IARU Region 1 Conference
Conference report from IRTS
On Sunday last, 160 delegates representing 58 member
societies, the permanent working Groups and IARU
headquarters in Connecticut assembled in Davos,
Switzerland for the 20th IARU Region 1 Conference. The
Irish Radio Transmitters Society was represented by Vice President, Finbarr
Buckley EI1CS and Sean Nolan EI7CD.
Larry Price W4RA, President IARU, Tim Ellman VESH, Vice
President IARU and Dave Sumner K1ZZ Secretary IARU
represented IARU Headquarters. In his opening address
Larry Price W4RA emphasised that the secret of our success at WRC03 was
working together and that we must continue to do this in the run up to
WRC07.
The Conference works through four committees one for HF, one for VHF,
one for finance and one for administration and organisation. Only two
of the committees work simultaneously so that it is just about possible
with early starts and long days for two delegates to cover the work of
the conference.
In a presentation on WRC07 it was pointed out that agenda item 1.13 provides
for a review of the segment 4 to 10 MHz. Fortunately the 7 to 7.2 MHz
segment settled at WRC03 is not included in the review. However there
are already indications that some interests would wish to see the amateur
allocation confined to 7.0 to 7.02 MHz, so we must fight to retain the
remaining 100 kHz in Region 2 and secure it for the other two regions.
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Among the decisions taken for the conference were;
To lobby for an exclusive allocation from 10.1 to 10.35 MHz and an allocation
of 100 kHz in the 5 MHz band.
Centres of activity for emergency traffic were decided on arising from
the Tampere conference attended by John EI2GN earlier in the year.
The HF and VHF band plans were revised so that segments
would be designated by signal bandwidth rather than mode. This does not
make any dramatic change in these band plans but makes them more flexible
and adaptable in accommodating existing and new modes particularly digital
modes.
The process of introducing a more democratic system of
electing the International IARU president was begun at this conference.
A new system of calculating IARU membership subscriptions is being introduced
which will result in a saving of about 10% to societies.
The term of office of executive committee members will
be limited to three terms.
A spectrum defence fund was set up, to be funded
voluntarily by the member societies and by readjustment
of the Regional budget.
The conference closed with its final session on Thursday when the recommendation
of the four committees were endorsed by the final plenary meeting and
Croatia was elected to host the next conference in 2008.
A more extensive report on the conference will be carried in an upcoming
issue of Echo Ireland.
Source: IRTS
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