This is a list of amateur radio organizations. It includes notable amateur radio international, national, regional, and local organizations. It also includes lists of organisations from dependent and overseas territories and other territories.
Country | Organization(s) | Comments | |
---|---|---|---|
Algeria | Amateurs Radio Algeriens | a national non-profit organization for amateur radio enthusiasts in Algeria | |
Andorra | Unió de Radioaficionats Andorrans | a national non-profit organization for amateur radio enthusiasts in Andorra | |
Argentina | Radio Club Argentino | a national non-profit organization for amateur radio enthusiasts in Argentina | |
Aruba | Aruba Amateur Radio Club | a national non-profit organization for amateur radio enthusiasts in Aruba | |
Australia | Wireless Institute of Australia | a national non-profit organization for amateur radio enthusiasts in Australia | |
Austria | Österreichischer Versuchssenderverband | a national non-profit organization for amateur radio enthusiasts in Austria | |
Bangladesh | Bangladesh Amateur Radio League | National Association of Bangladeshi Radio Amateur. Member society of IARU | |
Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication | |||
Belarus | Belarusian Federation of Radioamateurs and Radiosportsmen | a national non-profit organization for amateur radio enthusiasts in Belarus | |
Belgium | Royal Union of Belgian Radio Amateurs (UBA) | a national non-profit organization for amateur radio enthusiasts in Belgium [1] | |
Brazil | Liga de Amadores Brasileiros de Rádio Emissão (LABRE) | national non-profit organization of amateur radio in Brazil. Founded in 1934. Member society of IARU. | |
Bulgaria | Bulgarian Federation of Radio Amateurs | ||
Canada | Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC) | ||
Manitoba Amateur Radio Museum | a national non-profit organization of amateur radio enthusiasts in Canada | ||
Chile | Radio Club de Chile | Santiago, Chile | |
China | Chinese Radio Sports Association (CRSA) | a national non-profit organization for amateur radio enthusiasts in the People's Republic of China, national member society in the IARU, have affiliations such as Shanghai Radio Sports Association | |
Hong Kong Amateur Radio Transmitting Society (HARTS) | National Society of Radio Amateurs in Hong Kong (VR2HK), Member society of IARU, Non-profit organization. | ||
Associação dos Radioamadores de Macau | |||
Colombia | Liga Colombiana de Radioaficionados | ||
Costa Rica | Radio Club de Costa Rica | ||
Croatia | Hrvatski Radioamaterski Savez | ||
Cuba | Federacion de Radioaficionados de Cuba | ||
Denmark | Experimenterende Danske Radioamatører | ||
El Salvador | Club de Radio Aficionados de El Salvador | ||
Estonia | Eesti Raadioamatööride Ühing | ||
Finland | Suomen Radioamatööriliitto | Finnish Amateur Radio League | |
France | Réseau des Émetteurs Français | ||
Germany | Deutscher Amateur Radio Club e.V. (DARC) | Largest national association for the German Radio Amateur. Member society of IARU | |
Verband der Funkamateure in Telekommunikation und Post e.V. (VFDB) | Second largest national association for the German Radio Amateur. | ||
Greece | Radio Amateur Association of Greece | ||
Guatemala | Club de Radioaficionados de Guatemala | ||
Honduras | Radio Club de Honduras | ||
Iceland | Íslenskir Radíóamatörar | ||
India | Amateur Radio Society of India | National Association for the Indian Radio Amateur. Member society of IARU | |
National Institute of Amateur Radio | Government funded organization based in Hyderabad, India which is set up to promote Amateur Radio in India. | ||
Indonesia | Organisasi Amatir Radio Indonesia | ||
Iraq | Iraqi Amateur Radio Society | ||
Ireland | Irish Radio Transmitters Society | ||
Israel | Israel Amateur Radio Club | ||
Italy | Associazione Radioamatori Italiani | Italian Amateur Radio Society - IARU member for Italy | |
Japan | Japan Amateur Radio League | National Amateur Radio Society of Japan (JARL), Member society of IARU | |
Korea | Korean Amateur Radio League | Member society of IARU | |
Kuwait | Kuwait Amateur Radio Society | ||
Latvia | Latvijas Radio Amatieru Līga | ||
Lesotho | Lesotho Amateur Radio Society | ||
Lithuania | Lietuvos Radijo Mėgėjų Draugija | Lithuanian Amateur Radio Society | |
Luxembourg | Radioamateurs du Luxembourg (RLX) | Member society of IARU [2] | |
Luxembourg Amateur Radio Union (LARU) | an independent national organization [3] | ||
Malaysia | Malaysian Amateur Radio Transmitters' Society (MARTS) | National organization and representation for amateur radio since 1952. | |
Malta | Malta Amateur Radio League | ||
Mauritius | Mauritius Amateur Radio Society | ||
Mexico | Federacion Mexicana de Radio Experimentadores | ||
Moldova | Asociația Radioamatorilor din Moldova | ||
Mongolia | Mongolian Radio Sport Federation | ||
Montenegro | Montenegrin Amateur Radio Pool | Montenegrin Amateur Radio Pool representing radio amateurs in Montenegro. Member society of IARU | |
Morocco | Association Royale des Radio Amateurs du Maroc | ||
New Zealand | New Zealand Association of Radio Transmitters | National Amateur Radio Association representing amateur radio in New Zealand. Member society of IARU | |
Nicaragua | Club de Radioexperimentadores de Nicaragua | ||
North Macedonia | Radioamaterski Sojuz na Makedonija | ||
Norway | Norsk Radio Relæ Liga | ||
Pakistan | Pakistan Amateur Radio Society | ||
Panama | Liga Panameña de Radioaficionados | ||
Paraguay | Radio Club Paraguayo | ||
Peru | Radio Club Peruano | ||
Philippines | Philippine Amateur Radio Association | ||
Poland | Polski Związek Krótkofalowców | ||
Portugal | Rede dos Emissores Portugueses | National Amateur Radio Association representing amateur radio in Portugal. Member society of IARU | |
Qatar | Qatar Amateur Radio Society | ||
Romania | Federatia Romana de Radioamatorism | Romanian Amateur Radio Federation | |
Russia | Russian Amateur Radio Union | ||
Serbia | Savez Radio-Amatera Srbije | ||
