23 August 2001

For immediate release

ITU ADOPTS RECOMMENDATION ON AMATEUR QUALIFICATIONS

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has adopted new Recommendation ITU-R M.1544, Minimum qualifications of radio amateurs. In consideration that certain minimum operational and technical qualifications are necessary for the proper operation of an amateur or amateur-satellite station, the document recommends that at minimum, any person seeking an amateur license should demonstrate theoretical knowledge of specific topics in the areas of radio regulations, methods of radiocommunication, radio system theory, radio emission safety, electromagnetic compatibility, and avoidance and resolution of radio frequency interference.

"The international Radio Regulations have long required that administrations take such measures as they judge necessary to verify the operational and technical qualifications of any person wishing to operate an amateur station," observed International Amateur Radio Union Secretary David Sumner, K1ZZ. "In anticipation of changes that are likely to be made in the amateur and amateur-satellite service regulations at the next World Radiocommunication Conference, the new Recommendation provides additional definition to these qualifications without reducing the prerogative of an administration to set its own standards."

M.1544 represents part of a multi-year effort by the International Amateur Radio Union to prepare for the 2003 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-03) agenda item to consider possible revision of Article S25 of the international Radio Regulations. This work was begun in 1996 with the release for public comment of a discussion paper by the IARU Future of the Amateur Service Committee (FASC). The final report of FASC in 1998 recommended that the IARU Administrative Council plan the development of such a Recommendation. The first draft text was submitted by the Radio Society of Great Britain to the 1999 Conference of IARU Region 1 in Lillehammer, Norway, and was subsequently refined by the Administrative Council and the 2000 Conference of IARU Region 3 in Darwin, Australia. IARU representatives guided the consideration of the Recommendation through ITU-R Working Party 8A, Study Group 8 and consultation with administrations, which resulted in additional refinements. The final version of the Recommendation was approved by the ITU administrations without objection.

"Having this Recommendation makes it possible to maintain an ITU document on amateur radio operator qualifications under cognizance of an ITU-R Study Group rather than the more cumbersome process of modifying Article S25 of the Radio Regulations," said IARU President Larry E. Price, W4RA. "The establishment of uniform minimum qualifications for amateur radio operators should help mutual recognition of amateur licenses for international roaming and particularly for cross-border movement of amateur operators for disaster communications."

ITU Recommendations are available from the ITU electronic bookshop: http://ecs.itu.ch/cgi-bin/ebookshop.

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