ARLA/CLUSTER: O serviço de radiocomunicações amador não é só um hobby

[João Costa > CT1FBF]

Amateur radiocommunication service - it is not only a hobby

On March 12, 2013, a conference titled 'Amateur radiocommunication
service - it is not only a hobby' took place in the Column Hall of the
Lower Chamber of the Parliament of the Republic of Poland.

It was organized by the Committee on Culture and Media together with
the Foundation of the Nation-wide Agreement of Amateur Radio
Organizations (FOPOR), and in cooperation with the Polish Amateur
Radio Union (PZK). The conference was attended by representatives of
the governmental administration, amateur radio organizations, guide
and scouts, and young radio amateurs.

The meeting was preceded by a ceremony of presentation of Odyniec
Brothers Medals - for contribution to the Polish amateur radio
community, awarded to Grzegorz Czelej - a Polish Senator, and to the
“Emitel” company, as well as by granting of awards for activity of
special event amateur radio stations - to commemorate participants of
the action „Home Army 70 years ago” (in Polish: “Armia Krajowa 70 lat
temu” - translators’note), under the patronage of Marshal Bogdan
Borusewicz and the Board of the World Association of Home Army
Soldiers.

During opening of the conference, the Chair of the Committee on
Culture and Media - Senator Grzegorz Czelej stressed that such a large
group of participants of the Senate meeting constitutes proof of
integration of the radio amateurs’ community. The conference aimed to
answer the question what is the role of radiocommunication service in
today's world.

The history of the Polish amateur radio movement was presented by
Tomasz Ciepielowski (SP5CCC - translator’s note) from the Polish
Amateur Radio Union (PZK). He remembered that the first private
telegraph stations were established in 1911 in the USA, and the
beginning of amateur radio in Poland dates back to 1918.  In 1924, a
bi-weekly magazine - entitled "Radioamator” (in English: “Radio
Amateur” - translator’s note) - was established. Tomasz Ciepielowski
spoke also about the role of amateur radio within the state defence
system, and about the achievements of radio amateurs during the Second
World War (“Błyskawica” and “Burza” radio stations (literally in
English: „Lightning” and "Storm" - translator’s note), and a station
broadcasting from the Buchenwald concentration camp). He also stressed
the role of the scout movement in the field of development of amateur
radio in Poland.

"Amateur radio is a socially useful hobby. Radio amateurs have
knowledge, equipment, they are available and they desire to help
others” - Tomasz Ciepielowski said. The participants of the conference
were also able to see a replica of the "Błyskawica" radio station
(literally in English: "Lightning" - translator’s note), as well as
replicas of the transmitter and receiver from 1925 by means of which
Tadeusz Heftman TPAX made the first amateur radio contacts between
Poland and the USA.

As far as the history, structure and activities of the International
Amateur Radio Union (IARU) are concerned, all was spoken about by Hans
Blondeel Timmerman (PB2T - translator’s note), President of the Region
1 of that Union.

During the conference, a lot of time was devoted to issues concerning
education of children and youth in terms of amateur radio, as well as
to matters referring to relationship between amateur radio and
science. It was spoken about thematic projects and workshops conducted
in schools, additional courses for youth interested in technical
science, youth amateur radio clubs, guide and scout amateur radio
clubs, and about amateur radio demonstrations and presentations during
school open days.

The participants of the conference were able to become familiar with
local and national programmes, and also with programmes prepared by
the IARU, amateur radio operator courses and trainings organised by
the Polish Scouting and Guiding Association (ZHP), educational
activities of the Amateur Radio Association of the Opava Foothills
(SKPO), the international youth programme of technical education ARISS
(Amateur Radio on the International Space Station), the Near Space and
miniSat programmes organised by the non-governmental organisation
named “Copernicus Project”, and the “Radio Reactivation” programme.

The role of radiocommunication services in case of emergency in Poland
and Europe was spoken about: by Rafał Wolanowski (SQ6IYR -
translator’s note) from the Lower Silesia Amateur Emergency Network
(DASR - translator’s note), by Alberto Barbera (IK1YLO/SO5BZO/KI5RPT -
translator’s note) - President of the National Assembly in Emergency
Radio Communications (in Italian: Raggruppamento Nazionale Emergenza
Radiocomunicazioni / RNRE - translator’s note), and by Greg Mossop
(G0DUB - translator’s note) - IARU Region 1 Emergency Communications
Coordinator.

The provisions of the Polish law in the field of telecommunications
relating to the amateur radiocommunication service were talked over by
Scoutmaster Marek Ruszczak (SP5UAR - translator’s note) from the
Foundation of the Nation-wide Agreement of Amateur Radio
Organisations. He also presented the assumptions of a bill on
performing actions within the amateur radiocommunication service and
on professional communication within non-governmental organisations
(NGOs).

At the conclusion of the conference, the Chair of the Committee on
Culture and Media - Senator Grzegorz Czelej did declare his
willingness to cooperate with all who are interested in statutory
provisions in the field of regulation of amateur radiocommunication
service functioning.

Additional information:

The Conference was attended by representatives of the Ministry of
Administration and Digitisation, Office of Electronic Communications,
Ministry of Defence, Government Centre for Security,

Headquarters of the State Fire Service and the Chief Sanitary Inspector.

A group of more than 250 radio amateurs and amateur radio enthusiasts
was present in the hall,  including a large group of students from the
Secondary School No. 2 in Żuromin (near Warsaw - translator’s note) -
a school participating in the ARISS programme.

The conference was also attended by our seniors: Wiesław Wysocki
SP2DX, Krzysztof Słomczyński SP5HS, Wojciech Nietyksza SP5FM, Zdzisław
Bieńkowski SP6LB.

[Translator’s note: the foreign guests of the conference, together
with representatives of the Polish amateur radio community, took also
part (alternatively) in working meetings with superiors and high rank
officials from the Office of Electronic Communications, the Polish
Scouting and Guiding Association, and the Headquarters of the State
Fire Service].

Source: Internet portal of the Senate of the Republic of Poland
(photos from the conference included)
http://www.senat.gov.pl/aktualnosci/art,5163,konferencja-amatorska-sluzba-radiokomunikacyjna-to-nie-tylko-hobby.html

Additional information: a fragment from the official media release by
Tomasz Ciepielowski, SP5CCC - Spokesperson of the conference

Additional photos (by Tomasz Ciepielowski, SP5CCC) - a zipped file
(374 MB) http://konferencja.krotkofalowcy.com.pl/pliki/foto-sp5ccc.zip

Translation: Paweł Zakrzewski, SP7TEV - IARU Liaison Officer of the
Polish Amateur Radio Union (PZK)

Source: IARU Region 1
http://www.iaru-r1.org/