Οργανισμό Ευρωπαίων Ραδιοερασιτεχνών

The reaction of Don Beattie, G3BJ, president of IARU Region 1, to the recent statement of EURAO is full of mistakes, half truths and missing facts. So the "context" he offers in his post is biased and incomplete. Let's surface the hidden side.

To begin with, a "little error" is on the date of his first letter. To be precise, the letter itself (a pdf) has no date at all, but the email where it was attached was sent on November 5, 2015. Not in August.

What happened in August? EURAO signed a Letter of Under­standing with CEPT/ECC.

What had happened before? IARU tried to block EURAO's participation in CEPT. This real fact is reflected on the CEPT minutes.

In between, certainly Don Beattie and Timothy S. Ellam, VE6SH, IARU's president, visited our booth at HAM RADIO 2015 exhibition in Friedrichshafen for a chat and to know more about EURAO. This was at the end of June and the meeting lasted about twenty minutes.

I myself provided them with all the information they requested and I expressed our predisposition to collaborate. At the end I asked them if they wanted to give any explanation about their organization or to put any proposal on the table, but they said that they had only come to listen. Nothing else.

Of course I told them about, among other topics, QSLs for non-members and the famous IARU's Resolution 85-9. I claimed unanswered letters and emails on this subject sent in 2013 to IARU's secretary in Newington (USA). Silence.

In the last two years I exchanged tens of emails with Don about different topics. So he can not say there is no response from EURAO. For example, the only answer I got about resolution 85-9 was: "IARU has no power to enforce its will on its member societies". What? So, what kind of reliability will your commitments have?

Do you really want to collaborate, Don? Full and sincere collaboration? General collaboration or only within the scope of CEPT? Or do you just want submission and silence? An excuse to include some void lines in IARU minutes?

Why does not he explain to the audience they did not want to agree modifications of the CEPT recommendations before the official working group meeting in Bordeaux in October 2016? Why did they maintain an invariable and intransigent position? No concessions from IARU were offered, only the consensus will of CEPT officials got some slight variations.

Do they want to impose their "code of conduct and self-discipline" to others when they are unable to enforce their own resolutions to their members? It seems incredible but that's how it is.

Don's meeting proposal sounds more like an ultimatum than a sincere offer of dialogue. Take it or leave it. And if so, never again. Don, has your "offer" an expiry date? Is this the concept of service to radio amateurs you have?

Perhaps the main difference between us is our focus in true ham spirit and your business oriented mind. As rookies a "professional" meeting does not seem the most cool thing we could expect. Sorry for this new disappointment, Mr. Disappointed.

I could say more, but for now I think it is enough.

Dear Don, I suggest you find some time in Friedrichshafen to bring us some answers to our questions. Depending on how they are, five minutes will be enough. Needn't a long and boring full day no one asked. Reversing the mistrust history will take longer and some concession, even small, on your part will be absolutely necessary. I know you're not used to do it, but I do not see another way out.

Think about it. See you at Friedrichshafen.

Joan-Carles Samaranch, EA3CIW
Secretary-General of EURAO

P.D.: Fortunately, EURAO has no "budget difficulties", only manages its money responsibly. I read your financial report and maybe you should start doing the same, shouldn't you?