JOTA - Asia Pacific Region 2008, Johor Bahru

JOTA APR (Jamboree on the air - Asia Pacific Region) for Johor Bahru was held on 2nd & 3rd AUG 2008 at S.K. Princess Elizabeth (School for Blind). This activity held annually on the first weekend in August.
On the first day, every Hams are helping to set up the systems & also the VHF & HF antenna at the JOTA base JB.

Yaesu FT-920 HF radio set and MD-200 Dynamic Microphone

Yaesu FT-225RD 2m All Mode Transceiver & Antenna Tuner

Scouts from different schools around Johor Bahru started to visit this JOTA event since nine o'clock morning. Once they registered, 9W2BUG - Jaya (Assistant Director of JOTA) will start to short briefing on the theory of the HAM Radio and what is about JOTA.

9W2BDX (Right) - Director of JOTA, Secretary Of Training for Federation Of Scouts Malaysia, Johor Bahru District

Then all of them are going to the area where all the Ham Radios are ready for them to make contact (through the air) with others scout in different country .

9W2BUG & 9W2DAL (Daniel) busy tuning on the radio....

9W2TSK - Kumar & 9W2DAL

The HF Frequency to transmit & receive

That's the time we - Ham's member start to assist them. Take turns to guide them slowly to make contact through the air by using the VHF & HF radio frequency. The VHF radio was link through the Echolink Gateway and communicates with other state or other country within the Asia Pacific Region.

9W2BUG explain about the ITU Region to the Junior & Senior Scouts

Final check on the VHF Radio

9W2BUG in action!

9W2DAL - Daniel in action!

9W2TSK - Kumar guide the Junior & Senior group of scouts


9W2JJR - Philip handling the Simplex session for the junior.

Every ham members were busy, and we wish there will be more ham to help us during that moment!

Every scout has to make at least one or two contact to anyway during the practice. There were around 60 scouts participated during the event.

Now, the Main Attraction of the Day!
A boy was very excited to touch on the radio.....join us chatting....tuning & listen to the radio signal! He like to experience the Base & handheld radio too!
His passion of learning is very much better than other kids I meet before......

Listen very carefully on the handheld set....

9W2TSK was kind enough to taught him how to listen to music from his mobile, and he was patiently touch the phone and told us that - It's a 3G phone!! (I cannot understand how he can touch the 3G....)

He took only about 5-10 minutes to master the step-by-step to switch on the music from the phone! Excellent! Isn't it? We are really admire his talent and passion!!

After he knows the step, he quietly walked to the area where not too noisy and enjoy the music of the phone.......

His name is "Meng Hong". He's blind......

The event end on Sunday 6pm, 3rd AUG 2008.

Related post :-
* The First School for Blind in Malaysia (1949), Johor Bahru

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The First School for Blind in Malaysia (1949), Johor Bahru

SK Princess Elizabeth. (First School for the blind in Malaysia) (N1°28.036' E103°44.467') It's located just behind the Aloha Tower Condo, Johor Bahru.
This school was built since 1949 and officially open on 1953 by Princess Elizabeth. That was before the independent of Malaysia.

Photo of Princess Elizabeth

We visited this school because of the coming JOTA meeting. It's really an eye opener for us!

The school also provide hostel for the blind students. There are 3 category within them. B1 - Totally blind, B2 - Partially blind, be able to see objects but very blur, B3 - Able to see things in very close distance (less than 20cm).

The stage of the hall

The Hall

The small field in the school

Canteen

The classroom

The Hostel

Also give me a chance to touch on the "Perkins Brailler" which is kind of typewriter for the blind.




We experience their life over here, the way they read, the way they live.......and also explore this very Old school in Malaysia.

She is using the Brailler for her homework

I had a chance to talk to one the boy over there. He love to touch anything that he never touch it before. His ear is extremely sensitive! I believe that's the nature of all the blinds. By the way, he's friendly.....and we ask him about his life in the school, his answer : "I'm very Happy staying over here! I feel secure here and I know everything here...." (He is belong to B1 category....) We just tell him that, we will be back in one week time........

Below pictures shows the way the B3 student study......do you notice the camera below the monitor?


Even the school located in the middle of JB town, but the surrounding environment is green by trees.....


Related post :-
* JOTA - Asia Pacific Region 2008, Johor Bahru

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Estuary of Danga River (Sg. Danga), Johor Bahru

This place where I'm standing (N1°28.905' E103°42.737') is located at the back of the Danga View Apartment. It's also just beside Danga Bay of Johor Bahru.

There's a new bridge under construction now at the place I took this pictures. Once it's ready, the road from Danga Bay will be connect to the Iskandar Malaysia Development at Gelang Patah. The bridge will really cut down the traveling time from JB town to Gelang Patah.

Opposite of Danga Bay

Facing south, behind the trees.....there's Singapore.

The purpose of visiting this area is to capture some nice photos before the nature GONE. You can see from the pictures, it's really calm & peaceful for the moment....hmm...will all this beautiful scene remain after the bridge complete or gone forever....?!

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PIKOM PC Fair II 2008, Johor Bahru

The 2nd PC Fair organized by PIKOM was held at the same place - Persada Johor (Johor International Convention Center) on 2nd & 3rd August, 2008.

We visited there around 2pm. The crowd as usual, PACKED!!

This time I saw the demand of the GPS in the PC Fair. There about 5-6 booths promoting the GPS devices.....And I only remember that the Garmin Nuvi 200 was selling at MYR888.00 and MYR868.00.


Price war as usual, I was attracted by the price of LCD monitor - 22' LCD Monitor cost only MYR780.00.
Recently, I noticed that the fair doesn't only computers & accessories....but, the LCD TV (consumer products), CCTV cameras & Digital cameras also took part in the fair.


We spotted some new products in the fair too! Like Mini Solar Charger for all 5V devices.....selling at MYR138.00 & MYR198.00.(I doubt the reliability.....)

MP5?? Huh? New product?.....hmm....not really, they named it because the device be able to play the real media format only.....

Linux Ubuntu Operating System!! The ONLY computer in the fair!!

This was the first time where digital cameras accessories also participated in the fair!

And also the LOVELY Promoter of the booth...

And.....when I walked pass this HP printer booth, she just smile at me!

Beside the main hall, there were the War between the there major Internet Services Provider....TMNET, CELCOM & MAXIS.



But most of the promoters are having limited knowledge about 3G......

Related post :-
* PC Fair III 2007, Johor Bahru
* Computer Fair 2008 at Landmark Mall, Johor Bahru

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