International Amateur Radio Union

The International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) is an international confederation of national organisations that allows a forum for common matters of concern to amateur radio operators worldwide, and collectively represents matters to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). The International Amateur Radio Union was founded in 1925 and, as of July 2021, it is composed of 172 national member societies.[2]

International Amateur Radio Union
AbbreviationIARU
Formation1925[1]
TypeInternational nongovernmental organization (INGO)
PurposeAdvocacy
HeadquartersNewington, Connecticut, US
Region served
Worldwide
Membership
172 national member societies[2]
Official language
English[3]
President
Tim Ellam, VE6SH[1]
Main organ
Administrative Council[4]
Websitewww.iaru.org

History

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Following an informal meeting in 1924 of representatives from France, Great Britain, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Luxembourg, Canada, and the United States, a plan was formulated to hold an International Amateur Congress in Paris, France, in April 1925. This Congress was held for the purpose of founding an international amateur radio organization.[5] The Congress was attended by representatives of 23 countries in Europe, Americas, and Asia. A constitution for the IARU was adopted on April 17, and the formation of the International Amateur Radio Union was ratified on April 18, 1925.[6] In the current era, this is the date (April 18) on which World Amateur Radio Day is celebrated.[7] The protocol of the congress was written in English, French and Esperanto.[8]

Governance

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The IARU has an elected President and Vice President, an appointed Secretary and other officials (including regional representatives) forming an Administrative Council. These office holders are presently Timothy Ellam, VE6SH (Canada), President; Ole Garpestad, LA2RR (Norway), Vice-President; and Joel Harrison, W5ZN (United States), Secretary.[9][4] The IARU International Secretariat (IARUIS) is operated by a member society after election by members. Currently, the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) operates the IARUIS from its headquarters in Newington, Connecticut, US.[10]

Regional organisation

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Countries with IARU Member Societies.
  Region 1 (101 members)
  Region 2 (42 members)
  Region 3 (29 members)

The IARU is organised into three regions, named Region 1, Region 2, and Region 3. These regions correspond to the regulatory regions used by the International Telecommunication Union. Each region has an Executive Committee, typically composed of a President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and several Directors. These regional officers are elected by representatives from the member societies at triennial regional conferences. Coordinators may be appointed by the Executive Committee of their region to support particular areas within the region, or to promote certain amateur radio activities within the region. All three regions have appointed Coordinators for Amateur Radio Direction Finding, emergency communications, monitoring for electromagnetic interference, and radio propagation.

IARU Region 1

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IARU Region 1 includes the member societies representing amateur radio operators in Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and northern Asia. IARU Region 1 has the largest number of member societies among the three IARU regions, and has been the source of several international initiatives. IARU Region 1 lobbying efforts led to the creation of the 30 meter, 17 meter, and 12 meter amateur radio bands, improving the standardization of reciprocal licensing, promoting Amateur Radio Direction Finding and initiating youth related activities, known as "the Youngsters On the Air project" (YOTA) [11]

Executive officers:[12]

