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Re: [CQ-Contest] IARU HF zones

To: cq-contest@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] IARU HF zones
From: VR2BrettGraham <vr2bg@harts.org.hk>
Reply-to: vr2bg@harts.org.hk
Date: Sat, 10 Jul 2010 00:18:03 +0000
List-post: <cq-contest@contesting.com">mailto:cq-contest@contesting.com>
K1MK added:

>> > IARU president said because they were created by ITU for a different
>> > purpose, the "ITU zones" that have been adopted for amateur radio use
>> > may be interpreted as need be.
>> >
>> > It appears the ARRL has a different idea of where the zone boundaries
>> > lie within NA from IARU,
> In 1996, G4BWP of the RSGB's HF Committee made a proposal at the 1996
> Region 1 General Conference Tel Aviv that a common set of boundaries be
> identified for the "ITU regions as used in amateur radio" based upon
> research done by G3HTA and G3KMA. The RSGB's proposal was accepted at
> the Region 1 Conference in Lillehammer (1999), Region 3 Conference in
> Darwin (2000) and the Region 2 Conference in Guatemala City (2001).
>
> This is the set of boundaries that are tabulated in the Region 1 HF
> Managers Handbook (as previously referenced) and elsewhere.

R1's HF Managers Handbook is not referred to in the rules for the IARU 
HF Championship.  Seems a bit much to expect anyone to look to that as a 
reference, most of world is outside R1.

>> > Looking back to 1977 when the IARU
>> > Radiosport Championship first started, the map was part of the contest
>> > announcement published in QST. Sometime before the contest changed into
>> > the HF Championship in 1986, published announcements replaced the map
>> > with a zone/prefix list
> The irrelevant map showing the ITU HFBC CIRAF zones was removed from the
> published rules the second year of the IARU Radiosport Championship
> (1978); a prefix to zone table (a la the IARU's) appeared in the
> published rules until 2002 when it was moved to the web (from whence it
> disappeared earlier this year).

As of 00:05 GMT 2010-07-10, the contest's sponsor still offers the same 
CIRAF-based "ITU zone" map at http://www.iaru.org/ituzonesc.gif that it 
has since IARU IS added it to the IARU's web site in 2003.  Note that 
2003 is after 2000, so CIRAF-based boundaries were kept despite the 
paper making the rounds of the Regions.  What Regions adopt & what IARU 
does are not necessarily the same, is up to IARU AC.

All mention of the contest in IARU AC meeting minutes available prior to 
Darwin:

http://www.iaru.org/ac-97min.html
13.4. IARU HF World Championship. Mr. van de Nadort proposed that in 
addition to IARU headquarters stations, contacts with Administrative 
Council and regional Executive Committee members also count as 
multipliers. This was agreed.

http://www.iaru.org/ac-98min.html
11.3.1. A majority of the members of the Council and a number of 
regional executive committee members were active during the IARU HF 
World Championship in July, providing additional multipliers for 
participants and additional visibility for the IARU. Headquarters 
station NU1AW was also active, and more than 3,000 QSL cards have been 
sent via the bureau system to confirm contacts made outside the United 
States. The outcome of the event was regarded as satisfactory, but some 
study should be given to whether the exchanges used by Council and 
regional executive committee members could be improved in order to 
reduce confusion.

http://www.iaru.org/ac00amin.html
11.5. Rules for the IARU HF World Championship were discussed. Council 
members expressed the desire that rules changes necessary for the 
efficient. processing of entries from serious competitors should not 
discourage more casual participants from submitting entries.

All mention of the contest in IARU AC meeting minutes from Darwin onwards:

http://www.iaru.org/ac-0110min.html
[Following 9.2] There followed a brief discussion of the rules of the 
IARU HF World Championship in order to permit participation in the 
discussion by Mr. Stafford, who was obliged to leave the meeting owing 
to his travel arrangements. The Council was in recess from 1740 until 
0900 the following day, Monday, 8 October, reconvening with all present 
except Mr. Stafford and with Mr. Price in the Chair. Mr. Szama took Mr. 
Stafford's seat representing Region 2.

11.3.2. Rules governing the format for the submission of 
computer-produced entries in the IARU HF World Championship were 
reviewed. It was agreed that no Council action is required.

http://www.iaru.org/ac-0309min.html
13.4.1. The history of the IARU HF World Championship was discussed in 
light of recent email correspondence proposing changes to the rules. It 
was agreed that the ARRL is requested to have its Contest Advisory 
Committee consider the merits of proposals for changes in the rules for 
the IARU HF World Championship. It was further agreed that in the 
future, the IARU HF World Championship will be described as "organized 
by the ARRL on behalf of the IARU."

http://www.iaru.org/ac-0705min.html
11.5.    Mr. Sumner presented a paper noting the increasing popularity 
of the IARU HF World Championship and the challenge of adjudicating the 
event to the expected standard within available resources. After 
discussion, the Secretary was asked by the Council to continue to devote 
the resources necessary to maintain a high standard for the event.

There is no mention of any changes to what is considered to be an "ITU 
zone" by IARU AC - certainly not any that correlates with the paper in 
2000 or IARU IS adding the CIRAF-based map to IARU's web page in 2003.  
Somebody please find where it is RECORDED that it was DECIDED by the 
contest's sponsor that "ITU zones" are different than the sponsor still 
indicates to us today.

73, ex-VR2BG/p.

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