After a ten-year period when IARU led by Dr. Larry E. Price, W4RA, he will be succeeded for the next five years by Timothy S. Ellam, VE6SH/G4HUA. Larry W4RA retires. IARU Vice President will be Ole Garpestad, LA2RR (President of IARU Region 1).
What is IARU?
IARU is short for International Amateur Radio Union, that is International Union of Radio Amateurs. It is a world organization that unites national radio amateur associations and coordinates international issues related to amateur radio.
Main tasks of IARU:
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Coordination of frequencies – IARU works with international telecommunication bodies (e.g. ITU) to ensure that radio amateurs have dedicated bands and minimize interference.
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DX and contest support - organizes and regulates international competitions and promotes DX connections between radio amateurs.
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Safety and ethics - supports "ham spirit" rules and technical standards to make the operation safe and reliable.
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Regional division – IARU is divided into three regions:
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Region 1 – Europe, Africa, Middle East and part of Asia
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Region 2 – North and South America
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Region 3 – Asia and the Pacific
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In practice, this means that the IARU ensures that radio amateurs around the world can legally and effectively communicate via radio, without conflict with commercial or government services.