INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO UNION
REGION 3

FOURTEENTH REGIONAL CONFERENCE

12 – 16 October 2009 Christchurch, New Zealand
Document No. 09/XIV/050

Agenda Item: 10.2.6, 12.6
Emergency Communications in IARU R3 report 2009
Jim Linton VK3PC
Chairman of the Disaster Communications Committee

This report sets out the history and membership of the Committee, briefly lists recent natural disasters and the involvement of radio amateurs, provides a summary of known developments by member societies, re-visits the changes that were made at WRC-03, public relations and emergency communications, a brief report on GAREC-09 and a recommendation for conference to consider on adoption of Centre of Activity frequencies.

Disaster Communications Committee:

This Committee was formed in 2000 on a resolution of the Darwin conference, in early recognition of the growing emphasis on the Amateur Service emergency communications role and the need for a coordinated approach.

The Board of Directors at its meeting 5-7 October 2005, appointed myself as Chairman of the Committee. The current list of e-member societies is:

ARANC, ARRL, ARSI, BDARA, CRSA, CTARL, HARTS, JARL, KARL, NZART, MARTS, ORARI, PARS, PNGARS, RAST, RSSL, SARTS, SIRS, VARS and WIA.

Most of these 20 members have been actively involved in the bi-annual Global Simulated Emergency Tests (GlobalSETS) organised by IARU Region 1. The next GlobalSET will be on 14 November, 1800-2200 UTC and all societies are welcome to participate.

ARSI, CRSA, HARTS, JARL and MARTS have Simulated Emergency Tests within their countries, and ORARI engaging in Tsunami Drill Exercises.


Recent emergencies:

Brunei Darussalam flooding: In January 2009 severe heavy rainfall caused flash flooding, landslides, property damage and power failures. The Brunei Darussalam Amateur Radio Association (BDARA) reported that radio amateurs provided emergency communication to establish contact with remote areas are normal communication systems were disrupted.
Australian bushfires: In January and February 2009 a series of wildfires caused widespread damage to a third of the State of Victoria (VK3), claiming 173 lives, injuring thousands of people, destroying more than 2000 homes, wiping out townships and killing farm animals and wildlife. Both the Wireless Institute Civil Emergency Network and the radio amateur-run communications arm of the Red Cross, RECOM, were engaged for four weeks in providing emergency communications support.

Taiwan disaster: August 2009, Typhoon Morakot passed through Taiwan resulting in that nation’s worst floods in 50 years, the loss of hundreds of lives, thousands left homeless and extensive property damage. The CTARL ARES team in a helicopter also carrying two doctors and four nurses were among the first to reach Chin-Ho that was surrounded by flood waters. The ARES team provided great support during the disaster recovery efforts.

Philippines calamity: September 2009 a tropical storm named ‘Ondoy’ struck causing flooding and landslides, affecting more than two million people and a high death toll. The Philippines Amateur Radio Association (PARA) reported that hams swung into action to help with the relief operations, not only by providing communications but assist with sourcing supplies and donations.

Pacific Tsunami: On 30 September 2009 an 8.3 magnitude earthquake off Samoa triggered a tsunami causing loss of life and widespread destruction that not only affected Samoa but to a lesser extent nearby Tonga. Any involvement by radio amateurs is unknown.

Indonesian earthquakes: A powerful earthquake rocked western Indonesia, trapping thousands under collapsed buildings and triggering landslides. Another earthquake occurred shortly afterwards. The Organisasi Amatir Radio Indonesia (ORARI) advised that hams were active in providing support the emergency Communications in West & South Sumatra. (Full details section f. Disaster Relief in ORARI report to this conference)


Emergency communications capability improvements:

ARCOT: The news media reported that the government of Tonga, through its Emergency Response Plan, now authorised amateur radio participation in conjunction with the Tonga Defence Force, the Tonga Meteorological Service, the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Tonga Red Cross. Verification of the report is yet to be received from ARCOT.

ARSI: A new emergency radio facility has been established at the Red Cross Society headquarters in Bangalore, which includes HF and VHF transceivers and antennas, operating under the callsign VU2ZH.

