The 2013 Global Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Conference (GAREC) will take place June 25-27 in Zurich, Switzerland, immediately preceding HAM RADIO -- Europe’s largest Amateur Radio gathering -- in Friedrichshafen, Germany, June 28-30. GAREC 2013 will be combined with Switzerland’s Convention of Amateur Radio Emergency Communication, on June 27.

GAREC -- held annually since 2005 -- provides an opportunity for emergency communicators to discuss recent events, technical solutions to problems and how to find cooperation with professional partners. Attendees have an interest in providing emergency communication via Amateur Radio during training exercises or in response to disasters.

While GAREC 2013 will primarily focus on Amateur Radio emergency communication in Europe, all radio amateurs who are interested in providing public service via Amateur Radio are invited to attend. This year’s topics include the relevance of Amateur Radio Emergency Communication in the First World and the HAMNET high speed data network, as well as presentations from the three IARU regions and presentations from groups with recent disaster relief communications operations.

According to IARU Region 1 Emergency Communications Coordinator Stefan Streif, HB9TTQ, government delegations or authorities might question if, in today’s world, Amateur Radio is really necessary. “Most [European officials] believe that…the infrastructure is so good and technical level so high that a disaster could not affect a wide area,” he said. “Maybe they are correct in one point: The topography in Central Europe is special, and the infrastructure is built to maintain a high level of security. A disaster affecting a large area would be very rare in this part of Europe. Even in the event of an earthquake, individual sections might be manageable; only a blackout over a long period of time could be considered a disaster with a large affected area. As a result, we need other systems of emergency communication in this part of the world.”

Registration for GAREC 2013 must be completed by May 20. For those attending HAM RADIO after GAREC, transportation to Friedrichshafen will be provided for a fee. For more information, please visit the GAREC 2013 website.