The genesis of the Radio Society of Sri Lanka

Cecil de Mel

The Radio Society of Sri Lanka (RSSL) existed as an as association since 1950, but it was a very closed group and membership was restricted only to invitees. That was entirely due to its colonial past, as it was started by the white planters who wanted to contact Colombo, at a time when telephone communications were not advanced and one had to wait sometimes up to eight hours for a trunk call.

Licenses to operate and call signs were given to white men and others of social standing with links to the white rulers. After World War II, things began to change, as war surplus equipment, unused and in their original packing, began to be available on the pavements, at unbelievable prices. Our veterans say that a Colins transceiver could be bought for 50 rupees and 807 valves at a mere five cents each.

This created an avenue for locals to take an interest in radio, firstly as short wave listeners, which led to experiments in transmitting. But it was still illegal to operate without a valid license and call sign. This was the biggest obstacle, as membership of the society was by invitation, although by then an examination structure was in place.

An entrant had to pass the technical examination, pass a Morse Code test in sending and receiving at 12 words per minute, after which a security clearance was mandatory, before considering you for the grant of a license and call sign.

Those were the hurdles before us and many who had licenses obliquely prevented others from getting it, by restricting access to the fraternity of radio hams. There have even been instances of petitioning against some who had passed the examinations, on grounds of social standing and family backgrounds and alleged connections with anti – government organizations.

That was the background and various attempts even to register the Society were opposed by those opinion makers as it would have led to a demolition of their grip on the Society. As time went by things began to change with the arrival of the D A R C, (of West Germany) Who conducted a 21 day residential course in Electronics & Amateur Radio, at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute.

I had the fortune to participate in this course and many others at different levels of competence received certificates. Still, we had to pass the technical examinations conducted by the Telecommunications Department, in order to receive our licenses. That was the situation in 1978, when I received my 4S7CD call sign.

From 1980 to 1984, I was employed at the Bahrain National Gas Company, ‘BANAGAS’ Bahrain, and obtained a reciprocal license and call sign A9XDH / A92DH. I can remember picking up a brand new 807 transmitting valve from the Junk box of ARAB, for future experimentation with older devices, which became very useful later on

Sometime in 1990, when OM Ernie 4S7EP became President, he persuaded me to take an active part in RSSL. I was appointed Treasurer, and assigned the task of Incorporating RSSL as a legal entity. Some say that he roped me in to provide him transport for attending meetings as by that time I had a four wheeler.

It took one whole year to deliberate on every clause, letter, comma, and full-stop to reach achieve a unanimous consensus, and that was the day I breathed a sigh of relief, as I had never toiled in this manner as a Chartered Company Secretary.

The opposition came not for want of skill or competence, but from the needs of some, with twisted minds to throw a spanner in the works and make it crash altogether. I had to steer clear of every such individual, or pressure group, and fortunately we had a long standing past President, OM John 4S7JA, who gave me every encouragement.

The final document of incorporation was greatly acclaimed as a perfect blueprint for future expansion of the amateur service, by professional observers. I have taken all steps to record accurately what took place after 1999, when Ranjit 4S7RR ceased to be President.