Official QO-100 Satellite International Emergency Frequency! 

Downlink: 10489.860 MHz 

Uplink: 2400.360 MHz 

SSB channel: max. 2.7kHz BW 

All users on QO-100 are encouraged to monitor this frequency, but keep it clear for emergency traffic! 

[Source Amsat-DL]

Radio amateurs will share the concerns of everyone about the seriousness of the COVID-19 outbreak. Governments all over the world are advising “social distancing” to slow the spread of the virus and to give health services the chance to cope.

Field days bring radio amateurs together and so represent an environment where social distancing is difficult to achieve. We must recognise that many radio amateurs are in the older, higher risk age groups. IARU Region 1 therefore asks national societies which promote field days and multi-operator contests to reconsider their position on these events for the next few months of 2020. Field days are essentially team contests, and so IARU will not sponsor the Region 1 HF-CW Field Day in June. It is a matter for national societies to decide whether and how they continue with their national field day events. 

IARU Region 1 believes more generally that multi-operator contests are not consistent with the principle of ”social distancing” and should not be promoted at this time. 

The position on other IARU events in 2020 which involve multi-operator categories is under review.

Single operator contests, however, remain a great way for those forced to stay at home to enjoy the magic of amateur radio!

Don Beattie, G3BJ, President IARU Region 1

IARU has published on its global website a summary of the above. It reads:

Here are some notes about how the IARU is dealing, as of March 19, with the restrictions now in place to slow the spread of COVID-19.

The ITU has cancelled some meetings, postponed others, and converted still others into E‑meetings with no in-person dimension. ITU Headquarters in Geneva is not accessible to visitors until April 17 “at the earliest.” IARU representatives are adjusting their plans accordingly.

The largest amateur radio gathering in Europe, Ham Radio in Friedrichshafen, Germany, is still scheduled for June 26 – 28 and plans are going forward for a two-part IARU stand, including a dedicated one for youth. Whether the event will take place is unknown at this time.

The IARU Region 1 Executive Committee was scheduled to meet April 17 – 19. A series of virtual meetings will be held instead.

IARU Region 2 was planning workshops on Emergency Communications and Satellite Communications in Trinidad & Tobago, May 30 – 31, but has announced that the workshops will be held online instead. Interest and registrations have surged since the announcement. These workshops will be held in English but preparations are underway for workshops in Spanish to be held later.

IARU Region 3 has cancelled its first Youngsters on the Air (YOTA) Camp that had been planned for Rayong, Thailand, in early October.

Reminder: World Amateur Radio Day, April 18, is just a few weeks away! Help us celebrate amateur radio’s contributions to society, the 95^th anniversary of the founding of the IARU, and that amateur radio is the best way to practice social distancing!

The IARUMS Region 1 Newsletter February 2020 is now available.
Click on the link to read it!