In India,we have hundreds of islands in the coastal region,as well as in the deep sea. Indian Islands in the deep sea were activated by operators (both DX and VUs) many times since Indian Independence. All these Islands have IOTA listings. Some activities in the Coastal Island Groups have taken place too and their listings are also given.
In addition, we had 24 Indian Antarctic Expeditions too, to bases like Indian Bay Camp,Dakshin Gangothri, and Maithri in the 7th Continent. This year,(2007-09), the 25th IAE Team is in Maitri Base.
The name of the Award is derived from the first two alphabets of ANdaman, NIcobar, LAkshadweep, MInicoy and Coastal Islands, and it contains the two alphabets of Antarctica also.
Time period: All QSOs from 15th August 1947, are valid.
Duplication: Duplicate QSO’s with the same call sign are NOT ACCEPTABLE for scoring.
QSO Points System: A system of scoring is developed, from which you can score the Confirmed QSOs you have with the Indian Islands, as given below. The Islands that have been frequently activated have less weightage to those which are activated the least.
Andaman (AS-001), 15 points
Nicobar (AS-033), 20 points
Lakshadweep (AS-011) and 15 points
Minicoy (AS-106) Islands 20 points.
St. Mary Island- AS-096 (2 expeditions) Karnataka State Gr.
Sagar Island – AS-153 (4 expeditions) West Bengal State Gr.
Sacrifice Rock – AS-161 (1 Expedition) Kerala State Gr.
Elephanta Is – AS-169 (3 Expeditions) Maharashtra State gr.
Arnala Is – AS-169 (1 Expedition) Maharashtra State gr.
Pamban Is – AS-173 (1 Expedition) Tamil Nadu State Gr.
Nachugunta Is – AS-199 (1 Expedition) Andhra Pradesh State South Gr.
Grandi Is – AS-177 (1 Expedition) Goa State Gr.
VU4AN/VU3…,VU4MY,VU4RG,VU7SJ, etc.,. QSLs with operator’s call like VU4../VU3…; and VU7…/VU3… is ONLY accepted for the following:
VU4AN,VU4RG, VU4MY, VU7SJ etc., count 03 points each
VU7MY, VU7NRO count 04 points each
VU7LD count 05 points each
with valid address printed on the QSL, is 15 points,Examples VU2,4 and 7 for suffixes GV,DIA,FBZ/FB,JPS. (VK9NS operations from VU2JPS is not considered)
VU2…/VU7, call in the Andaman, Nicobar, Lakshadweep and Minicoy Islands, is worth 15 points.,
IOTA AN-010,016; WAP-IND-01-Dakshin Gangothri; IND-02-Indian Bay Camp;IND-03-Maithri.
Only ONE Antarctic QSL is considered for SECOND Class Award. TWO QSL scores can be considered for FIRST and EXCELLENCE Class awards,provided the QSO is NOT with the same Indian Antarctic call sign.
( VU2IF, AT0A, VU2AXA, VU3PMG, AT3A, AT3D,VU2JBK, VU2MSW, VU2RAY, VU3HKQ, VU3DEN, VU3NHQ, VU3BPZ etc were QRV from Indian Antarctic Bases, at different periods.)
Mode endorsement available for CW, SSB, Digital or Mixed;
Band endorsement Single or All bands; is available.
Award Classification:
BASIC: If you have confirmed QSOs with any THREE groups. For example:(i) Andaman (iii)ONE of the Coastal Is Groups, then, the number of points required for the or Nicobar Is; (ii)Lackshadweep or Minicoy Is, “Basic Award” is a minimum of “50” points. Minimum 3 QSL cards needed.
SECOND: If you have Confirmed QSOs with ANY THREE of (1) Andaman or Nicobar or Lakshadweep or Minicoy Is Groups,(3) any TWO of the Coastal Island groups,and one Indian Antarctic QSO, activated till date of application, the number of points required for the “Second Class Award” is a minimum of 90 points. Minimum of 6 QSLs needed.
