Event details
1000National
Belgium
It was on 18 April 1925 in Paris that the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) was founded. This year thus marks the 96th anniversary of the establishment of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU).
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has recognised that the IARU represents the interests of amateur radio and radio amateurs. Today, by the way, amateur radio is more popular than ever with more than 3,000,000 licensed operators. World Amateur Radio Day is the day to celebrate global friendship with other radio amateurs around the world.
Thanks to the support of many administrations in every part of the world, radio amateurs can experiment and communicate in frequency bands strategically distributed throughout the radio spectrum. From the 25 countries that formed IARU in 1925, IARU has grown today to an association of 160 members in three regions. IARU Region 1 covers Europe, Africa, the Middle East and North Asia. Region 2 covers North and South America and Region 3 consists of Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific Islands and most of Asia.
Every year on 18 April, radio amateurs around the world traditionally get on the air to celebrate World Amateur Radio Day. It was on this day in 1925 that the International Amateur Radio Union was founded in Paris. Long before the World Wide Web was invented, when instant communication was still a distant dream and a letter was actually considered a fairly quick way to communicate.
Pioneers of amateur radio met in Paris in 1925 and founded the IARU to support amateur radio worldwide. Only two years later, at the International Radiotelegraph Conference, amateur radio received the frequency allocations that are still recognised today. Since its foundation, the IARU has worked tirelessly to defend and expand frequency allocations for amateur radio. World Amateur Radio Day reminds us of these pioneers, and how radio has served a global community for more than 100 years.
The IARU has chosen "Amateur Radio: Home but Never Alone" as this year's theme for World Amateur Radio Day. The theme recognises that during our physical distance to reduce the spread of COVID-19, Amateur Radio attracts worldwide attention as a welcome diversion through its wide variety of activities and opportunities. Many volunteer ARRL Public Information Officers and Public Information Coordinators in the US use the run-up to World Amateur Radio Day as an opportunity to reach out to the media to share information about amateur radio. "The amateur radio community has a great story to tell on the occasion of World Amateur Radio Day," said ARRL Product Development Manager Bob Inderbitzen NQ1R.
At the 1927 International Radiotelegraph Conference, amateur radio was given allocations that are still recognised today: namely, the 160, 80, 40, 20 and 10 metres. Throughout the years, the IARU has worked to defend these allocations and to give all radio amateurs new frequency bands at 136 kHz, 472 kHz, 5 MHz, 10 MHz, 18 MHz, 24 MHz and 50 MHz.
The 25 countries that formed IARU in 1925 have grown to more than 160 member associations in three regions. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) accepts that the IARU has the interests of amateur radio at heart. On World Amateur Radio Day, all radio amateurs are invited to be active on the frequencies to share global goodwill with other radio amateurs. All associations encourage members to promote the values of amateur radio to family and friends as well as in their communities.
Some of the many WARD 2021 activities around the world:
- Bahrain: The Amateur Radio Society of Bahrain will activate the special callsign A91WARD from April 14 to 18, 2021 in SSB, FT8 and DMR modes.
- Canada: Amateur Radio operators in Canada are sponsoring a special event "Get on the Air on World Amateur Radio Day". More information at https://www.rac.ca/ward2021/ and beyond. Amateur Radio stations that will be activated by the RAC are VA2RAC, VA3RAC, VE1RAC, VE4RAC, VE5RAC, VE6RAC, VE7RAC, VE8RAC, VE9RAC, VO1RAC, VO2RAC, VY0RAC, VY1RAC and VY2RAC.
- Germany: The Deutscher Amateur Radio Club will activate the special callsign DA21WARD from April 18 to June 30. QSL via DK5ON.
- Netherlands: Alex PA1AW will be active with the special callsign PA96WARD in honour of the World Amateur Radio Day on April 18.
Join us in celebrating the World Amateur Radio Day on April 18, 2021.