CRSA: A big change occurred in 2007 when the government issued the ‘Emergency Response Law of the People’s Republic of China’, and amateur radio gained a formal position in disaster relief, as occurred after the Great Sichuan Earthquake. Among other developments being considered, or planned, is the setting up of five stations nation-wide, and linking them by Voice over Internet :Protocol (VoIP) technology, such as Echolink.

MARTS: In November 2008 it launched its Radio Amateur Civil and Emergency Services (RACES). It is working on a written manual on emergency services to be shared and used by all hams in Malaysia. MARTS RACES conducts simulated emergency tests and other preparations for emergency communications. MARTS previously announced that Motorola Malaysia had installed a five repeater network to create the first nationwide amateur radio system in South East Asia – with the potential to provide communication up to southern Thailand, Singapore, Sumatra's east coast area, and into the Straits of Malacca and the South China Sea.

NZART: The Amateur Radio Emergency Communications (AREC) provides a modular training system and conducts training seminars for those interested in emergency communications. It reports that ‘in the past, amateur radio operators have been able to use and adapt their own private equipment for emergency purposes, but changes in technology, frequency allocations and band specifications dictate more specialised equipment’. The time will come when equipment donations are required to enable the role for the Amateur Service to continue at a high level.

RAST: Building on the recognition of the contributions radio amateurs made in Southern Thailand after the Indian tsunami in December 2004, RAST has been steadily involved in fostering partnerships with agencies. (Full details on page 1 of the ‘Thailand Country Paper’ report to this conference).

WIA: It intends to provide training for radio amateurs involved in, or interested in being involved in emergency communications. While training has occurred through the State and Territory based Wireless Institute Civil Emergency Network (WICEN) groups, plus RECOM and the Specialist Communications Group, the new approach will take this to a much higher level. It will be similar to occupational or workplace training, of a single national standard, and in the future is expected to be a required qualification for anyone wishing to be involved in providing communications to emergency services and government agencies. (Full details page 3 of the WIA report to this conference)


Promotion and public relations:

Thank you to those member societies who have referred to emergency communications in their reports to this conference, or generally promote that activity when the opportunity arises.
It has never been easier to promote any worthwhile amateur radio activity including emergency communications or exercises. A number of amateur radio news outlets are used by some radio societies and clubs around the world to get their message out, in addition to email lists, websites, magazines and newsletters.

Look at a range of amateur radio activities including special event stations, DXpedition or small scale DX entity activations, distance records, awards and contests. This list is not exhaustive but that type of news is of interest to the wider amateur radio community.
In many cases, news of amateur radio involvement in emergency communications is often either delayed for many days, or is not publicised at all. This may be due to a lack of preparation, planning, and making someone responsible for issuing regular reports.

Not only radio amateurs who want to hear this news, but it has the potential of being used in mainstream news media that can help to increase the awareness of amateur radio. Any media plan should also include the capturing images of amateur radio activity and a final report suitable for publication in magazines and on the internet.

And why? To record history, inform and encourage radio amateurs to be involved in the future, so that authorities and decision makers can learn what occurred, and the potential for the wider community to know the role that amateur radio can and does play.

Re-visiting the issue of ITU regulations 25.3 and 25.9A

It continues to be a difficult job to determine whether societies have been able to have their administrations update the national regulations in their country to include the decisions made at WRC03.

Some time ago, in recognition that individual societies needed support on this matter, a ‘Model Provision’ based on an IARU decision, was offered as a ready-made text for those radio societies whose administrations have not updated their national regulations.
[Amateur Stations may be used for transmitting communications international
communications:

(a) on behalf of third parties in cases of emergencies or disaster relief;
or,
(b) on behalf of, or purporting to be on behalf of, third parties in an
organized activity or a training exercise undertaken to expressly prepare
for and meet communications needs during emergencies or disaster relief.]

Policy - background

It is important to appreciate the combination of the ITU regulations 25.3 and 25.9A.
25.3

Amateur stations may be used for transmitting international communications on behalf of third parties only in case of emergencies or disaster relief. An administration may determine the applicability of this provision to amateur stations under its jurisdiction.