  • President:   Sylvain Azarian, F4GKR
  • Vice-President:   Hani Raad, OD5TE
  • Secretary:   Mats Espling, SM6EAN
  • Treasurer:   Andreas Thiemann, HB9JOE
Country Member Society Abbreviation
and website (if available)
  Albania Albanian Amateur Radio Association AARA
  Algeria Association of Algerian Radio Amateurs ARA
  Andorra Andorran Amateur Radio Union URA
  Armenia Federation of Radiosport of the Republic of Armenia FRRA
  Austria Austrian Amateur Radio Society OEVSV
  Azerbaijan Federation of Radiosport of the Republic of Azerbaijan FRS
  Bahrain Bahrain Amateur Radio Society BARS
  Belarus Belarusian Federation of Radioamateurs and Radiosportsmen BFRR
  Belgium Royal Union of Belgian Radio Amateurs UBA
  Bosnia and Herzegovina Amateur Radio Association of Bosnia and Hercegovina ARAuBiH
  Botswana Botswana Amateur Radio Society BARS
  Bulgaria Bulgarian Federation of Radio Amateurs BFRA
  Burkina Faso Burkina Faso Amateur Radio Association ARBF
  Burundi Burundian Amateur Radio and Television Association ABART
  Cameroon Cameroon Amateur Radio Association ARTJ
  Ivory Coast Ivorian Amateur Radio Association ARAI
  Croatia Croatian Amateur Radio Association HRS
  Cyprus Cyprus Amateur Radio Society CARS
  Czech Republic Czech Radio Club CRK Archived 2023-04-09 at the Wayback Machine
  Democratic Republic of the Congo Congolese Amateur Radio Association ARAC
  Denmark Danish Amateur Radio Experimenters EDR
  Djibouti Djibouti Amateur Radio Association ARAD
  Egypt Egyptian Radio Amateurs Society for Development ERASD
  Estonia Estonian Radio Amateurs' Union ERAU
  Eswatini Radio Society of Eswatini RSE
  Ethiopia Ethiopian Amateur Radio Society EARS
  Faroe Islands Radio Amateurs of the Faroe Islands FRA
  Finland Finnish Amateur Radio League SRAL
  France Network of French Transmitters REF
  Gabon Gabonese Amateur Radio Association AGRA
  Gambia Radio Society of The Gambia RSTG
  Georgia National Association of Radio Amateurs of Georgia NARG
  Germany German Amateur Radio Club DARC
  Ghana Ghana Amateur Radio Society GARS
  Gibraltar Gibraltar Amateur Radio Society GARS
  Greece Radio Amateur Association of Greece RAAG
  Guinea Guinean Amateur Radio Association ARGUI
  Hungary Hungarian Amateur Radio Association MRASZ
  Iceland Icelandic Radio Amateurs IRA
  Iraq Iraqi Amateur Radio Society IARS
  Ireland Irish Radio Transmitters Society IRTS
  Israel Israel Amateur Radio Club IARC
  Italy Italian Amateur Radio Association ARI
  Jordan Royal Jordanian Radio Amateur Society RJRAS
  Kazakhstan Kazakhstan Federation of Radiosport and Radio Amateur KFRR
  Kenya Amateur Radio Society of Kenya ARSK
  Kosovo Kosovo Amateur Radio Association SHRAK
  Kuwait Kuwait Amateur Radio Society KARS
  Kyrgyzstan Amateur Radio Union of the Kyrgyz Republic ARUKR
  Latvia Latvian Amateur Radio League LRAL
  Lebanon Radio Amateurs of Lebanon RAL Archived 2023-06-15 at the Wayback Machine
  Lesotho Lesotho Amateur Radio Society LARS
  Liberia Liberia Radio Amateur Association LRAA
  Liechtenstein Amateur Radio Association of Liechtenstein AFVL
  Lithuania Lithuanian Amateur Radio Society LRMD
  Luxembourg Luxembourg Amateur Radio Society RL
  Mali Club of Radio Amateurs and Affiliates of Mali CRAM
  Malta Malta Amateur Radio League MARL
  Mauritius Mauritius Amateur Radio Society MARS
  Moldova Amateur Radio Society of Moldova ARM
  Monaco Monegasque Amateur Radio Association ARM
  Mongolia Mongolian Radio Sport Federation MRSF
  Montenegro Montenegrin Amateur Radio Pool MARP
  Morocco Royal Moroccan Amateur Radio Association ARRAM
  Mozambique Mozambique Amateur Radio League LREM
  Namibia Namibian Amateur Radio League NARL
  Netherlands Dutch Association for Experimental Radio Research VERON
  Nigeria Nigeria Amateur Radio Society NARS
  North Macedonia Radio Amateur Society of North Macedonia RSM
  Norway Norwegian Radio Relay League NRRL
  Oman Royal Omani Amateur Radio Society ROARS
  Poland Polish Amateur Radio Union PZK
  Portugal Network of Portuguese Transmitters REP
  Qatar Qatar Amateur Radio Society QARS
  Republic of the Congo Congolese Amateur Radio Union URAC
  Romania Romanian Federation of Amateur Radio FRR
  Russia Russian Amateur Radio Union SRR
  Rwanda Rwanda Amateur Radio Union RARU
  San Marino Radio Amateur Association of the Republic of San Marino ARRSM
  Saudi Arabia Saudi Amateur Radio Society SARS
  Senegal Senegalese Amateur Radio Association ARAS Archived 2021-07-26 at the Wayback Machine
  Serbia Amateur Radio Union of Serbia SRS
  Seychelles Seychelles Amateur Radio Association SARA
  Sierra Leone Sierra Leone Amateur Radio Society SLARS
  Slovakia Slovak Amateur Radio Association SZR
  Slovenia Association of Radio Amateurs of Slovenia ZRS
  South Africa South African Radio League SARL
  Spain Spanish Amateur Radio Union URE
  Sudan Sudan Amateur Radio Union SARU
  Sweden Swedish Society of Radio Amateurs SSA
  Switzerland Union of Swiss Short Wave Amateurs USKA
  Syria Syrian Scientific Technical Amateur Radio Society SSTARS
  Tajikistan Tajik Amateur Radio League TARL
  Tanzania Tanzania Amateur Radio Club TARC
  Tunisia Tunisian Amateur Radio Association ARAT
  Turkey Turkish Amateur Radio Association TRAC
  Turkmenistan League of Radio Amateurs of Turkmenistan LRT
  Uganda Uganda Amateur Radio Society UARS
  Ukraine Ukrainian Amateur Radio League UARL
  United Arab Emirates Emirates Amateur Radio Society EARS Archived 2019-06-29 at the Wayback Machine
  United Kingdom Radio Society of Great Britain RSGB
  Zambia Radio Society of Zambia (withdrawn) RSZ
  Zimbabwe Zimbabwe Amateur Radio Society ZARS

