Europäische Organisation der Funkamateure

Dear members and friends,

More than ever, we're witnessing an evolution of ham radio around the world. COVID-19 is just another catalyst that forces us to think wider than before, adaptive and think about changing seriously.

Some time ago, we were skeptical to accept new modes of working, like FT4 or FT8, accusing the lack of personalization of them. In my opinion it was only a link of our recent evolution triggered by the crossing of the barrier represented by AM and CW.

Looking for solutions is a characteristic of us and to adapt is a requirement of these difficult days. We love ham radio and I recommend doing everything to keep it as part of our existence.

We need to help each other and cement the concept of Ham spirit, as we learned it when we discovered ham radio as beginners. It is time for the contests' managers to open their eyes and to re-define the concept of what means "team" and "multi operators". Working at a distance is one of the concepts that already replace the idea of a team placed in one single place.

Also, DXpedition has to be rethinked in a remote version even it is hard for us to accept it. For all of them changing the time clicking is begun.

To refuse adapting at the new challenge also to refuse thrust collaboration in to support of ham radios is equal to accept the extinction. We can make the choice.

We reinvent many things in our lives in terms of existence and radio amateurism is no exception. As we saw, not everything was enough and effective to develop the ham radio around the world. The time for vendetta has passed and the time has come when we must be extremely honest with ourselves.

In this difficult context for the society of which we are part, I invite you to move beyond the moment and get involved as much as you can to help and overcome the difficult period we are going through.

I am looking forward with confidence making steps in solving and passing these difficult challenges.

There will be many other challenges and we must be prepared.

73 de Petrica, YO9RIJ
EURAO President