The International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) Administrative Council (AC) is looking into ways to work with non-IARU Amateur Radio organizations in countries where the IARU member-society may not be representing all of that country’s hams. The issue came under discussion at the annual AC meeting September 21-22 in Cancun, Mexico.

“For example, some do not participate in their regional organization activities, some do not pay their regional dues, some are unwilling to handle non-member QSL cards even on a cost-recovery basis and some even fail to respond to inquiries from their regional organizations,” an IARU news release on the meeting said. “In many of these countries, there are other non-IARU member-societies. The Administrative Council is studying ways to work with the non-IARU societies to ensure that the interests of all the amateurs are represented in those countries where the IARU member-society fails to do so.”

According to the IARU, possible solutions could include establishing communication with the non-IARU societies to allow input from the country’s amateur community on IARU and amateur-related issues or by recommending the use of QSL bureaus that will serve all amateurs within a particular country.

The AC is responsible for the policy and management of the IARU and consists of the three IARU international officers and two representatives from each of the three IARU regional organizations (Region 1, Region 2 and Region 3).

In other business, the Administrative Council:

· completed the consultative process for the election of IARU president and vice president for the 2014-2019 terms of office. The International Secretariat, with the concurrence by the Administrative Council, will propose that IARU President Tim Ellam, VE6SH/G4HUA, and Vice President and Ole Garpestad, LA2RR, be re-elected for new 5 year terms.

· reviewed IARU positions for World Radio Conference 2015 agenda items and future WRC agenda items and discussed the strategy for achieving IARU objectives at WRC-15.

· reviewed and updated the IARU Spectrum Requirements Document, available on IARU Report Archives page.

· heard the final report of the Future Spectrum Committee, which detailed current amateur usage of bands above 148 MHz. The Council approved a plan to have one person in each region  serve as a contact person in spectrum matters.

· reviewed IARU participation in World Telecom 2013 in Bangkok, Thailand. IARU will have a booth at the event to promote Amateur Radio.

· reviewed and refined a draft paper on emergency communications strategy

· identified ITU meetings at which IARU representation will be required for the coming year were identified, and reviewed plans for representation at these meetings.

· named David Wardlaw, VK3ADW, and Wojciech Nietyksza, SP5FM, as joint recipients of the Michael J. Owen VK3KI Award. Both have contributed time, effort, and expertise to the IARU for many years. The AC created the award to recognize individuals who best exemplify the dedication and hard work of IARU volunteers.

· adopted the theme “Amateur Radio: Your Gateway to Wireless Communications” for the next World Amateur Radio Day, April 18, 2014.

· reviewed and adopted the 2014-2016 budget, based upon anticipated financial contributions from the three regional organizations to defray a portion of the expenses, in accordance with previously adopted policy.

· received reports of the IARU international coordinators and advisers: International Beacon Project Coordinator Peter Jennings, AB6WM/VE3SUN; Satellite Adviser Hans van de Groenendaal, ZS6AKV; EMC Adviser Christian Verholt, OZ8CY; International Coordinator for Emergency Communications Hans Zimmermann, F5VKP/HB9AQS; and EMC Coordinator Thilo Kootz, DL9KCE. The Council reappointed each of the coordinators and advisers to new 3 year terms.

· added Ken Garg, W3JK, to the list of IARU Expert Consultants.

In other action, President Ellam reported that IARU had accepted an invitation to participate in the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) Spectrum Management Training Program (SMTP) and an appointment on the founding board of advisers for the ITU-D Smart Sustainable Development Model (SSDM).

Attending the Cancun meeting were IARU President Tim Ellam, VE6SH/G4HUA; Vice President Ole Garpestad, LA2RR; Secretary Rod Stafford, W6ROD; regional representatives Hans Blondeel Timmerman, PB2T, Dennis Green, ZS4BS, Reinaldo Leandro, YV5AM, Ramon Santoyo, XE1KK, Gopal Madhavan, VU2GMN, Geoff Atkinson, VK3TL; and recording secretary David Sumner, K1ZZ. Attending as observers were Jay Bellows, KØQB, representing the IARU International Secretariat, and Jose Arturo Molina, YS1MS as Region 2 observer.

The AC will meet again in September 2014 in Bulgaria, in conjunction with the IARU Region 1 Conference.