The Global Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Conference (GAREC) is on June 25-27 in Zurich, Switzerland, timed to precede HAM RADIO, Europe's largest Amateur Radio gathering in Friedrichshafen, Germany on June 28-30.

The GAREC 2013 is part of Switzerland's Convention of Amateur Radio Emergency Communication.

Held annually since 2005 GAREC it is an opportunity for emergency communicators to discuss recent events, technical solutions to problems and how to find cooperation with professional partners.

While GAREC 2013 will primarily focus on Amateur Radio emergency communication in Europe, all radio amateurs who are interested in providing public service via Amateur Radio are invited.

The topics include the relevance of Amateur Radio Emergency Communication in the First World and the HAMNET high speed data network, presentations from the IARU regions plus those with recent disaster relief communications operations.

Registration is due by May 20. Those attending HAM RADIO after GAREC, transportation to Friedrichshafen will be provided for a fee. For more information visit the GAREC 2013 website.

The IARUMS Region 1 Newsletter April 2013 is now available.  Click here!

Visegrad ARHAB Days is the project aiming at the implementation of educational workshops connected with the launches of stratospheric balloons, with payloads containing amateur radio equipment and meteorological stations. During the missions, our team will carry out research on the propagation of radio waves in the upper layers of the atmosphere (through the troposphere up to the stratosphere). The planned flight altitude is about 30,000 m. Our capsule will be equipped with the systems necessary for video filming and HD photography. We will also explore the vertical distribution of temperatures and pressure from the moment of the launch to the balloon’s ceiling.

The launch will take place from Poland. Radio communication via a specially designed amateur-radio repeater will be available to amateur radio operators in Europe. Contacts with the selected stations of the Visegrad Group’s countries will be separately awarded. During the stratospheric flights, special-event amateur radio stations will be active from HA, OK, OM, and SP.

The Visegrad Amateur-Radio High-Altitude Balloon Days Award will be issued.

The Award Rules are available on the Project’s website. The Award artwork shows the photographs of deep space and the Earth’s curvature recorded during our stratospheric missions.

It will be possible to carry out amateur radio contacts via the repeater mounted in the balloon transponder, as well as HF/VHF contacts with the stations operating from HA, OK, OM, and SP. The operators completing successful QSO’s will be asked to fill out a short questionnaire (http://nearspace.eu) commenting on the propagation of radio waves in the stratosphere.

The ICASA Council has last week approved two 5 MHz frequencies for the South African Radio League to carry out propagation research. This is in response to the SARL\'s application for two channels to collect information about countrywide propagation conditions on 5 MHz. The SARL expects the licenses to be issued next week.

The SARL applied for access to 5 MHz in 2010, 2011 and again in 2012. The licences are being issued for an 8-month period at a license fee of R2 900. At the end of the period, the SARL can apply for an extension.

In the application, the SARL told ICASA that while the propagation of signals are fairly well known for high power broadcasting, there is still quite a lot that can be learned by radio amateurs, especially on "inland" work away from the coastline.

Some years ago the then SOEKOR observed that on the Cape South-coast seawards of Mossel Bay in the late afternoon and early evenings 5 MHz will provide E-layer propagation for about an hour or two. This also occurred "up and down" the Outeniqua coastline. Propagation modelling showed that the E-layer at those times was between 110 and 80 km above the Earth, much lower than the F layer. As the signal path was much shorter, very strong signals could be obtained with relatively low ERP (effective radiated power). It would be interesting to see how far and wide this propagation mode does actually occur in South Africa.

The SARL is in the process of creating a special webpage for the project. It is planned to schedule transmissions on one channel from various parts of South Africa at various times and radio amateurs will be requested to send in reception reports. The SARL is looking for volunteers in all parts of South Africa to transmit Amateur Radio Today at various times. If you like to be a transmitting station, please send your details to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

The second channel will be available for individual QSOs. To use the 5 MHz band, it will be required to register with the SARL. Details will be available on the web by next weekend.

There is an item on the WRC-15 agenda requesting a permanent secondary allocation for amateur radio in the 5 MHz band. The SARL hopes through its propagation research project to contribute to the body of knowledge and to lobby for support by the delegations of South African, SADC and African Union countries to support the call for the new allocation.

The IARUMS Region 1 Newsletter March 2013 is now available. Click here!

Bulletin No. 2 of the 14th IARU Region 1 Youth ARDF Championships 2013 is now available.

Date: June 12 – 16, 2013
Venue: Tři Studně, Czech Republic

More information is available at http://eyac2013.com/

Italian Amateurs have again access to 70 MHz from February 1st until December 31st 2013. These are the specifications: