The IARU E-Letter, Number 5
January 2007

WRC-07, REGION 2 CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHT IARU'S NEW YEAR

The IARU activity calendar for 2007 is dominated by the continuing preparations for the 2007 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-07) of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), culminating at the WRC itself in Geneva October 22 - November 16.

The next major world event associated with the WRC is the Conference Preparatory Meeting (CPM) in Geneva, February 19 - March 2. The CPM will finalize the technical report that will guide the WRC delegates' work. The CPM Report, the drafting of which has occupied several of the Working Parties of the ITU's Radiocommunication Sector for the past three years, sets out background information on each WRC agenda item, various methods of addressing the agenda items, and the advantages and disadvantages of each. The inclusion or exclusion of single words in the draft CPM Report has been the topic of spirited debate, which no doubt will continue at the CPM.

The IARU will be represented at the CPM by President Larry Price, W4RA and Technical Representative Ken Pulfer, VE3PU. Other Amateur Radio representatives will be present on national delegations.

Additionally, regional and national preparatory meetings leading up to WRC-07 are continuing. The three regional organizations of the IARU are responsible for participating in the work of the regional telecommunications organizations, including but not limited to CEPT (Europe), ATU (Africa), CITEL (the Americas), and APT (Asia-Pacific). Domestic preparations are the responsibility of the IARU member-societies in the respective countries.

The agenda items of particular interest to the amateur services involve allocations in the 4-10 MHz range, a possible secondary allocation to the amateur service at 136 kHz, the modification of footnotes to the Table of Frequency Allocations, and the selection of agenda items for future WRCs, the next of which is tentatively slated for 2011.

Another major event for the IARU in 2007 is the triennial conference of IARU Region 2 in Brasilia, September 9-14. The 16^th General Assembly of IARU Region 2 will bring together representatives of IARU member-societies from throughout the Americas to discuss matters of mutual interest and to elect officers for the next three years. Information about the conference will be posted at the Region 2 Web site, http://www.iaru-regionii.org/ as it becomes available.

NEW IARU REGION 3 DIRECTORS MEET

The IARU Region 3 Directors newly appointed at the Bangalore Conference in August 2006 met for two intensive days of meetings in Tokyo on December 5-6, hosted by the Japan Amateur Radio League. The Directors are Chairman Michael Owen VK3KI, Shizuo Endo, JE1MUI, Peter Lake, ZL2AZ, Gopal Madhavan, VU2GMN and Joong-Guen Rhee, HL1AQQ.

WRC-07 was the most important immediate issue addressed by the Directors. While the IARU can only have observer status because it is not an administration, the importance of IARU Region 3 participating in the preparation activities of the Asia- Pacific Telecommunity (APT) was recognized.

The Directors decided to submit a further Information Paper and to send two Directors, Peter Lake and Shizuo Endo, to the next APT Conference Preparatory Group Meeting for WRC-07 in Bangkok in January 2007. In the longer run, it was decided to explore the means by which IARU Region 3 could achieve an ongoing status in the APT similar to the IARU's status in the ITU.

Among many other decisions taken by the Directors was one that individual Directors would take particular responsibility for particular activities of the Region. The budget was revised, and the working procedures of the Region were reviewed. Participation in the IARU Administrative Council, particularly the next meeting in May 2007, was reviewed and attendance agreed. Better methods of communicating with member- societies and amateurs generally were explored in depth.

In closing the meeting the Chairman acknowledged the meaningful contributions that had been made by all of the Directors, the Secretary and Assistant to the Secretary to the work of the meeting, and the harmonious and constructive way the various issues had been addressed.

(From IARU Region 3 News Release by Michael Owen, VK3KI)

GAREC-07 SCHEDULED

The Global Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Conference (GAREC) started as an initiative of IARU Region 1. In 2005, Seppo Sisatto, OH1VR, now IARU Region 1 Emergency Communications Coordinator, organized the first meeting in Tampere, Finland - the "Capital of Emergency Telecommunications." It was here that in 1998 the United Nations and the International Telecommunication Union convened an intergovernmental conference, ICET-98, which adopted the "Tampere Convention." This international treaty facilitates the use of telecommunications in humanitarian assistance, and made "Tampere" known throughout the telecommunications community. Conferences on the same subject were held in the following years. In 2006 GAREC met in Tampere for the second time, now in connection with the International Conference on Emergency Communications, ICEC-2006 and the UN Working Group on Emergency Telecommunications.