FIRST: If you have confirmed QSOs with each of Andaman, Nicobar, Lakshadweep and Minicoy Is Groups, THREE of the Coastal Island groups,and two Indian Antarctic QSOs, activated till the date of your application,with over 120 points,you get “FIRST Class Award”. Minimum of 9 QSL cards needed.
EXCELLENCE: If you have confirmed QSOs with EACH of Andaman, Nicobar, Lakshadweep and Minicoy Is Groups, FOUR of the Coastal Island groups,and two Indian Antarctic QSOs, activated till the date of your application, you get “EXCELLENCE Class Award”. Requirements, for this class is a minimum of 150 points. Minimum of 10 QSL cards are needed.
Award upgrade from one class to another, is by a new certificate and endorsement only. No stickers are available. In case, you qualify for FIRST class Award, there is no need to get the Basic and Second Class Awards.
AWARD MAILING: The award would be of “A4” size (210×297 mm), in multi-colour. From the experiences of many amateurs, it is seen that Postal Transit Losses and folding/mutilations are very common/frequent. To avoid this sort of a loss or mutilation, this award is issued in the ELECTRONIC FORM and sent to your E-mail Id, ready to be downloaded at your end, in “pdf” format.
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In the new millennium, activations of Coastal Island Groups like AS-169, AS-173 and
AS-199 were accomplished and the following operations have taken place from non-Coastal Island Groups:
VU4AN (Andaman Is) had 30 DX ops with VU calls and 39 VUs were also there from 17 April to 25 April 2006
VU7LD (Lakshadweep Is) had 20 plus VU operators in December 2007 operating from Kavaratti Is.
VU7MY (Minicoy) had 5 VU operators from 15th to 30th January 2007 from Minicoy Is
VU7RG (Lakshadweep Is) had DX operators working from Agatti, Bangaram, Kadamat Is; 15th to 25th January 2007,
VU4RG (Andaman) with German operators from 24 Oct to 03 Nov 2008
VU4MY (Andaman) with VU YLs VU2YAM and VU2BL from 24 Oct to 03 Nov 2008
VU7SJ (Lakshadweep- Agatti Is) with German and VU Ops from 24 Oct to 03 Nov 2008
VU7NRO (Lakshadweep- Kadamatt Is) with OM VU2UWZ and XYL VU2NIS team 24 Oct to 03 Nov 2008
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PROOF OF QSOs/QSLs: Scanned copies of QSLs are to be E-mailed, to The Awards Manager, for scrutiny to “VU2UR@)rediffmail.com”,or “Manohar_arasu@yahoo.co.in”.
Award Fee is 7 latest IRCs or Bank’s Demand Draft for 7 US$ 0r 5 Euros to be sent to VU2UR’s postal address(by Registered post only, as the pilfereage in postal transit is TOOmuch).Green Stamps are NOT to be sent under any circumstance, by mail.
Those applying for other than,Basic Award, like Second, First and Excellence class, without applying for the Basic Award, the fee is 10 latest IRCs, or 10 US$ or 5 € only
Second Series of VU Awards from VU2UR.
The first series of Six Awards contained: SAARC Award, Himalaya-Hind Sagar Railway Award,
VU-10 Million PIN points Award; World Heritage-India Award; ANNILAMICI Award and
Worked VUFF Award. The interest shown by the world of amateurs, is very encouraging.
The following seven awards in Electronic form, contain five simpler awards for working various
VU Islands, like VU4, VU7 and Coastal islands. The other two awards are for working
VU Amateur Radio Contesters and the City of Bengaluru.
No QSLs required. No date limit.All bands all modes including WARC bands OK.
Endorsement for single mode, single band can be given. Only Electronic Award. in “pdf or jpeg”
format will be mailed to your E-mail Id.
Please read the requirements of each award. Check from your VU log, and you may be
qualifying for more than ONE award. I request all of you to send your VU log to me first,
I will check your log and would notify you about the number of awards you can claim.
You can send ONE GCR list, claiming more than one award, after my checking your VU log.
