The Mangaluru Amateur Radio Club (MARC) collaborated with NITK’s System for Emergency Assistance, Response, and Communication Hub (SEARCH) and the NITK Amateur Radio Club Station (VU2REC) to take part in the National Field Day Contest organized by the Amateur Radio Society of India (ARSI). Held on January 25-26, the 31-hour event aimed to promote amateur radio while strengthening disaster communication capabilities.

Around 15 MARC members operated continuously from the SEARCH Ham Radio Centre at NITK under the Home Stations Category. The event drew college students, radio enthusiasts, and emergency responders, who witnessed live demonstrations showcasing the role of amateur radio in crisis situations. It also provided hands-on training for operators and volunteers.

The contest saw global participation, with over 30 countries contributing and 1,000 logs recorded. Founded in 1976 by U. Varadaraya Nayak and B. Mahabala Hegde, MARC has played a crucial role in disaster communication and international radio events like CQWW, CQ WPX, and JOTA.

NITK’s SEARCH, a state-of-the-art communication system, ensures seamless connectivity during disasters. Equipped with UHF/VHF/HF radio stations and autonomous rescue vehicles, it supports emergency response and serves as a training hub for professionals and students.

The event was led by Prof. K.V. Gangadharan (VU2TAO), Prof. U. Pruthviraj, and MARC President Vishnumoorthy (VU2VTI).