The Calendar

New IARU Leadership Team Takes Office

As reported in Calendar No. 177, the member societies have overwhelmingly ratified the election of Dr. Larry E. Price, W4RA and Dr. David Wardlaw, VK3ADW as president and vice president, respectively, of the IARU for the five-year term that began May 9.

Upon taking office, President Price offered these words to the member societies of the Union:

Next year the IARU will reach the mark of being 75 years old. This is a significant anniversary and many of your Societies will no doubt participate in plans for formal observances that will make it a date to remember. Those forward thinking amateurs of 1925 who planted the seeds that have flourished into the Union we know today could not have imagined the complexity of the telecommunications world of the 21st century nor the myriad of problems we face. While it is good to recall our beginnings and the glorious history of amateur radio, we must not rest on past deeds.

If there is to be another future anniversary celebration of IARU, we must all work together now in a spirit of harmony and cooperation. The challenges we face in the competition for spectrum are great and growing. Let us put aside for the moment any differences that are based on geography or other facts and face the commercial competitors with a united front. If we do not do this, I fear that Little Leo satellites, fixed wireless access, HF broadcasting, wireless telephony and other new systems will eat away at the frequencies presently allocated to the amateur services. And they have a big appetite! I pledge to work with the other officers of the Union and with your regional executive to continue the fight to preserve and protect our vital spectrum resource.

/s/ Larry, W4RA

Vice President Wardlaw contributes the following additional observations:

I would like to thank the member societies of the IARU for showing their confidence in me by ratifying my election as their vice president.

I have always been aware of the importance of the IARU and its role in the representation of amateurs throughout the world. It is a great honour to be chosen to play a part in leading the IARU into the new millennium.

There have been many changes in the world since the IARU was formed 74 years ago. We are now in the Information Technology Age. What was seen as magic to the man in the street all those years ago is now commonplace. Radio communications are no longer a mystery under the command of a few. In the past, amateurs were amongst those few, attracted to the challenge of the early technology and contributing to its advancement. Today, the IARU needs to reassess the amateurs' role in the total radio communications field.

The basic objectives of the IARU are the same as those of its member societies: the promotion of amateur radio, the maintenance of its technical and operational basis, the defence of amateur frequencies and privileges, and the representation of amateur radio to the rest of the community. As amateurs, in the global village, it is essential that we be unified in our objectives. A critical look at the structure and financing of the IARU has already been initiated.

I look forward to continuing dialogue on the many subjects of concern and interest to amateur societies throughout the world, with a desire to achieving mutually satisfactory results.

/s/ David Wardlaw, VK3ADW

The IARU Constitution provides that "The Secretary shall be designated by the International Secretariat and shall serve for a term determined by that member society." The election of Larry Price as president created a vacancy in the office of secretary. The ARRL Board of Directors has named David Sumner, K1ZZ, to this post.

Mr. Sumner previously served as IARU Secretary from 1982 until the end of 1988. He comments:

The tasks facing the IARU are much more complex now than during my previous term of office. In 1988 there were 126 IARU member societies; now there are 148. Many of our member societies face internal challenges including declining membership, scarce financial resources, and a shortage of qualified volunteers. At the same time our principal function, the protection and expansion of radio amateurs' access to the spectrum, has become far more difficult and demanding.

As Secretary I will do my best to provide all necessary support to the Administrative Council and the IARU as we work together to meet these challenges.

/s/ David Sumner, K1ZZ

World Telecommunication Day

Each year on May 17, the International Telecommunication Union celebrates World Telecommunication Day. This year's theme, Electronic Commerce, accentuates the great change that has occurred in the ITU's orientation during the past decade. As has become traditional, the IARU offered greetings and congratulations on the occasion to ITU Secretary-General Yoshi Utsumi:

Dear Mr. Secretary-General:

On behalf of the world's nearly three-million-strong community of radio amateurs, it is my pleasure and privilege to convey greetings and congratulations to you on the occasion of World Telecommunication Day, May 17.

This year's theme, Electronic Commerce, reminds us of how dramatically the world of telecommunications and the ITU itself have changed in the past decade. Bringing the benefits of electronic commerce to all corners of the world is a major challenge, worthy of the best efforts of the ITU and its members.

