Hello, hello! Low-powered radio is one of the few technologies even the poor can afford. It's also about the easiest medium to create content for. In the midst of all the FLOSS talk, there was space at Asia Source for some other (non-software) relevant technology or two.

These points were made by Dr Arun Metha today, when he showed Asia Source participants how it was possible to build a simple FM transmitter with inexpensive components.

"Speech is natural. It is efficient. It's five times faster than typing, and ten times faster than writing. It's flexible. We don't have to touch or see anything to create speech. For people like the blind whom I work with this is the only option," he said, paraphrasing the words of Victor Zae.

Dr Metha, an electrical engineer and computer scientist who has studied in India's prestigious IIT (Indian Institute of Technology) network, has been one India's early telecom- and cyber-activists.

He whipped out the tiny radio transmitter that he had hacked together. "(To be effective) we need to be able to make a radio station anywhere where a radio or TV is being repaired with easily available parts. This is not rocket science," he said, as his demo took by surprise those attending his talk.

Audio, he pointed out, is far more democratic than other media. You don't need to be terribly well educated to make your point. "Trade unions and women in bazaars can also make their voices heard," he said.

Metha's low-powered transmitter has a broadcast range of just half-kilometre. He also discussed the possible relationship between the Internet and radio.

He pointed out that the Indian laws allow for 50 milliwatts cordless microphones to be used, but not for low-powered radio transmitters of the same strength. "If the President of India can use this technology, why can't poor women in a village do the same thing (to share useful information)?" he questions.

Patrice Riemens narrated experiences from Europe, with radio. Other participants from Indonesia mentioned how they had set up one during the recent tsunami disaster.

Says Metha: "My current passions include village radio and software for the handicapped." He has written the eLocuter software, to meet the communication needs of the noted scientist Professor Stephen Hawkings. See http://radiophony.com/html_files/download2.html for software details and for an article see http://www.expresscomputeronline.com/20040607/indiacomputes01.shtml

Metha's websites are at http://www.indataportal.com, http://www.holistic.com and http://www.radiophony.com -- the last contains plans for building a low-cost radio transmitter.

Other useful free radio links: http://www.freeradio.org/ Free Radio Berkeley

http://www.google.co.in/search?hl=en&q=freeradio&btnG=Search&meta= Links via Google.com