NEWS RELEASE

International Amateur Radio Union
P.O. Box 310905
Newington, CT 06131-0905 USA
FAX: +1 860 594 0259
E-Mail: iaru@iaru.org

5 September 2000

For immediate release

IARU Administrative Council Meets

The Administrative Council of the International Amateur Radio Union met on 3-4 September 2000 in Darwin, Australia, following the 11^th Conference of IARU Region 3. The meeting was the second of two to be held this year. The first was held in April to prepare final instructions for the IARU delegation to the ITU World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC) which was held in Istanbul from 8 May to 2 June 2000. The principal business at the Darwin meeting was to begin preparations for WRC-2003, which has several items of importance to the amateur services on its agenda.

At its Darwin meeting the Administrative Council took the following actions:

1. The Council thanked the IARU WRC-2000 delegation for its diligent work in Istanbul on behalf of amateur radio.

2. The WRC-2003 agenda items of relevance to the amateur and amateur-satellite services were identified and reviewed. They include harmonization of amateur and broadcasting allocations near 7 MHz, possible revision of Article S25 of the international Radio Regulations, consequential changes to terms and definitions in Article S1, review of provisions concerning the formation of amateur call signs, additional allocations for Little LEO satellites, study of a possible allocation to the Earth-exploration satellite service near 430 MHz, and possible identification of globally harmonized frequency bands for use by agencies and organizations dealing with public protection and disaster relief.

3. A five-member core delegation for WRC-2003 was appointed and was given responsibility for preparation for WRC-2003 agenda items relating to 7 MHz.

4. The ITU meetings at which IARU representation will be required for the coming year were identified and the recommendations of the President and International Secretariat with regard to representatives to attend these meetings were accepted.

5. The Council noted the update on the progress towards its policy of transferring into an ITU-R Recommendation the operational and technical qualifications for an amateur license and acknowledged the input of Region 1 member-societies and the Region 3 Conference on the subject. This input will be taken into account in the formulation of further IARU input on the subject to ITU Working Party 8A.

6. The present and anticipated future requirements for radio spectrum allocations to the Amateur and Amateur-Satellite Services were reviewed, updated, and approved, with special emphasis on the frequencies in the upper part of the spectrum.

7. An updated Action Plan for the development of support for Amateur Radio in Africa was reviewed and approved. The Plan includes several courses in Amateur Radio Administration to be taught under the joint sponsorship of the ITU and the IARU.

8. A budget for 2001-2003 was adopted as submitted by the International Secretariat. The budget includes provision for financial contributions from the three regional organizations to defray a portion of the expenses that are assumed by the International Secretariat. The Council expressed its appreciation to the International Secretariat for contributions well above and beyond its constitutional obligations in support of the IARU.

9. The International Secretariat was asked to prepare a document highlighting the need for radio amateurs to support the IARU through membership in their member society in order to protect the amateur spectrum and to maintain the vitality of the Amateur Services.

10. The report of the Committee on IARU Structure and comment from the Region 3 Conference were received and noted. The topic of possible constitutional changes to the IARU structure remains open for further consideration.

11. The Council expressed its thanks to the IARU Monitoring System International Coordinator, Bob Knowles, ZL1BAD, and his colleagues for their continued excellent service to the amateur community.

12. The theme for World Amateur Radio Day, 18 April 2001, was selected as "Providing Disaster Communications: Amateur Radio in the 21st Century." The selection of this theme was based on two considerations: To assist in dispelling the notion held by some members of the public that technological changes have bypassed and diminished the future role of the amateur services, and to reaffirm the importance of amateur radio as a resource to help mitigate the effects of disasters by providing communications to aid humanitarian efforts.

13. The next scheduled meeting of the Council will be held in Guatemala on 6-8 October 2001, immediately after the Conference of IARU Region 2.

The members of the Administrative Council are IARU President Larry Price, W4RA; Vice President David Wardlaw, VK3ADW; Secretary David Sumner, K1ZZ; and regional representatives Lou van de Nadort, PA0LOU; Tim Hughes, G3GVV; Tom Atkins, VE3CDM; Rod Stafford, W6ROD; Fred Johnson, ZL2AMJ; and Yoshiji Sekido, JJ1OEY. Peter Naish, VK2BPN, Reinaldo Szama, LU2AH, and Karl Voegele, DK9HU, were invited to be present as observers for their respective regional organizations.