If you are claiming more than three awards, the question of your sending the award fee, gets
easier. For those claiming less than three awards, IRC mode may be convenient.
The fee for 3 awards is 3 Euros; for 4 awards- 4 Euros; for 5 awards- 5 Euros.
For 6 or 7 Awards also –5 Euros only. This can be sent via Western Union transfer to the
following name and address, of giving full details the sender and his full address:
“B.L.Manohar”.
MIG-6, 80 Feet Road, KST, BANGALORE 560060, India.
My E-mail Id is vu2ur2009@rediffmail.com
Please do not send any Green Stamps or Euros in snail mail, which are always stolen
in transit.
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1) Worked ANDAMAN ISLANDS Award (W A I AWARD)
Requirements: Work different Andaman Island stations as follows
For BASIC award- 4 different Andaman QSOs
For FIRST Class Award, 8 different Andaman QSOs and
For EXCELLENCE Class Award, 12 different Andaman QSOs.
Fee ONLY 2 IRCs. Submit GCR list.
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2) Worked ANDAMAN-NICOBAR ISLANDS Award (W A-N I AWARD)
Requirements: Work different stations from Andaman and Nicobar Islands
as follows:
For Basic Award, you need 4 different Andaman and 1 Nicobar QSO.
For First Class Award, you need 8 different Andaman and 1 Nicobar QSOs and
for Excellence Class, you need 12 different Andaman and 2 Nicobar QSOs.
Fee ONLY 2 IRCs. Submit GCR list.
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3) Worked LAKSHADWEEP ISLANDS Award (W L I AWARD)
Requirements: Work minimum of 3 different Lakshadweep(Laccadive) Stations
Fee ONLY 2 IRC. Submit GCR list.
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4) Worked LAKSHADWEEP-MINICOY ISLANDS Award (W L-M I AWARD)
Requirements: Work minimum of 3 different Lakshadweep(Laccadive) Stations
and 1 Minicoy Station.
.
Fee ONLY 2 IRC. Submit GCR list.
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5) Worked Coastal Islands of India ( WCII Award )
Requirements: Work minimum of 4 different QSOs covering at least 3 coastal Islands.
More than one QSO from the same island, but with a different call sign is OK
Fee ONLY 1 IRC. Submit GCR list.
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6) Worked VU Contesters Award (W VU C Award)
There is a new generation of VU amateur radio contesters. They are contesting
in CW, SSB, and Digital modes in various International Amateur Radio Contests.
Some of them are:
VU2TS, VU2PAI, VU2PTT, VU2MTT, VU3DMP,VU2SWS, VU2NKS, VU2NXM, VU3DJQ,
VU2LBW, VU2CDP,VU2BGS, VU2UR, VU2LYX, VU2RMS, VU2JOS, VU2NIS and others……
Requirement: Work any 3 different stations from the above list, in any one or
more Contests, (giving the name of the contest), or non-contest QSOs, too are valid.
No QSLs required. No date limit. All bands all modes OK.
Endorsement for single mode, single band can be given.
Fee ONLY 1 IRC. Submit GCR list.
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7) Worked BENGALURU Award (W BENGALURU Award)
The city of BENGALURU( a k a BANGALORE ) the capital city of the State of
Karnataka is known as the ELECTRONIC CITY or GARDEN CITY or SILICON CITY or
IT CITY of India. The city has over 1500 amateur licence holders QRV in
VHF/UHF/Satellite / CW/SSB/and Digital modes.
The very active stations from this city were/are:
VU2PTT, LBW, ZAP,WAP, RMS, BGS, GX (SK), IR(SK), MKP (SK), UR, LX, GUR, VNK,
LYX, LCI, JHM, FI, POP, GSM, 3GFF, 3ITI and others…..
Requirement: Work any 2 different stations from this city.
No QSLs required. No date limit.All bands all modes OK.
Endorsement for single mode, single band can be given.
Fee ONLY 1 IRC. Submit GCR list.