25.9A Administrations are encouraged to take the necessary steps to allow amateur stations to prepare for and meet communication needs in support of disaster relief.
If the Amateur Service is to adequately prepare for, and play its role in emergency communications, 25.3 must be applied to the national regulations of individual nations. In order to be able to fully prepare for emergency communications, as encouraged by (25.9A), it is critical that national regulations do not inhibit third party traffic (TPT).

In the absence of advice from member societies, and the lack of responses to a number of written requests for such advice, it can be assumed that a number of nations would still have pre-2003 provisions in their national regulations that prohibit TPT without a bilateral agreement between nations.

Before being able to take part in a cross-border, regional or international simulated emergency test (SET) or the IARU R1 organised Global Simulated Emergency Test (GlobalSET), it is important that national regulations are not a barrier for TPT.

Recommendation: That member societies again be urged to examine the IARU ‘Model Provision’ and review their national regulations to ensure that they reflect the ITU regulations 25.3 and 25.9A decided at WRC03.

Global Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Conference:

The 5th GAREC, with the theme 'Emergency Communications across Borders' was hosted by the Japan Amateur Radio League and held in Tokyo 24-25 August this year, had 29 participants from 14 countries share their knowledge and experiences.
It had participation by representatives of IARU and all three of its regional organisations, National IARU Member Societies and specialised Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Groups from all three ITU/IARU Regions.

From IARU Region 3 were Special Advisor to the Directors Keigo Komuro JA1KAB who chaired the conference, Secretary Jay Oka JA1TRC and Director Shizuo Endo
JE1MUI, and myself. From the IARU, President Tim Ellam VE6SH and Secretary David Sumner K1ZZ attended.

Its final adopted statement, said in part ‘GAREC conferences should continue to be held in locations throughout the world to the extent possible and should maintain the character of GAREC as an informal meeting among representatives of IARU member societies and of Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Groups within or outside of the respective National IARU Member Society, serving as a forum for the exchange of experience and as an advisory body for the work on emergency communications of the IARU.’

In addition to the written report on GAREC-2009 provided to member societies after the conference, I recommend to all interested in emergency communications to read the presentations made at this and previous conferences, and the full text of this year’s official statement, which are on the website www.rientola.fi/oh3ag/garec/

Centre of Activity frequencies (CoA):

The nomination of three CoA frequencies, 14.3, 18.160 and 21.360 to provide intercontinental radio coverage, originated at the Global Amateur Radio Emergency Conference (GAREC) in 2005.

While IARU R1 in September that year did adopt those three frequencies for its region, it also did select 7.060 and 3.760. It was always intended that 80m and 40m frequencies were or are to be decided on a regional basis.

At the Bangalore Conference (Document No. 06/XIII/031) the CoA were only ‘noted’ but not adopted, due to them being misunderstood. IARU R2 has adopted the CoA on 20m, 17m and 15m bands and have additional frequency bands plus two channels on 5MHz.
As a result of my attendance at GAREC-2009, I heard the history and purpose of CoA clarified in a presentation by IARU Region 1 Coordinator of Emergency Communications and organiser of the twice-yearly GlobSET, Greg Mossop G0DUB.


The key points he made were that CoA are not:

• Spot frequencies but a starting point (+ or – 5kHz)
• The only frequencies to be used
• Mode specific and should be considered as being ‘all modes’

Greg G0DUB also noted that there has been some resistance to CoA from some within the amateur radio community partly due to them not being included in band plans.
The IARU R1 has found that 7.060 is unsuitable as a CoA, and is now trialling 7.110. For IARU R3, the frequency 3.760 is not suitable for all societies, and 3.600 appears better suited for the purpose.

Recommendation: Noting that IARU R1 and R2 have already adopted Centre of Activity (CoA) frequencies for emergency communications and training for emergencies, that this conference adopt 3.600, 7.110, 14.300, 18.160, 21.360 as CoA for IARU R3. The regional band plan include those CoA at the earliest possible opportunity and all member societies are urged to have them included in their nation band plans.
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