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

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

    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
    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

    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: France Sylvain Azarian, F4GKR
    • Vice-President: Lebanon Hani Raad, OD5TE
    • Secretary: Sweden Mats Espling, SM6EAN
    • Treasurer: Switzerland 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
     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
     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
     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

    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: Mexico Ramón Santoyo, XE1KK
    • Vice-President: El Salvador José Arturo Molina, YS1MS
    • Secretary: Canada George Gorsline, VE3YV
    • Treasurer: United States 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

    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: Indonesia Wisnu Widjaja, YB0AZ
    • Secretary: Japan 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

    * = Amateur radio licenses not issued in this country

    Region 1Region 2Region 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

    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

    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

    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
    • International distress frequency#Amateur radio frequencies

    References
    1. International Amateur Radio Union (2007). "The International Amateur Radio Union". Feb. 1, 2020.
    2. International Amateur Radio Union (2019). "Member Societies". Nov. 6, 2019.
    3. IARU Constitution Archived 2008-02-20 at the Wayback Machine
    4. 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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