Oğuzhan Kayhan started his radio amateur career with a ready-made radio kit in 1997. Kayhan, whose main profession is engineering, takes part in many military and civilian projects thanks to this hobby.
Kayhan explains how this hobby started as follows…
“I was actually interested in such subjects since my childhood, I was interested in electronics. I was trying to buy these ready-made kits and make them work myself. Later, in 1997, I met radio amateurs at a scouting camp. Since mobile phones were not very common in Turkey at that time, I considered it a convenient and fun method for communication and started this hobby.”
Uninterrupted communication in disaster situations
Oğuzhan Kayhan is of the opinion that radio amateurism is very important during disaster periods…
“To be honest, I first experienced such a major disaster in the 1999 earthquake. During the 1999 earthquake, right after the earthquake, I had a shortwave radio from my device at home, and when I followed it from there, we had already confirmed within 5-10 minutes from the radio amateurs around that there was an earthquake on the Gulf side of Izmit. Thereupon, I took my radio and went to the then Ministry of Internal Affairs building in Kızılay. I introduced myself and for about 48 hours, with my own equipment and three or four of my friends, we carried out all the communication of the region in a meeting room there. “This was my first serious experience, actually, on the disaster communications side.”
Meteors are also signal carriers
It is also possible to communicate through meteors…
“We started to use this technology from the military as radio amateurs. We aim to communicate over distances of several thousand kilometers by reflecting signals that would normally travel 40-50 kilometers over meteors. “With a simple system we installed there that day, we were able to meet with approximately ten people from abroad, countries such as Hungary and Romania.”
Radio amateurism is a hobby within the framework of the rules.
Kayhan summarizes what needs to be done to become a radio amateur as follows…
“There are many frequencies reserved for radio amateurs in the world. People are expected to be competent in order to use frequencies on the shortwave side, VHF (very high frequency) side, and microwave side. That’s why you qualify to do this hobby with some exams.”
“In Turkey, the General Directorate of Coastal Safety is currently organizing these exams. After passing the exam, all you need to do is buy a few devices. “You can start with a handheld radio, and then maybe start improving yourself with fixed devices and antennas.”
