The IARU E-Letter, Number 2
October 2006

WRC-07 PREPARATIONS REACH IMPORTANT MILESTONE

September 15 was the deadline for the submission of draft text for the Conference Preparatory Meeting (CPM) Report to the 2007 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-07). The CPM will take place in Geneva from February 19 to March 2, 2007 to complete a report of several hundred pages concerning the regulatory, technical, operational and procedural matters to be considered at WRC-07, which in turn will be held in Geneva from October 22 to November 16.

Working Parties of the ITU Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R) have been hard at work drafting the text for which they are responsible. One of the more complex tasks has been the preparation of text for Agenda Item 1.13, concerning spectrum between 4 and 10 MHz, because -- as noted in IARU E-Letter Issue 1 -- four different Working Parties were responsible for various parts of the task.

The four Working Parties -- 6E, 8A, 8B, and 9C -- held overlapping meetings in Geneva during the period of September 5-15. This enabled the drafting work to be completed by a joint group chaired by Pekka Länsman of Finland. IARU representatives in the joint group were Ken Pulfer, VE3PU and David Sumner, K1ZZ.

During the meeting of WP 8A, its Working Group 1 chaired by Paul Rinaldo, W4RI (representing the ARRL on the US delegation) worked on several matters related to the amateur services. Draft CPM text was completed for Agenda Item 1.15, concerning a possible secondary allocation to the amateur service at 135.7-137.8 kHz. A Draft New Report on the role of the amateur and amateur-satellite services in disaster mitigation and relief was completed, approved by WP 8A and then adopted by Study Group 8 at its meeting September 20-21. Its temporary designation is Report ITU-R M.[AM-DISCO]. Some work also was done on a new ITU Handbook for the amateur services; it is hoped that work on the Handbook can be completed at the next meeting of WP 8A in June 2007.

IARU PARTICIPATES IN ITU DEVELOPMENT SECTOR

Another significant ITU meeting held in September was that of Study Group 2 of the ITU Telecommunication Development Sector (ITU-D). There is ongoing work in ITU-D SG 2 on communications in the event of disasters, including alerting and notification as well as mitigation after the fact. The IARU is recognized as a partner with the ITU in providing disaster communications; for example, see the brochure "Telecommunications Save Lives" at

http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/emergencytelecoms/publications.html.

IARU Vice President Tim Ellam, VE6SH/G4HUA represented the IARU at this year's meeting of SG 2. He notes, "The opportunity to participate in studies relating to disaster communication and to liaise with ITU staff made this a worthwhile meeting to attend."

IARU REGION 2 EC VISITS BUENOS AIRES

Over the years, the members of the IARU Region 2 Executive Committee have found it useful to hold their annual meetings in different countries in order to see for themselves how Amateur Radio is faring throughout The Americas. On September 4-5 the Region 2 EC met in Buenos Aires, Argentina and took the opportunity to meet with officials of Radio Club Argentino. The EC heard that problems with the Argentine economy in recent years have affected everyone in the country, but they also saw that enthusiasm among active radio amateurs remains high.

Support for IARU participation in WRC-07 occupied much of the EC's attention during the meeting. Region 2 has been active in CITEL's preparations for WRC-07 and will provide financial support for a member of the IARU WRC-07 team from Region 2. IARU President Larry Price, W4RA, attended the EC meeting on behalf of the IARU officers and International Secretariat, and thanked Region 2 for its support.

Plans for the next IARU Region 2 General Assembly, to be held in Brasilia on September 10-14, 2007, also were reviewed. More information will be forthcoming from Region 2 as the event approaches, but in the meantime all member-societies in Region 2 should "save the dates" and plan to attend this important regional conference!

ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCIL SUMMARY RECORD AVAILABLE

The IARU Administrative Council meets annually to coordinate the representation of the interests of amateur radio, provide liaison between the three IARU regional organizations and the International Secretariat, and conduct long-range planning. In 2006 the Council met in Bangalore, India right after the Region 3 Conference held there.

The Summary Record of the meeting is now available at

http://www.iaru.org/ac-0608min.html.

The Summary Records of all Administrative Council meetings since 1996 are available at http://www.iaru.org/admin-council-summaries.html.

ITU MARKS 100 YEARS OF INTERNATIONAL RADIO REGULATIONS

In 1906, the first International Radiotelegraph Conference gathered 29 maritime states in Berlin to sign the "International Radiotelegraph Convention" establishing the principle of compulsory intercommunication between vessels at sea and the land. The annex to that Convention contained the first regulations governing wireless telegraphy. Those regulations, which since have been expanded and revised by numerous radio conferences, are now known as the Radio Regulations of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), or simply as the Radio Regulations.

Originally occupying just 12 pages, the Radio Regulations now apply to frequencies ranging from 9 kHz to 400 GHz and incorporate more than 1,000 pages of information describing how the radio spectrum may be used and shared around the globe. The ITU notes that some 40 different radio services now compete for spectrum allocations to provide the bandwidth needed to extend services or support larger numbers of users.

In a release announcing celebrations in honor of the 100^th anniversary of the Radio Regulations, to take place in Geneva on October 30, the ITU Radiocommunication Bureau observed: "In 2006, the ITU membership has good reason to celebrate the centenary of the Radio Regulations. The World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC) process has been instrumental in providing for timely and effective international regulatory frameworks for the establishment of advanced new wireless services and applications, while safeguarding the interests and rights of existing radiocommunication users. One hundred years after 1906 we are witnessing innovative technological solutions using radio transmission setting the grounds for a wireless world."

Editorial comment: Even in those early days, the delegates recognized that the radio spectrum was a unique international resource and that the privilege of access carried with it great responsibilities. Radio - then known as wireless telegraphy - was a technological marvel at the beginning of the 20^th Century and in new forms continues to amaze at the beginning of the 21^st. The fact that the radio spectrum remains so useful is testimony to the success of the international regulatory regime that was inaugurated in Berlin. It didn't just happen; without the original guiding vision and the dedicated stewardship of subsequent generations of delegates to innumerable ITU conferences, the radio spectrum today might well be chaotic, polluted, and practically useless. The ITU and its Member States, and especially the Radiocommunication Bureau, are well deserving of accolades on this important anniversary.

More information on this historic observance may be found at

http://www.itu.int/ITU-R/information/promotion/100-years/index.html.

Until next month,

73,

David Sumner, K1ZZ
Secretary, IARU

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