Right from the beginning, GAREC was an ambitious project - as the "G" in its acronym indicates. And the "global" expectations were not too high: In both years, all three IARU Regions were represented. Following the suggestions made in 2005 and 2006, we therefore looked for possibilities to rotate the event between the IARU Regions. Reviewing the various proposals we received for 2007 and 2008, the participants of the first two events agreed to accept the offer from Region 2.

We are therefore glad to announce that GAREC-07 will take place in Huntsville, Alabama, USA on August 16-17, the Thursday and Friday just before the annual Huntsville Hamfest and of this year's ARRL National Convention, both on the weekend of August 18-19. This combination of date and venue will for many participants facilitate the participation, just as in Region 1 the annual "HamRadio" in Friedrichshafen, Germany gave an additional incentive at least for most of the participants from outside Europe.

The agenda of GAREC-07 will focus mainly on the topics discussed in Tampere. Most of all, GAREC wants to be a forum for the exchange of information. Many IARU member-societies and specialized emergency communications groups have developed and implemented emergency concepts. Many others want to benefit from their technical, operational and, not the least, their administrative or even "political" experiences when establishing the necessary cooperation with partners in emergency and disaster response. GAREC also developed new concepts, such as the "Center of Activity Frequencies," meanwhile adopted by IARU Region 1 and 3 conferences.

The review of advanced, digital technologies and their applications to emergency telecommunications will be an additional element for GAREC-07. The ARRL Alabama Section is the leader in respect to D-STAR repeater systems, activities and users, and has offered to share this know-how with us. APRS is another capability of the Amateur Radio Services, and a demonstration of this system's capabilities found much interest among the delegates of the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference in Turkey last November. Echolink and e-QSO are yet more such tools, and specialized groups have developed emergency applications for these modes. More technologies are being developed or have become available already. The two days in August will be packed with practical information, and experts will arrange demonstrations of the capabilities of 21^st century ham radio!

Details for GAREC-2007 are now being worked out. First information, also about its venue and the related events, is available at www.arrl-al.org/GAREC07.htm and on the links from there to the sites of the Huntsville Hamfest and the ARRL National Convention sites. Another place to start is www.iaru.org/emergency/ from where links also give access to the presentations and the proceedings of GAREC-05 and GAREC-06. The sites will be updated as more information also about registration becomes available.

See you in Huntsville in August! - Hans Zimmermann, F5VKP / HB9AQS
IARU International Coordinator for Emergency Communications

AMATEUR RADIO SHOWCASED AT TELECOM WORLD 2006

With considerable and invaluable assistance provided by members of the Hong Kong Amateur Radio Transmitting Society (HARTS), the IARU organized an exhibit stand at Telecom World 2006 in Hong Kong, December 4-8. ARRL Technical Relations Specialist Walt Ireland, WB7CSL managed the stand, which was also manned by IARU Vice President Tim Ellam, VE6SH, on behalf of the IARU International Secretariat.

Tim Ellam reports, "Our attendance at ITU Telecom World 2006 is very beneficial to IARU. It allows us to have a presence at the largest event for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) companies at minimal cost. We have the ability to liaise with many top ITU officials, members of various governmental administrations, as well as some of the leading ICT players. It also provides an opportunity to explain the Amateur Radio Service to the attendees and to connect with amateurs who are involved in ICT in some capacity.

"I cannot personally say enough good things about the assistance we had from HARTS. This IARU member-society provided yeoman service to IARU and they are to be commended for making our presence at ITU Telecom World 2006 a success. I was also impressed with the young, vibrant membership of HARTS (almost 200 members) and their role in providing communications for public service events throughout the region."

Until next month,

Sincere 73,

David Sumner, K1ZZ
Secretary, IARU