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KUALA LUMPUR: When the country’s first two climbers, Datuk M. Magendran and Datuk N. Mohanadas, set foot on the top of Mount Everest more than two decades ago, they communicated with walkie-talkies and had to wait more than 10 days to process the photos they took. . assumed the highest mountain in the world.
Now everything is fast and sophisticated. Following the success of Huawei and China Mobile in installing two 5G base stations on the mountain last April, climbers can now use various communication devices, including smartphones, and directly upload photos and videos of their trips with the device, up to an altitude of 6,500. meters.
Relating the nostalgic story of the Malaysia-Everest 97 Expedition, Magendran said that the expedition, led by (now deceased) Nor Ramlle Sulaiman, to the highest mountain in the world was equipped with the most advanced equipment at the time in an attempt to capture the 8,848 m high peak.
It included walkie-talkies, Inmarsat-B satellite phones supplied by Telekom Malaysia (TM), which also installed transmitters on top of Mount Kala Patthar, a 5,643 m high mountain near Everest, to facilitate communication between climbers and The Everest. Base Camp (EBC).
In addition, Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM), as the sponsor of the broadcast, also sent a team to install a mini-studio at EBC and install telecommunications equipment, such as a satellite dish for live broadcast from an altitude of 5,400 m.
Magendran, director of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Taman Sri Muda, Shah Alam, said that his team members also brought a barrel of AAA batteries, delivered by a battery company, as the expedition team needed to change the batteries in their walkie- talkie regularly.
“When it’s in such a cold condition, the battery power drops rapidly, so we have to constantly change or sometimes we wrap the battery in a blanket to make sure it’s not cold.
“Although we had six cameras when we were at the top, most of them were already jammed.
“At that time we were using a roll of film, so we couldn’t check if the photo taken was good or not. We had to go back to KL to send the films to the store for processing and whether the image is good or not.
“It is not like now, when we can know immediately if the photo we take is beautiful or not. In terms of communication, the team is now really sophisticated, ”he said during a climb with Bernama’s staff at Bukit Wawasan, nearby Puchong, recently.
Magendran, 57, said that as soon as he and Mohanadas reached the top of Everest on May 23, 1997, they contacted the radio base provided by the Malaysian team at Camp 2 (6,500 m) via from a walkie-talkie that then relayed the message to EBC.
From EBC, he said, RTM did a live broadcast, announcing the news that was highly anticipated by Malaysians at the time.
Unfortunately, the team was unable to speak with then-Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamad (now Tun), who was in London because the weather in the Himalayas was not good, he said.
Meanwhile, on reported congestion at the top of Mount Everest in recent years, Mohanadas said it was due to a lack of commitment from the Nepalese government to limit the number of people who climb Mount Everest each year.
According to him, more than 500 climbers risked their lives to stand on the highest peak of the mountain each year, compared to fewer than 200 climbers 20 years ago.
“Climbing activities have become popular now and many can afford it. The route of travel and climbing is indeed narrow and dangerous, when many are given permission, the situation will become congested to such an extent that climbers will have to queue to wait their turn.
“When there are too many people, it is quite difficult to stay safe in the event of a disaster such as an avalanche or bad weather. We were lucky enough to be able to spend an hour at the top in 1997, but now, climbers can only be at the top for a few minutes, ”said Mohanadas, who celebrated his 59th birthday last Monday.
To avoid frostbite when climbing high altitudes and in cold places, he advised climbers to always follow the instructions given by the authorities and wear high-quality, cold-resistant clothing.
Of the last 20 trainees, only 10 participants were selected to continue the Everest climbing mission with four climbers: Magendran, Mohanadas, Mohamed Fauzan Hassan and Gary Chong Kim Wah, arriving at camp 4 (last camp) at an altitude of 8,000 m. of level. before the two friends retired due to health factors. – Called
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