The following information has been received from Jorge Sierra, LU1AS the IARU Region 2 Emergency Co-Ordinator for Area G.

At this time there are several frequencies in 40 meters receiving traffic for to locate people in Chile from stations in both Chile  and Argentina.

The most active frequencies are  7050, 7060, 7088, 7095 kHz along with others.

Almost all the traffic heard is related  to locating missing persons, but it is not easy  to find  them, because the situation in the small towns near to Santiago is very difficult, they don't  have electricity, telephone lines or cell phones; emergency communications stations are running on batteries.

As can be seen in broadcast news reports, the airport at Santiago is again operative but with some restrictions. The Chilean government has asked other countries in the region not send help until they can review the situation and ask for their exact needs.

It was disappointing to notice that numerous contest stations from Region 1 violated their national regulations by transmitting out of band during last weekend's CQ World Wide 160-Meter SSB Contest. While I can have some understanding that the IARU bandplan for top band is not followed during this major contest, I totally disagree that contest stations transmit outside bands allocated to the amateur service. For a station transmitting in LSB on 160 meters this is below 1813 kHz (for transceivers with carrier readout).

The amateur service has always been known as a self regulating service, which has helped us in our negotiations with administrations. A behaviour as shown last weekend will certainly not help us in the future. I call upon all contesters to reinstate our values.

Hans Blondeel Timmerman, PB2T
IARU Region 1 President

Following submissions from NZ Association of Radio Transmitters (NZART), the group that represents NZ amateur radio operators, the NZ Government has agreed to grant NZ Amateurs temporary access to a slice of the 600 metre spectrum. From 1 March 2010, NZ Amateurs will have access to some of the pectrum that was previously used for Morse code communications with ships. The new band, 505 to 515 kHz has been granted on a temporary basis pending an international allocation to radio amateurs and includes some restrictions:

Following the decision made at the last High Speed Telegraphy Working Committee meeting, the IARU Region 1 HST Working Group is looking for an IARU Region 1 Member Society to host the ninth IARU High Speed Telegraphy World Championship in 2011.

Read more in the document available on Documents and HST on the menu on the left. 

If your Society wishes to be considered to host this event, please send your official proposal not later than 30 August 2010 to the following address - HST WG Chairman Oliver Tabakovski, Z32TO, Bul. Partizanski odredi 74/41, 1000 Skopje, Republic of Macedonia or by e-mail to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

An earthquake measuring 8.8 on the Richter scale hit Chile at 0634UTC today (27th February). Information is now being received that the local emergency communications group "Red Chilena Nor Austral de Servicio (RECNA)" is active and some emergency communications activities are taking place, mostly with Argentina. Jorge Sierra, LU1AS who is the IARU-R2 Area Emergency Co-Ordinator is asking that the following frequencies are kept clear;

7095, RECNA Control Station Emergency Traffic has also been heard on 7050, 7060 and 7095 with stations trying to contact Chile seeking information about people.

Jónas Bjarnason, TF2JB, President of Islenzkir Radioamatorar (IRA) reports that Iceland has received access to the 4 and 600 m bands.

On 19 February 2010, the Post and Telecom Administration in Iceland granted a temporary experimental access to the 4 metre band in Iceland. The permit is valid until 31 December 2010. The frequency span is 70,000 – 70,200 MHz. Access is granted on a secondary basis. Maximum bandwidth is 16 kHz and power limit is 100 W. Licensees need to apply to the PTA for a special license. The experimental license is open to both “N” and “G” license classes.

On 19 February 2010, the Post and Telecom Administration in Iceland granted a temporary experimental access to the 600 metre band in Iceland. The permit is valid until 31 December 2010. The frequency span is 493 - 510 kHz. Access is granted on a secondary basis, CW only. Power limit is 100 W. Licensees need to apply to the PTA for a special license. The experimental license is open to both “N” and “G” license classes.

Current active OSCAR satellites

There are currently 8 satellites carrying voice transponders:

• AO7 – linear transponders
• AO27 – FM transponder
• FO29  - linear transponder
• SO50 – FM transponder
• AO51 – FM transponders
• VO52 – linear transponder
• SO67 – FM transponder – launched since my last report
• HO68 – linear and FM transponders – launched since my last report

The ISS has a number of different operational modes which are activated whenever possible on the 2 metres and 70cms bands. Additionally there are than fifteen cubesats currently active transmitting a variety of data and CW beacons and a number of Russian satellites which also use frequencies within the 70cms band for their data downlinks.