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Author: Sylvain, F4GKR

Shaping the Future of Amateur Radio
· Shaping The Future, Workshop · Sylvain, F4GKR

In October 2021 the Region 1 Workshop for the future of amateur radio was organized online. About 50 countries and 100 participants joined the 5 days workshop and the 7 sessions.

Originally scheduled in 2020, the discussions took place online from the 16th to the 23rd of October, 2021.

The delegates have built the picture of the future amateur radio we wanted to see and confirmed the key steps that will get us there. A set of height key areas (“strategic objectives”) have been identified to make this 10-year ambition happen. 

For each of these Strategic Objectives, a team of volunteers coming from the different Member Societies has been created. These teams are now starting, transforming the words into actions.

For all details on the Shaping the Future Workshop and actions, visit this new dedicated section.

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IARU Region 1 Announces G2BVN Memorial Trophy Winners
· News, Spectrum · Sylvain, F4GKR

At the final plenary meeting of the IARU Region 1 Conference and Workshop, which closed 24th October 2021, Ole Garpestad, LA2RR and Hans Blondeel Timmerman, PB2T were announced as recipients of the Roy Stevens, G2BVN, Memorial Trophy. The trophy is awarded to a radio amateur who has best exemplified the work and dedication of Roy Stevens, G2BVN in international amateur radio.

Decisions on nominations submitted by member societies are made by an independent panel which this year was chaired by SARL Secretary Dennis Green, ZS4BS

Ole Garpestad, LA2RR, served on the Region 1 Executive Committee from 1999 and was President of IARU Region 1 from 2002 to 2008. Since 2009 he has been IARU global Vice President. Ole has worked extensively for IARU for over 30 years. His current role also carries responsibility for the development and implementation of IARU’s strategy for each World Radio Conference.

At the Administrative Council level Ole has contributed actively to the strategic agenda, supporting the need for change in IARU. He is well-known globally in amateur radio circles for his enormous contribution to the hobby and its standing in regulatory forums.

Hans Blondeel Timmerman, PB2T was President of IARU Region 1 from 2008 to 2014 and more latterly its Secretary for the last four years. Prior to that, Hans was an EC member from 2002 and Chair of the Region 1 External Relations Committee. Hans has been IARU Satellite Advisor since 2016 and chairs the global IARU panel which coordinates frequency allocations for satellites in amateur frequencies. 

Hans has been extensively involved in ITU and CEPT matters and has led activity on critical amateur service agenda items in CEPT in preparation for World Radio Conferences. He is also a Director of the YASME Foundation.

Speaking after the announcement, retiring IARU Region 1 President, Don Beattie, G3BJ said “This is a much-deserved recognition for two exceptional IARU volunteers who have devoted a huge amount of time and energy working for the future of amateur radio. In Region 1 we are delighted that their commitment has been recognised in this way”. 

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IARU Region 1 announces award of Region 1 Medals
· Spectrum · Sylvain, F4GKR

With the decision to hold the planned October 2021 workshop event virtually, Region 1 is now not able to make planned in-person announcements and presentations of Medals to recognise exceptional support for the Region’s work.

The Executive Committee has therefore decided to move ahead now with the announcement, deferred from the 2020 Virtual General Conference, of the award of Medals to the following six people.

Dave Court, EI3IO: recently retired as SRLC Chair and EC member, who led the SRLC through the period of WRC 19 which resulted in the Region-wide allocation to the amateur service of a 2 MHz segment at 50 MHz.

Dave led the IARU work on this 6 metre allocation and also played a role as a member of the extended EC group. He remains a member of the SRLC.

Hilary Claytonsmith G4JKS, EMC Committee member and until recently its Secretary for nearly 25 years and IARU representative in ETSI during discussions on PLT. The EMC Committee is a forum for progressing the Region’s work on EMC matters and much of its success is due to Hilary’s early work. Hilary remains a member of the EMC Committee.

Peter Jost, HB9CET: Acting IARUMS coordinator for a period until October 2020 and deputy coordinator for many years, Peter continues in this deputy role. Peter has made a major contribution to the IARU MS Newsletters and has developed excellent professional presentation material on the IARUMS work. The IARUMS is internationally recognised for the quality of its work.

Tore Worren, LA9QL: Recently retired as Region 1 EMC Committee Chair and IARU global EMC coordinator, Tore has successfully represented IARU in CISPR and built a core team of around 20 – 25 country EMC specialists who meet regularly to review progress. His foundation work in CISPR has built a strong basis of credibility for IARU in EMC matters. He also played a role as part of the extended EC group. Tore remains a member of the EMC Committee.

Jacques Verleijen, ON4AVJ: Recently retired VHF+ Committee Chair, a post he held since 2014. In that time he has coordinated the work on VHF+ areas, revised the VHF Handbook, developed the Contest Working Group and surveyed MS on VHF+ activity levels. He also played a role as part of the extended EC group. He remains a member of the PRC and Secretary to the VHF+ Committee.

Hans Welens, ON6WQ: Hans built the concept of STARS from 1990, acting as STARS Chairman until 2011. He returned to the role in 2019 on a short-term basis to refocus the work. Hans believes passionately in the need to support the development of smaller societies and through his personal efforts has energetically enabled the development of a number of African societies. Without Hans, STARS would likely not have had the impact it has had.

I hope you will join with me in congratulating these six people who have each made a very significant contribution to IARU Region 1’s work over the years.

Don Beattie, G3BJ, President IARU Region 1

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Faisal Alajmi, 9K2RR SK
· News · Sylvain, F4GKR

IARU is saddened to announce that IARU Region 1 Vice President Faisal Alajmi, 9K2RR, died today following a prolonged period of hospitalisation with COVID.

Faisal had been Region 1 Vice President since the 2014 General Conference and was an energetic and active supporter of amateur radio in the Arab world and globally. He was also an accomplished and successful contester. He represented IARU in the Arab Spectrum Management Group meetings and had attended ITU World Radio Conferences on behalf of IARU.

Speaking today, IARU Region 1 President Don Beattie, G3BJ, said “This is tragic news. Faisal was a valued member of the Executive Committee and of the Region 1 team. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends at this sad time” 

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IARU attends ITU WPT meetings
· Spectrum · Sylvain, F4GKR

IARU represented the amateur service at this meeting, held virtually, with some 350 delegates registered for the sequence of WP1 meetings. WP1A Working Group WG1A2 was of most relevance to IARU, covering WPT. Documents under consideration in that group included:

  • SM.2303: [Preliminary Draft Revision] Wireless power transmission using technologies other than radio frequency beam
  • SM.2449: [Working Document towards a Preliminary Draft Revision] Technical characteristics and impact analyses of non-beam inductive wireless power transmission for mobile and portable devices on radio communication services
  • SM.2451: [Working Document towards a Preliminary Draft Revision] Assessment of impact of wireless power transmission for electric vehicle charging on radiocommunication services
  • Working document towards Recommendation or Report on WPT emissions
  • SM.2392 [Preliminary] draft revision Applications of wireless power transmission via radio frequency beam
  • [Preliminary] draft new Recommendation — Guidance on frequency ranges for operation of wireless power transmission via radio frequency beam systems for mobile/portable devices and sensor networks
  • [Preliminary] draft new Report — Impact studies and human hazard issues for wireless power transmission via radio frequency beam
  • together with associated work plans.

The work for IARU was mainly focused on papers SM 2303, 2449 and 2451. IARU input focused on proposing amendments to material submitted by other delegations and proposing a new Annex which documents measurements of typical amateur signal levels and comparing these to test data from the USA on non-beam WPT emission levels and to suggested limits.

Most of the discussions on the detail were resolved with a degree of compromise, and the latest drafts will be attached to the Chairman’s Report for the meeting

Outstanding technical issues remaining include:

  • whether E‑field antennas are as susceptible to WPT-EV emissions as H‑field antennas
  • what the true noise levels are in residential areas, with WPT developers claiming that WPT emissions will not be significantly above the (now elevated) noise level.

In terms of the E‑field sensitivity to WPT emissions, the proposed work plan submitted by IARU to the European Commission, for WPT-EV tests in the Joint Research Centre, included proper both E- and H‑field measurements.

IARU member society DARC has made good progress with the roll-out of its ENAMS automated noise measurement system and IARU is now able to draw heavily on that data

The WPT-Emissions document has been under discussion for some time. Here there is no agreement yet on whether this should be a Report or a Recommendation and the work has been carried forward to the next meeting in November 2021.

Discussion on “beam” WPT covered a range of issues, including amendments to the proposed frequencies (none are below 800 MHz). Sadly, many proposed frequencies fall in spectrum which the amateur service shares with other services. However, given the nature of the technology and the directivity of amateur antennas in these frequency ranges, the prospect of coexistence seems quite good.

Some concerns were expressed about the rate of progress on some Reports and Recommendations, with the point being made that industry is bringing products to market already. This was followed by a proposal from the floor to continue drafting groups between now and the next meeting. There were objections to this proposal and so the next discussions will be at the November 2021 meeting, at whcih IARU will make a further substantial input.

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