IARU Region 2

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IARU Region 2 includes the member societies representing amateur radio operators in the Americas. The organization of IARU Region 2 was founded in 1964 when representatives from 15 national radio societies attended the First Panamerican Radio Amateur Congress in Mexico City, Mexico. Antonio Pita, XE1CCP was the region's first elected president.[13]

Executive officers:[14]

  • President:   Ramón Santoyo, XE1KK
  • Vice-President:   José Arturo Molina, YS1MS
  • Secretary:   George Gorsline, VE3YV
  • Treasurer:   John Bellows, K0QB
Country Member society Abbreviation
and website (if available)
  Anguilla Anguilla Amateur Radio Society AARS
  Antigua and Barbuda Antigua and Barbuda Amateur Radio Society ABARS
  Argentina Argentine Radio Club RCA
  Aruba Aruba Amateur Radio Club AARC
  Bahamas Bahamas Amateur Radio Society BARS
  Barbados Amateur Radio Society of Barbados ARSB
  Belize Belize Amateur Radio Club BARC
  Bermuda Radio Society of Bermuda RSB
  Bolivia Radio Club of Bolivia RCB
  Brazil League of Brazilian Amateur Radio Transmitters LABRE
  British Virgin Islands British Virgin Islands Radio League BVIRL
  Canada Radio Amateurs of Canada RAC
  Cayman Islands Cayman Amateur Radio Society CARS
  Chile Chilean Radio Club RCCH
  Colombia Colombian Amateur Radio League LCRA
  Costa Rica Radio Club of Costa Rica RCCR
  Cuba Cuban Amateur Radio Federation FRC
  Curaçao Dutch Caribbean Association for Experimental Radio Research VERONA
  Dominica Dominica Amateur Radio Club DARCI
  Dominican Republic Radio Club of the Dominican Republic RCD Archived 2019-06-29 at the Wayback Machine
  Ecuador Guayaquil Radio Club GRC
  El Salvador El Salvador Amateur Radio Club CRAS
  Grenada Grenada Amateur Radio Society GARS
  Guatemala Guatemala Amateur Radio Club CRAG
  Guyana Guyana Amateur Radio Association (suspended) GARA
  Haiti Haitian Radio Club RCH
  Honduras Radio Club of Honduras RCH
  Jamaica Jamaica Amateur Radio Association JARA
  Mexico Mexican Federation of Radio Experimenters FMRE
  Montserrat Montserrat Amateur Radio Society MARS
  Nicaragua Nicaraguan Radio Experimenters' Club CREN
  Panama Panamanian Amateur Radio League LPRA
  Paraguay Radio Club of Paraguay RCP
  Peru Radio Club of Peru RCP
  Saint Kitts and Nevis St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla Amateur Radio Society SKNAARS
  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines St. Vincent & the Grenadines Amateur Radio Club SVGARC
  Suriname Association of Radio Amateurs of Suriname (suspended) VRAS
  Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago Amateur Radio Society TTARS
  Turks and Caicos Islands Turks and Caicos Amateur Radio Society TACARS
  United States American Radio Relay League (IARU International Secretariat) ARRL
  Uruguay Radio Club of Uruguay RCU
  Venezuela Radio Club of Venezuela RCV

IARU Region 3

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IARU Region 3 includes the member societies representing amateur radio operators in Australia, most of Asia, and the Pacific Islands. Although most of their membership is located in other IARU regions, the American Radio Relay League and the Radio Society of Great Britain are full member societies of IARU Region 3. The ARRL represents amateur radio operators in American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Marianas, and other dependent territories in the Pacific Ocean. The RSGB represents amateur radio operators in the British Indian Ocean Territory. IARU Region 3 has a special emphasis on promoting the harmonization of license qualifications in an effort to promote easier reciprocal operations by amateur radio operators in the region.[15]

Executive officers:[16]

  • President:   Wisnu Widjaja, YB0AZ
  • Secretary:   Shizuo Endo, JE1MUI
Country Member society Abbreviation
and website (if available)
  Australia Wireless Institute of Australia WIA
  Bangladesh Bangladesh Amateur Radio League BARL
  Brunei Brunei Darussalam Amateur Radio Association BDARA Archived 2010-02-18 at the Wayback Machine
  China Chinese Radio Amateurs Club CRAC
  Republic of China Chinese Taipei Amateur Radio League CTARL
  Fiji Fiji Association of Radio Amateurs FARA
  French Polynesia Oceanian Radio and Astronomy Club CORA
  Hong Kong Hong Kong Amateur Radio Transmitting Society HARTS
  India Amateur Radio Society of India ARSI
  Indonesia Organisasi Amatir Radio Indonesia ORARI
  Japan Japan Amateur Radio League JARL
  Macau Macau Amateur Radio Society ARM
  Malaysia Malaysian Amateur Radio Transmitters' Society MARTS Archived 2008-04-08 at the Wayback Machine
  Myanmar Burma Amateur Radio Transmitting Society (suspended) BARTS
  New Caledonia New Caledonian Amateur Radio Association ARANC
  New Zealand New Zealand Association of Radio Transmitters NZART
  Pakistan Pakistan Amateur Radio Society PARS
  Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea Amateur Radio Society (suspended) PNGARS
  Philippines Philippine Amateur Radio Association PARA
  Pitcairn Islands Pitcairn Island Amateur Radio Association PIARA
  Samoa Samoa Amateur Radio Club SARC
  Singapore Singapore Amateur Radio Transmitting Society SARTS
  Solomon Islands Solomon Islands Radio Society SIRS
  South Korea Korean Amateur Radio League KARL
  Sri Lanka Radio Society of Sri Lanka RSSL
  Thailand Radio Amateur Society of Thailand under The Royal Patronage of His Majesty The King RAST
  Tonga Amateur Radio Club of Tonga ARCOT
  Vanuatu Vanuatu Amateur Radio Society VARS
  Vietnam Vietnam Amateur Radio Club VARC

Countries without IARU member societies

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* = Amateur radio licenses not issued in this country

Region 1 Region 2 Region 3
  Angola
  Benin
  Cape Verde
  Central African Republic
  Chad
  Comoros
  Equatorial Guinea
  Eritrea
  Guinea-Bissau
  Libya
  Madagascar
  Malawi
  Mauritania
  Niger
  Palestine
  Somalia
  South Sudan
  Sudan
  Togo
  Uzbekistan
  Vatican City
  Yemen*
  Greenland
  Saint Lucia
  Afghanistan
  Bhutan
  Cambodia
  Cook Islands
  Federated States of Micronesia
  Iran
  Kiribati
  Laos
  Maldives
  Marshall Islands
  Nauru
  Nepal
  Niue
  North Korea*
  Palau
  Timor-Leste
  Tuvalu

GAREC - Global Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Conferences

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The Global Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Conference or "GAREC" is a yearly conference held by the International Amateur Radio Union for discussion of amateur radio operation during natural disasters and other emergencies with the motto, "Saving lives through emergency communications".[17] GAREC was first held in Tampere, Finland in 2005, coinciding with the adoption of the Tampere Convention, a globally binding emergency communications treaty that had been signed in Tampere in 1998.[18] In later conferences, the venue has attempted to rotate in sequence through ITU Regions 1, 2 and 3 (though not necessarily in that particular order).

Radiosport

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The IARU organises and promotes radiosport activities throughout the world. The IARU promulgates the rules used for high-speed telegraphy and sponsors regional and world championships. The IARU also promulgates the rules used by most competitions in amateur radio direction finding, including IARU-sponsored regional and world championships. The IARU also sponsors the annual IARU HF World Championship in amateur radio contesting. The IARU does not directly administer any of these radiosport events, but authorises and sponsors them through host organisations.[19]

Operating Station and the WAC Award

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The IARU maintains a radio station at its headquarters in Newington, Connecticut. Its callsign is NU1AW. As an amateur radio station licensed by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission the "1" stands for its location in the New England area. "NU" was taken from the pre-1928 era when amateurs made up their own prefixes, and informally used these letters to show they were in "North America—USA". The "AW" suffix represents the connection with the American Radio Relay League, whose own station is W1AW. NU1AW is frequently active during amateur radio contests.[20]

For many years the IARU has issued the Worked All Continents certificate to amateurs who contact fellow hams in the six permanently populated continental areas of the world. Special awards and endorsements for various bands and modes are also available.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b International Amateur Radio Union (2007). "The International Amateur Radio Union". Feb. 1, 2020.
  2. ^ a b International Amateur Radio Union (2019). "Member Societies". Nov. 6, 2019.
  3. ^ IARU Constitution Archived 2008-02-20 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ a b International Amateur Radio Union (2005). "Constitution of the International Amateur Radio Union" Archived 2008-02-20 at the Wayback Machine. Jan. 11, 2005.
  5. ^ Clinton B. DeSoto (1936). 200 meters & Down — The Story of Amateur Radio. W. Hartford, CT: The American Radio Relay League. pp. 106–109. ISBN 0-87259-001-1.
  6. ^ Sumner, David (2000). "IARU 75th Anniversary, 18 April 2000" Archived 14 April 2010 at the Wayback Machine. The Calendar, International Amateur Radio Union, No. 180, March 15, 2000.
  7. ^ "World Amateur Radio Day". iaru.org.
  8. ^ editeur Etienne Chiron 40 rue de Seine Paris 1925
  9. ^ "About Us | IARU". www.iaru.org. Retrieved 2020-07-13.
  10. ^ International Amateur Radio Union (2005). "The IARU International Secretariat" Archived 2008-02-11 at the Wayback Machine. January 11, 2005.
  11. ^ International Amateur Radio Union Region 1 (2008). "About IARU and IARU Region 1" Archived 2008-09-16 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved August 5, 2008.
  12. ^ "Executive Committee | International Amateur Radio Union (IARU)".
  13. ^ International Amateur Radio Union (2008). "IARU-R2 History". Retrieved Aug. 5, 2008.
  14. ^ "International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) | Executive Committee".
  15. ^ International Amateur Radio Union Region 3 (2008). "Directory" Archived 2013-04-15 at archive.today. Retrieved Aug. 5, 2008.
  16. ^ "IARU R3 Directors & Officers | International Amateur Radio Union (IARU)".
  17. ^ "GAREC 2010 Saving lives through Emergency Communications". Archived from the original on 2011-09-27. Retrieved 2011-09-24.
  18. ^ The Tampere Convention on the Provision of Telecommunication Resources for Disaster Mitigation and Relief Operations. "The Tampere Convention on the Provision of Telecommunication Resources for Disaster Mitigation and Relief Operations". Archived from the original on 2008-05-11. Retrieved 2008-05-13.. Accessed 13 August 2007.
  19. ^ International Amateur Radio Union (2007). "IARU Contests". Jul. 23, 2007. Archived January 3, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  20. ^ International Amateur Radio Union (1996). NU1AW: IARU's Club Station Archived 2009-02-06 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved November 30, 2008.
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