Amateur Radio and the Emergency Communications

(Region 1 point of view)

Huntsville, Alabama, USA August 16th, 2007

Dr. Seppo Sisättö, OH1VREmCom Coordinator of the IARU Region 1

My subjects:

1) Tampere Convention

2) EmCom cross the borders

3) EmCom Parties on the Air

4) Conclusions and proposals

My background:

OH1VR since 1960

One of the fathers of the Tampere Convention

EmCom Coordinator of the IARU Region 1 2005 –

Ph.D. 1977, Journalist , director in press, radio and tv, entrepreneur, writer, Fulbright Scholar at Stanford University, lecturer etc.

Tampere Convention

Tampere Declaration 1991 ICET 1998 - Tampere Convention Finally: Tampere Convention in Force

January 8th, 2005 - slow process.. ICEC-2006, GAREC-2005, 2006, 2007..

- promoting Tampere Convention

United Nations Press release Information ServiceUnited Nations Office at Geneva

7 January 2005

TAMPERE CONVENTION:

SAVING LIVES THROUGHEMERGENCY TELECOMMUNICATIONS

EmCom cross the borders 1

o Amateur Radio is an international hobby

o We communicate daily cross the borders

o We have equipments and the will to help

o We have a long history in EmComs

o We have skills to build up a contact

o We are known by authorities as a powerful

resource BUT:

EmCom cross the borders 2

o We do not have proper protocol: like how to

behave, how to contact proper authorities

etc. in the cases of international EmComs

o We are good and we have a good will but

without tools our role is limited

o We are NOT organized for international

EmComs – should we? My answer is: YES!

EmCom Parties on the Air 3

o Exercise – not a contest

o Twice a year, 4 hours

o HQ-stations and stations of the special EmCom groups as participants

o The idea was born in Region 1 but we ask other Regions to join the party. Then it will be a global exercise – we do need it

o Next EmCom Party will be on Nov. 11th, 2007

From Safety-2003 to Safety-2008

Objectives of the Finnish Safety-2003 and Safety-2008:

1) to build a nationwide (covering all 446 municipalities) two-way communications network, separate from the national grid2) to enhance the preparedness of radio amateurs

for assisting society in emergencies by improving, among other things, the message handling skills of amateurs, and

3) to create a basis for more regular cooperation with the authorities with the aim of establishing radio amateurs as a distinct cooperating partner among partners listed by the authorities in their preparedness plans

How we did it?

About 1000 radio amateurs participated in 2003

= every fifth Finnish Radio Amateur

Three preliminary exercises before June 7th, 2003

The aim of the exercise, the building and operation of a nationwide communications network, was deliberately exaggerated

Minister of Interior and Safety 2003

Vests for the participants of Safety 2003

Training courses before the exercise

Cell HQ at Helsinki Energy ARC(under one cell HQ operated 5-8 stations)

Proposals for GAREC-2007 Inviting all IARU regions to participate EmCom

Parties on the Air – forming a WG to run it?

Forming a WG for creating abbreviations for international EmComs

Deciding to continue GAREC –process, next year in Region 3 or Croatia and 2009 in

Tampere Finland - again

Conclusions Amateur Radio is usefull tool for the Emergency

Communicatios

World wide cooperation among Amateur Radio operators on the field of EmCom is in the process (GAREC’s, exercises, education etc.)

WRC-07 has a key role to strengthen EmCom opportunities of Amateur Radio Service

Ratification of Tampere Convention and acceptance of CEPT -licensing are steps forward

Thank you!

(seppo.sisatto@uta.fi)