The Soutghate amateur radio news service posted an odd news story today, concerning IARU Region 1 and a group called the European Radio Amateurs Organization (EURAO). EURAO is a relatively new organization, that, according to its website,
…is intended to be a meeting point for all those independent radio amateurs’ associations around the world, mainly from Europe, interested in sharing their activities and experiences, making up common services, working together in new projects and, of course, lobbying Public Administrations.
That last bit is what concerns me. EURAO recently signed a Letter of Understanding (LoU) with the Electronic Communications Committee (ECC) of the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT). According to the article, the EURAO feels that the IARU tried to somehow block the LOU with CEPT, and they are up in arms about this.
Putting aside, for the time being, the foibles of the IARU and the dissatisfaction with the actions of some of the national amateur radio associations around the world, do we really need another amateur radio group lobbying the international organizations that govern amateur radio? The article is sketchy on why EURAO feels so strongly about this, and the Southgate article, which appears to be written by an EUROA official, sounds quite snarky. The EURAO website doesn’t offer much information about the purpose of the group and its goals.
I’d like to know more about this situation. If any of you can enlighten me on the issues here, please feel to enter a comment below or to email me directly.
Jerry Stuckle says
I looked at the EURAO website, and was not impressed. It seems they have their own “half truths and alternate facts”. Or are just completely clueless.
They claim they wanted to meet with IARU at Friedrichshafen but IARU claimed they “had a full schedule”. I can believe that. IARU is doing a lot of things, and there isn’t a lot of time at Friedrichshafen, especially have what would be a rather lengthy meeting with another organization. I think IARU’s offer is quite adequate.
EURAO claims on one hand they don’t have the money to visit with IARU officials outside of Friedrichshafen – but then later claim they have quite a bit of money, but IARU doesn’t have much. Which is it? And maybe IARU doesn’t have a lot of money because they are doing things on behalf of Amateur Radio – not just sitting on their cans or writing themselves a free ticket to Friedrichshafen under the guise of “organization business”.
But what scares me the most about them is the statement “For example, the only answer I got about resolution 89-5 was:
“IARU has no power to enforce its will on its member societies”. What? So, what kind of reliability will your commitments have?”.
No, IARU does not enforce its will on its member societies – and that is how it should be. The member societies don’t enforce their will on their members, either – at least the ARRL hasn’t enforced anything on me for the over 30 years I’ve been a Life Member. It scares me that EURAO finds this to be a bad thing. It seems they want to not just represent Amateur Radio at CERT – but they want to CONTROL Amateur Radio.
That right there is enough for me to not be interested.