On 18 April 1925, pioneering radio amateurs gathered in Paris to establish a new international union. This year, the International Amateur Radio Union celebrates its centenary and embarks on another century of innovation with changing technologies.
As always, World Amateur Radio Day is when we, the member societies of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU), can show our capabilities to the public and enjoy global friendship with other amateurs worldwide. For this centennial year, we have dedicated the day to “Entering the Next Century of Amateur Radio Communications & Innovation.”
For the last 100 years, the IARU has worked tirelessly to promote innovation in our field and to encourage the growth of amateur radio in communities throughout the world. From our early years, we have safeguarded radio frequencies for amateur services and coordinated with other radio spectrum users through the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
By 1932, the new amateur union was admitted to the Consultative Committee on International Radio (CCIR) – forerunner of today’s ITU Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R). That puts us among longest-serving non-state international associations in ITU’s membership.
Today, we remain an active member, participating in ITU’s World Radiocommunication, World Telecommunication Development, and Plenipotentiary conferences, as well as its Telecommunication Development Advisory Group and other radiocommunication and development meetings.
Active international engagement
We are proud to work with ITU to promote the shared use of the radio spectrum and help achieve the goals of a connected humanity.
Over the decades, we have relied on our volunteers, who come from many countries and communities, to represent the IARU and amateur services in international and regional regulatory bodies. Our active engagement at ITU and regional telecommunication organizations is achieved entirely through the dedication of amateur radio operators who volunteer their time, efforts, and unique skill sets.
Some have experience in spectrum regulation, while others have a technical background in communications and electronics. Working within the ITU process, they engage with delegates, industry representatives and ITU staff to enhance the use of the radio spectrum for everyone.
As we have been from the beginning, the IARU remains a true volunteer organization with a modest budget. But collaborate with ITU in key areas, such as emergency communications and the promotion of science and technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in developing countries and among younger people.
Bolstering emergency communications
The IARU has been pleased to work with the ITU’s Telecommunication Development Sector (ITU-D) on initiatives like the Smart Sustainable Development Model, training programmes for regulatory staff in developing countries, and numerous global emergency communication workshops.
Countless times, amateur radio services have provided vital emergency communications during disasters. Often, in the first 24-48 hours of a crisis, amateur radio is the only means of communication.
Radio amateurs have their own equipment, their own networks, and the skills to utilize basic materials for adequate communication to or from a stricken area.
Amateur radio remains critical for times of crisis.
Securing spectrum to experiment and grow
Through ITU coordination, the IARU has obtained key spectrum allocations for amateur services, including a global 21-megahertz (MHz) band starting in 1947 and 10, 18 and 24 MHz allocations in 1979. In 2003, we achieved an extension of the amateur 7 MHz band and easing of Article 25.4 of the ITU Radio Regulations to facilitate disaster communications in 2003.
Our more recent radiocommunication milestones include added allocations at 136 kilohertz (KHz) in 2007 and 472 KHz in 2012, a small allocation at 5 MHz in 2015, and coexistence of secondary amateur and amateur satellite allocations with the radio navigation satellite service (RNSS) in the range of 1240-1300 MHz, decided in 2023.
What do these changes mean for amateur radio services and the millions of amateur radio operators worldwide?
Above all, the ability to keep experimenting and enhance spectrum usage for the good of everyone.
CubeSats and higher frequencies
Amateurs have made strides with digital communications. New digital modes will continue to emerge.
Furthermore, we are at the forefront of satellite communications, with many schools and universities building pocket-sized CubeSats that utilize amateur satellite frequencies – an educational spectrum use we are pleased to coordinate on ITU’s behalf.
Amateur operators are also making progress above 144 MHz for earth-moon-earth and other communications, as well as experiments with our microwave allocations at 1.2 gigahertz (GHz) or higher.
With these exciting new applications, amateur radio is enjoying a renaissance among younger people. We are excited by the prospect of future decades of success.
As we enter our second century, we look forward to further projects and partnerships with ITU. We are proud to protect key services, enhance amateur radio, and help optimize radio spectrum use for the good of all.
Source: https://www.itu.int/hub/2025/04/iaru-centenary-amateur-radio-services-at-the-forefront/
