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
4 October 2004

For immediate release

The Administrative Council of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) held its annual meeting on 2-4 October 2004 in Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago, following the IARU Region 2 Conference held in the same location. The Council took the following actions:

1. Continuing the strategic planning initiative begun in 2003, a three-year plan for the development of support for amateur radio frequency allocations was adopted. The plan includes maintaining and increasing contact with regional telecommunications organizations by the IARU through its regional organizations.

2. IARU positions on agenda items for the 2007 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-07) were adopted. The IARU will seek an agenda item for a future conference looking toward a worldwide amateur allocation at 50 MHz, which is not presently available in all parts of the world.

3. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) meetings at which IARU representation will be required for the coming year were identified, and plans for representation were reviewed. The principal focus is on preparations for WRC-07.

4. The IARU officers were tasked with drafting a white paper to scope the environment and develop options for the long-term future role and structure of IARU.

5. Issues relating to the constitutions of the IARU and its regional organizations were also discussed, and it was agreed that these matters would be further considered when the work program initiated under item 4 is further advanced.

6. A resolution was adopted calling attention to the obligation of telecommunication administrations to take all practicable and necessary steps to avoid harmful interference to radiocommunication services from power and telecommunication distribution networks, including so-called Broadband over Power Line (BPL) systems that use the HF spectrum.

7. A working document describing the requirements for radio spectrum allocations to the amateur and amateur-satellite services was reviewed and updated.

8. A report was received on a recent meeting of Study Group 2 of the ITU Development Sector, where progress was made toward the revision of a Recommendation concerning the effective utilization of the amateur services in disaster mitigation and relief operations. Additional emphasis was placed on this role by amendments to the international Radio Regulations at the 2003 World Radiocommunication Conference.

9. Council selected the 2005 theme for World Amateur Radio Day, celebrated each year on 18 April. The theme will be "Radio Amateurs Expanding the World of Wireless Communications." World Amateur Radio Day marks the anniversary of the founding of the IARU in 1925 and provides an opportunity to present a positive image of Amateur Radio to the general public.

10. Reports were received on successful IARU participation in ITU Telecom World 2003 (Geneva), Africa Telecom 2004 (Cairo), and Asia Telecom 2004 (Busan, Republic of Korea). Initial preparations by IARU Region 2 to participate in the upcoming Americas Telecom (Salvador da Bahia, Brazil, 3-6 October 2005) were noted. Telecoms offer opportunities to demonstrate the benefits of amateur radio to telecommunications administrators and other important officials.

11. The position of IARU Disaster Communications Adviser, created in 2003, was renamed IARU International Coordinator for Emergency Communications and the terms of reference were revised accordingly. Hans Zimmermann, HB9AQS, serves the IARU in this capacity.

12. Reports of the other volunteer IARU international coordinators and advisers were received, and the incumbents were reappointed for three-year terms. They are Monitoring System International Coordinator R. E. Knowles, ZL1BAD, who has indicated his desire to retire in 2005; International Beacon Project Coordinator Peter Jennings, AB6WM/VE3SUN; Satellite Adviser Hans van de Groenendaal, ZS6AKV; and EMC Adviser ChristianVerholt, OZ8CY.

13. The budget for 2005-2007 was presented by the International Secretariat (ARRL). The budget includes provision for financial contributions from the three regional organizations to defray a portion of the expenses, in accordance with previously adopted policy.

14. An interim report was received on development of a suitable memorial for radio amateurs who lost their lives while performing humanitarian service.

The next scheduled meeting of the Council will be held in Switzerland on 17-18 September 2005, following the Conference of IARU Region 1.

Attending the Port of Spain meeting were IARU President Larry Price, W4RA; Vice President Tim Ellam, VE6SH/G4HUA; Secretary David Sumner, K1ZZ; regional representatives Ole Garpestad, LA2RR, Don Beattie, G3BJ, Panayot Danev, LZ1US, Pedro Seidemann, YV5BPG, Rod Stafford, W6ROD, Noel Donawa, 9Y4NED, Peter Naish, VK2BPN, and Yoshi Sekido, JJ1OEY; and recording secretary Paul Rinaldo, W4RI.