It also reminds us that no matter how important electronic commerce becomes, there must always be a place for those whose interest in radiocommunication is non-commercial. By definition, the motivation of radio amateurs is to pursue knowledge of and excellence in the art and science of radio for its own sake, not for pecuniary interest -- yet, radio amateurs have contributed significantly to the technical advances that make electronic commerce possible. The knowledge and skills that one develops in the pursuit of an avocation can be enormously beneficial to one's employer and to society as a whole.

We of the IARU look forward to working with you during your term of office.

Sincerely,

David Sumner, K1ZZ
Secretary

Y2K -- Problem or Opportunity for Amateur Radio?

A lot has been written about the so-called "Y2K" computer problem. It is a serious issue for telecommunications network administrators, who must worry not only about their own systems but also about the systems to which they interconnect.

As reported in April 1999 QST, page 57, the ARRL staff surveyed the manufacturers of Amateur Radio equipment and found they were very confident that their equipment will not be affected. In other words, when January 1, 2000 rolls around, our transceivers will continue to function normally. Most software also will continue to work, although there are some exceptions.

While no one can predict with certainty whether serious disruptions of the infrastructure will occur as a result of Y2K, the possibility of disruptions does exist and we should be prepared. IARU member societies should advise their members to:

1. Have an auxiliary power source (and fuel) available and ready in the event of the loss of commercial power;
2. Have a few days' supply of fresh water, food, flashlight batteries, etc. set aside;
3. Know the frequencies and times of emergency nets; and
4. Remind civil preparedness officials that if normal communications are lost or overloaded, the Amateur Radio Service is prepared to render assistance.

Here are some useful Web resources on the Y2K issue:

International Telecommunication Union: http://www.itu.int/Y2K/

Microsoft: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/year2k/2kfaq/2kfaq01.htm

AMSAT: http://www.amsat.org/amsat/features/y2k_transition.html

Region 1 Conference Fast Approaching

In just four months, the member societies of IARU Region 1 will travel to Lillehammer, Norway, for their triennial General Conference. The Region 1 Executive Committee met in Lillehammer in April and inspected the facilities, which appear to be excellent. Our colleagues of the Norsk Radio Relæ Liga are working hard to make the conference a success.

The conference begins on 19 September and is scheduled to conclude on 24 September. Additional information can be found on the Web at: http://home.sol.no/~nrrl/iaru/

Late Votes on Proposals 229 and 230

Three more member societies cast votes on Proposals 229 and 230 that were not received until after the deadline for ballots. ARA (Algeria), PZK (Poland), and RCV (Venezuela) each voted in favor of both proposals.

Don't Forget the IARU HF World Championship!

One of the best opportunities to promote the IARU and your national member society on the air is the IARU HF World Championship, held on the second weekend of July each year. Your national headquarters station can provide competitors with up to 6 unique multipliers! Last year, the station of the Deutscher Amateur Radio Club, DA0HQ, made 12,568 contacts in the 24-hour contest period and was followed closely by the Czech Radio Club, OL8HQ, and the Slovak Amateur Radio Association, OM8HQ. Two dozen other national headquarters stations also reported participating, along with the IARU club station, NU1AW, and six members of the IARU Administrative Council and/or regional executive committees.

The rules for the 1999 event are enclosed. Past results, rules, and other information can be found at: http://www.iaru.org/contest.html.

Other Enclosures

Also enclosed with this Calendar are the following:

Updated list of IARU member societies. Please note that this list is available at the IARU Web site and is kept up to date at: http://www.iaru.org/iaru-soc.html.

Updated list of IARU QSL bureaus. Similarly, this list is maintained at: http://www.iaru.org/iaruqsl.html.

Status Summary of Radio Amateurs & Amateur Stations of the World, 31 December 1998 edition. We will be updating the Status Summary with information collected from the 1999 Society Annual Report Form that accompanied Calendar No. 177. If you have not yet completed and returned this form, please do so as soon as possible.

Sincerely,

David Sumner, K1ZZ
Secretary