Italian Red Cross to operate its first ever Amateur Station

The Italian Red Cross will activate its first ever amateur radio station in October under the callsign IZ4GQA.

The pioneering new station is the brainchild of the radio communications department of the Italian Red Cross’s Emilia Romagna region. The department had been looking for a communication tool that would provide wider coverage than existing radio networks, incur no fees and be capable of working in crisis and emergency situations.

An amateur radio station appeared to be the perfect solution. But at the time the Italian Red Cross had never before been authorised to operate such a station. Not to be put off, members of the radio communications department obtained a copy of the official Italian amateur radio regulations and submitted a seven-page application for a licence to the Italian ministry of communications.

The application was successful and the Italian Red Cross was given the green light to operate an amateur radio station. An Italian Red Cross spokesman said: “ Now we can communicate on all ham bands, being able to connect Red Cross stations not only in our region, not only in Italy, but all over the world.

Source: GB2RS News - Courtesy of the RSGB

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