I did not make as many contacts as I had wished, however the few that I did make, were much more thrilling than many contacts made from my home station.  I think the difference is in the level of work involved in making the QSO's, and the thrill of having to think on the fly to get the station working.

   

Dr. Sanjeevi (VU2SJV) at my hotel operating position

Dr Sanjeevi and myself

The view from my hotel room window on the 5th floor.