The Calendar
| The Year In Review: Beijing Conference, WRC Highlight 1997 |
The Region 3 Conference in Beijing and preparations for the 1997 World Radiocommunication Conference, WRC-97, were the focus of much IARU activity during the year.
The Region 3 Conference, the first to be held in the People's Republic of China, was well attended and successful. More than 100 representatives from 20 member-societies in Region 3 were present to discuss preparations for future WRCs, strategic planning for the regional organization, electromagnetic compatibility issues, the IARU Monitoring System, beacons, Amateur Radio Direction Finding, and many other topics. We were honored to have Mr. Robert W. Jones, VE3CTM, Director of the ITU Radiocommunication Bureau, present to share some important thoughts at the opening of the conference. The participants were most grateful for the hospitality and the excellent planning of our colleagues in the Chinese Radio Sports Association. We now look forward to the next Region 3 Conference, to be held in the year 2000 in Queensland, Australia.
The results of WRC-97 were reported in Calendar No. 173. While the conference took no decisions that seriously affect amateur allocations, the decisions reached with regard to future conference agendas have a major impact on our planning for the next two years. It is especially important to emphasize that our preparations with regard to two allocations issues, the provision of up to 6 MHz for the Earth Exploration-Satellite Service in the band 420-470 MHz and additional allocations below 1 GHz for the non-geostationary Mobile-Satellite Service, are already underway. We should also take this opportunity to correct an oversight in the report in Calendar No. 173. Among those representing Amateur Radio as an integral part of their national delegations, the names of Young-Soon Park, HL1IFM, and J. G. Rhee, HL1AQQ, should have been included.
IARU representation at ITU meetings and conferences on your behalf was not limited to WRC-97. Secretary Price attended meetings of the ITU Joint Working Party on Refinement and the Radiocommunication Advisory Group in March; Conference Preparatory Meetings in May and November; ITU-R Study Group 8 in June; and the Radiocommunication Assembly in October, all in Geneva.
For the first time in many years, 1997 saw no new member-societies admitted to the IARU. Because the IARU already includes nearly all of the countries in which there is an organized amateur radio presence, now numbering 146 active societies, opportunities for additional growth will occur only as the number of radio amateurs in additional countries grows to the point that they can form national organizations of their own. There are two such examples presented for your consideration in this Calendar.
| Tunisian Amateur Radio Club and Ethiopian Amateur Radio Society Apply for IARU Membership |
The Tunisian Amateur Radio Club (Association Tunisienne des Radioamateurs, or ASTRA) has applied for IARU membership. The Region 1 Executive Committee has examined the application and recommends that it be accepted.
The society was founded on March 10, 1997. ASTRA claims 27 contributing members, 12 of whom are licensed to transmit in the amateur service. The total number of licensed amateurs in Tunisia is 12.
The officers of ASTRA are: Mr. AZIZI Noureddine, President; Mr. SALHI Mohamed, Secretary General and IARU Liaison Officer; Mr. JLASSI Anas, Assistant Secretary General; Mr. MOHAMED Hedi Abida, Treasurer. The society's address is: B. P. No. 73, CP 2055 Bir El Bey, Tunis, Tunisia.
In compliance with the Bylaws pertaining to applications for membership the following proposal is presented to member-societies for consideration:
| Proposal No. 227 |
The Executive Committee of IARU Region 1 has forwarded to the Administrative Council an application for IARU membership submitted by the Tunisian Amateur Radio Club. Region 1 reports that it has examined the application and has found it to be in order, and so it has made a favorable finding with regard to the application. Therefore, in accordance with Bylaw 3, it is proposed that the Tunisian Amateur Radio Club be elected to membership.
The Ethiopian Amateur Radio Society (EARS) has also applied for IARU membership. The Region 1 Executive Committee has examined the application and recommends that it, too, be accepted.
EARS was founded in 1992. It claims 30 members, 17 of whom are licensed radio amateurs. The application states that there are 17 licensed radio amateurs in Ethiopia. Those having licensed stations in Ethiopia are primarily foreign nationals, but a number of Ethiopian nationals have passed the examinations for United Kingdom licenses, hold UK call signs, and are in the process of applying for licenses in their own country.
The chairwoman and IARU liaison is Miss Bitsiet Amare, G7VXK. Other officers include Miss Brucktawit Alula, G7VXJ, General Secretary; Ato Daniel Ashinef, Registration Secretary; Miss Deribe Alemayehu, M1CIL, Treasurer; Ato Bruck Alemayehu, G7VXG, Technical Manager; Ato Tesfaye Alemayehu, G7VXE, Publicity; and Ato Bakele Kidane, M1CIM, QSL Bureau. The society's address is: P.O. Box 60258, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
In compliance with the Bylaws pertaining to applications for membership the following proposal is presented to member-societies for consideration:
| Proposal No. 228 |
The Executive Committee of IARU Region 1 has forwarded to the Administrative Council an application for IARU membership submitted by the Ethiopian Amateur Radio Society. Region 1 reports that it has examined the application and has found it to be in order, and so it has made a favorable finding with regard to the application. Therefore, in accordance with Bylaw 3, it is proposed that the Ethiopian Amateur Radio Society be elected to membership.
Vote sheets for Proposals 227 and 228 and a return envelope are enclosed. The closing date for receipt by the International Secretariat of ballots on these proposals is five months from the date of issuance of this Calendar, or August 10, 1998.
| Other Enclosures |
Also enclosed with this Calendar is a Status Summary of Amateur Radio in each country of the world. Unlike earlier versions of this compilation, this one is not limited to official IARU information sources. Where recent information about Amateur Radio in a country was not available from a member-society, information from other sources has been included in order to provide the most complete picture possible.
Finally, you will also find a blank Annual Progress Report for 1998. It is important that you complete the form and return it to the International Secretariat as promptly as possible. Two return envelopes are enclosed, one for returning the Annual Progress Report and a second one for returning the vote sheets. A copy of your report will be sent from Newington to your regional secretariat.
Sincerely,
Larry E. Price, W4RA
Secretary
Enclosures: