A Visit to DC FM - Jose Jacob, VU2JOS

A Visit to DC FM - Jose Jacob, VU2JOS

A visit to DC FM- Jose Jacob, VU2JOS

I had the pleasure of visiting “Radio DC Community FM”, station operated by the DC School of Management and Technology (DCSMAT)some time back which is located in the sprawling 75 acre campus of KINFRA Film and VideoPark, Kazhakootam about 19 kms North of Thiruvanthapuram,the capital of KeralaState, South India.

Though I went there without any appointment, Mr.P.Saji Kumar, Project Coordinator of DC FM who was not available then, was nice enough to ask his colleagues to show me around.

The station operates on 90.4 MHz and was inaugurated on 6th January 2005. It is the first Community Radio Station in Kerala. It operates for 8 hours a day, from 8.00 am to 12.00 noon and 4.00 pm to 8.00 pm.

The programs are mostly prerecorded and I noticed that the station is switched on / off by security persons very promptly! During my visit, I watched with interest as the security person Mr.Vikraman switch on the transmitter, computer etc. and click the appropriate icon to start the correct program.

(The station "operator" Mr.Vikraman)

They use a50 watt Ramsay PX 50 Stereo transmitter made in USA with serial no. 2381. The antenna is a 5/8 wave omni directional antenna mounted on an iron pipe on the top floor. The studio and transmitter is located at the basement of a 4 storey building. There is a medium type studio with control room where programs are recorded at a stretch. There is another main control room where the transmitter is also located.

The other equipments that I found were Superscape PAC750 Cassette/CD/Audio Mixer, Yamaha OIV 96 Digital Mixing Control, Yamaha Natural Sound Stereo Amplifier AX-4967, Yamaha Mixing Console MG 12/4 FX. The station was installed by BECIL.

(The Ramsay PX 50 Stereo transmitter)

(The studio recording equipments – all Yamaha)

(The Antenna)

(The Studio/Transmitter is in the basement of this building)

(The DC FM Studio)

All the operations in the radio station are managed by the students of DCSMAT with support from the faculty. By contributing to the channel, the students gain knowledge and experience in broadcasting techniques. Also they get an opportunity to be of service to the community and to know and discuss issues faced by people. The local community members and the public also contribute to various programs in this channel.

The station is heardaround a20km radius, encompassing many villages along the shoreline, schools, clubs, women’s organizations and so on. Intended mainly for providing useful information and creating awareness on key topics through entertaining programs, this radio channel finds its audience in lower and middle class people and the villagers and fishermen in the locality. Theycover various topics such as social welfare, education, community development, current affairs, information technology, folk culture and entertainment.

Most of the programs are n Malayalam. There are some English programs also fromDeutsche Welle, Germany.

(Side view of the building with antenna on top)

Address:

RadioDC Community FM

DC School of Management and Technology (DCSMAT)

KINFRA Film and VideoPark

Kazhakootam

Thiruvanathapuram-695585, Kerala, India

Program Coordinator: Mr.P.Saji Kumar

Email:

Web:

Tel: 0471-3242103

Cell: 9846462525, 9846518971

Jose Jacob,VU2JOS, National Institute of Amateur Radio, Raj Bhavan Road, Hyderabad-500082, India. Email: