The IARU Region 3 Newsletter Issue 2/2003, June 2003 This Newsletter has an article that will be of interest to your administration. It mentions how Amateur Radio can help to meet the shortage of engineers for Radio Frequency Planning. Whilst we all wait with hope and expectation to the very important WRC, we take this opportunity to thank all Member Societies, especially those that made the extra effort, for lobbying their administrations to support WRC agenda item 1.23 on the re-alignment of the 7 MHz band. K C Selvadurai 9V1UV Director IARU Region 3 >>> WRC 9th June- 4th July '03 <<< So, finally the important Conference is at hand. Many years of preparation have gone into it. The team representing amateurs is well prepared. Region 3 amateurs are taking part with Chairman/Director Fred Johnson ZL2AMJ on the New Zealand delegation, Director Y S Park HL1IFM on the Korean delegation as R3 representative, Secretary K Komuro JA1KAB and Jay S Oka JA1TRC from the Region 3 Secretariat will be on the Japanese delegation. Many other Region 3 amateurs will be on their respective National delegations. The IARU team will comprise amateurs with much experience. Logistics have been set up in Geneva to facilitate the active participation and support of all amateurs attending WRC. The WRC decisions will be known with certainty only at the end of the Conference. Hence 4th July is a date of special significance. Amateurs worldwide will be eagerly awaiting news on the issues of special interest to them. These will include re-alignment of the 7 MHz band and several important changes to the Radio Regulations for the Amateur Service including the removal of Morse code as a mandatory examination requirement for an amateur license. Given the concern shown by many Societies, different aspects of WRC will interest different Member Societies. To cover all interests, a comprehensive report on WRC will be sent to Member Societies after the event. There will be follow-up action required including the implementation of a time schedule. >>> Agenda Item 1.23, 7 MHz band realignment <<< There has been very good news that the United Nations encourages support for all proposals for allocating a globally harmonized band of 300 kHz to the amateur radio service. The UN gives preference to Method A, with Method D or B as possible alternatives as described in the CPM Report. The UN position results from its mandate to facilitate international humanitarian assistance. In addition to identifying certain frequencies or frequency bands for use by public protection agencies in support for major emergency situations and disaster relief, the use of all available and appropriate means of radiocommunications by the providers of international humanitarian assistance remains essential. The UN emphasizes the need for an unhindered application of all means of telecommunications available to the providers of disaster relief. This refers in particular, but is not limited to, narrow-band voice and data links in the bands allocated to the mobile services in the HF, VHF and UHF spectrum. >>> The impact of SARS on 12th Region 3 Conference <<< Life is not easy. An epidemic of a serious form of pneumonia was recognized at the end of February 2003 and given the name "Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome" (SARS). The World Health Organisation (WHO) co-ordinated international investigations with the assistance of health authorities in the affected countries. Notices were issued to travelers by many governments advising that it was unwise to travel to certain countries. The WHO consideration is to look at each country where there have been outbreaks, checking whether 20 days have passed since the last locally acquired case was isolated. If no further cases have occurred for 20 days, which is twice the maximum incubation period for SARS, the chain of transmission is considered broken. In these unusual circumstances, your Directors were concerned about the plans to hold the 12th Conference in Taipei, Taiwan in Sept this year, unless this epidemic had subsided. The matter is being kept under review. An advice notice about the possible postponement of the conference was sent by our Secretary to Member Societies on 13 May. It is unlikely anyone has seen anything of this nature before. This is a matter for which provision is not made in the Constitution and which would have not been envisaged at the time the Constitution was written. The next steps will require the Directors and Secretary to apply innovation and problem-solving skills. *** At the time of the printing, Notice of Postponement for the 12th Conference was sent to Member Societies on 20 May. *** >>> IARU Celebrates World Amateur Radio Day <<< Friday, April 18, is World Amateur Radio Day, celebrated each year on the anniversary of the founding of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU). The IARU is the worldwide federation of national Amateur Radio organizations representing radio amateurs in 158 countries. On this, the 78th anniversary of its inaugural meeting in Paris, the IARU dedicates World Amateur Radio Day to the radio amateurs, educators, and administrators who use Amateur Radio to support technology education in the classroom. Such programs are not confined to the developed countries. They are even more valuable in countries where telecommunications technology is not yet commonplace and where natural disasters and other calamities can overload or even disrupt regular communications circuits. Radio technology offers many tools for teachers as they bring technology into the curriculum. In schools without internet connections, Amateur Radio can help with interactive communications and shortwave reception. Teachers can inject fun while helping students learn basic electricity and regional geography. Social studies teachers can use Amateur Radio and shortwave receivers to teach about different cultures the world over. Earth science and physics teachers can use radio to teach electricity and electronics, radio wave propagation, weather and atmospheric science. Language arts teachers may use radio to supplement writing, speaking and listening skills while providing access to numerous foreign languages from the lips of native speakers. With almost three million licensees, in nearly every country on Earth, the Amateur Service provides an ample reservoir of expertise for use in classrooms throughout the world. (IARU news release) >>> Amateur Radio - Gateway to a Career <<< "I still remember the thrill of hearing voices from my first home-made radio set, built when I was just 12 years old" says Peter Cook, who holds a senior position in an info-comms and mobile phone company based in Singapore. Peter got his first Amateur Radio license in the UK in 1979, at the age of 14. At this tender age the Radio Amateurs Examination (RAE) was the first exam he ever took and this led the way to an exciting career in engineering. Peter got his first job in the early 1980's, a time of recession in the UK, and was one of the lucky few of the 700+ candidates offered employment with a leading British telecommunication company. "Being able to show an aptitude for engineering and self motivation via my ham radio experience was a key factor in my selection", Peter commented. Today, Peter is an UK accredited Chartered Engineer and he heads up a key Network Architecture and Strategy Division. He is still a keen radio ham, operating with the call sign 9V1PC. With advancing technology, devices in our daily lives are becoming increasingly "wireless". With the advent of new technologies such as Bluetooth, Wireless LAN, CDMA and 3G cellular phone systems, the use of radio communications and integration with computers will become increasingly important in all our lives. Engineers conversant in these technologies will be a scarce resource. Already today, there is a global shortage of engineers with a Radio Frequency Planning back-ground for these new networks. Peter's story is not unique for those who get involved in the hobby at an early age. Amateur radio is a rewarding hobby and an excellent "stepping stone" for the young into rewarding engineering careers. >>> IARU HF Contest <<< The date and contest period is 12th July 1200 UTC to 13th July 1200 UTC. All licensed amateurs worldwide are invited to contact as many other amateurs, especially IARU member society HQ stations, around the world as possible using the 160, 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10 meter bands. >-< The Region 3 Web site >-< Go to: http://www.iaru-r3.org/ Newsletter Editor: K C Selvadurai 9V1UV, Director IARU Region 3, 9v1uv@sarts.org.sg Publisher: The International Amateur Radio Union Region 3, P.O. Box 73, Toshima, Tokyo 170-8691, Japan. E-mail: iaru-r3@jarl.or.jp Tel: +81 3 3944 3322 Fax: +81 3 3943 8282 The statements or opinions in this Newsletter do not, unless otherwise stated, necessarily reflect the views of IARU Region 3, the Directors or the Secretariat. Items from this Newsletter may be freely copied for publication by member societies of IARU MS Word version of this newsletter is available at http://www.iaru-r3.org/news/r3nl-03-06.doc