Singapore | Singapore Amateur Radio Transmitting Society (SARTS) | ||
Slovakia | Slovenský Zväz Rádioamatérov | ||
Slovenia | Zveza radioamaterjev Slovenije | ||
South Africa | South African Radio League | ||
Spain | Unión de Radioaficionados Españoles | Spanish Amateur Radio Union - IARU member for Spain | |
Sweden | Föreningen Sveriges Sändareamatörer | Swedish Radio Amateur Society - IARU member for Sweden | |
Switzerland | Union of Swiss Short Wave Amateurs | ||
Syria | Syrian Scientific Technical Amateur Radio Society | ||
Taiwan | Chinese Taipei Amateur Radio League | ||
Thailand | Radio Amateur Society of Thailand | ||
Trinidad and Tobago | Trinidad and Tobago Amateur Radio Society | National IARU affiliated amateur radio society. | |
Turkey | Türkiye Radyo Amatörleri Cemiyeti | The primary Turkish national amateur radio society with IARU & CEPT affiliation. | |
Ukraine | Ukrainian Amateur Radio League | ||
United Kingdom | Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB) | ||
Radio Amateur Emergency Network (RAYNET) | a national organization devoted to emergency communications. | ||
British Amateur Television Club | specializing in Fast Scan (LIVE) Amateur Television | ||
First Class CW Operators' Club | a club for amateur radio operators who regularly make use of Morse code | ||
United States | Amateur Radio Emergency Service | a program of the ARRL | |
American Radio Relay League (ARRL) | The National Association for Amateur Radio of United States of America | ||
Military Auxiliary Radio System | a United States Department of Defense sponsored program | ||
Uruguay | Radio Club Uruguayo | ||
Venezuela | Radio Club Venezolano |
Dependent territory | Organization(s) |
---|---|
Aruba | Aruba Amateur Radio Club |
Hong Kong | Hong Kong Amateur Radio Transmitting Society |
Macao | Macau Amateur Radio Society |
List of amateur radio organisations based in other territories / entities or unrecognized countries
Country / Territory / Entity | Organization(s) | Comments |
---|---|---|
Kosovo | Shoqata e Radioamatorëve të Kosovës (SHRAK) | SHRAK is a non-profit organization for the amateur radio service in the Republic of Kosovo [6] |
Sovereign Military Order of Malta | The Order of Malta’s Italian Relief Corps (CISOM) Amateur Radio Station | Amateur radio station operating from Sovereign Military Order of Malta under callsign 1A0C [7] |
The American Radio Relay League (ARRL) is the largest membership association of amateur radio enthusiasts in the United States. ARRL is a non-profit organization, and was co-founded on April 6, 1914, by Hiram Percy Maxim and Clarence D. Tuska of Hartford, Connecticut. The ARRL represents the interests of amateur radio operators before federal regulatory bodies, provides technical advice and assistance to amateur radio enthusiasts, supports a number of educational programs and sponsors emergency communications service throughout the country. The ARRL has approximately 161,000 members. In addition to members in the US, the organization claims over 7,000 members in other countries. The ARRL publishes many books and a monthly membership journal called QST.
The Wireless Institute of Australia (WIA) was formed in 1910, and is the first and oldest national amateur radio society in the world. It represents the amateur radio operators of Australia as the AR "peak body" in dealings with the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), the authority under the government of Australia that administers communications within and external to Australia. The WIA publishes a bi-monthly journal for its membership called Amateur Radio. The organisation is the national society representing Australia in the International Amateur Radio Union. The WIA holds regular meetings with the ACMA to inform the Authority on matters concerning the Australian amateur radio community.
The International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) is an international confederation of national organisations that allows a forum for common matters of concern to amateur radio operators worldwide, and collectively represents matters to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). The International Amateur Radio Union was founded in 1925 and, as of July 2021, it is composed of 172 national member societies.
Field Day is an annual amateur radio contest, widely sponsored by IARU regions and member organizations, encouraging emergency communications preparedness among amateur radio operators. In the United States, it is typically the largest single emergency preparedness exercise in the country, with over 30,000 operators participating each year. Field Day is always the fourth full weekend of June, beginning at 18:00 UTC Saturday and running through 20:59 UTC Sunday.
Radiosport is formal competition among amateur radio operators in any of three amateur radio activities: ARDF, DXing, and Contesting. The Friendship Radiosport Games is an international multi-sport event that includes all three types of radiosport. Since 1977, the International Amateur Radio Union has sponsored the IARU HF World Championship. The World Radiosport Team Championship is another international competition.
In times of crisis and natural disasters, amateur radio is often used as a means of emergency communication when wireline, cell phones and other conventional means of communications fail.
The Trinidad and Tobago Amateur Radio Society, Inc. (TTARS) is the national amateur radio organization in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. It is a member society of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU).
Vintage amateur radio is a subset of amateur radio hobby where enthusiasts collect, restore, preserve, build, and operate amateur radio equipment from bygone years, such as those using vacuum tube technology. Popular modes of operation include speaking over amplitude modulation (AM), and communicating using Morse code through continuous wave (CW) radiotelegraphy. Some enthusiasts have interest in owning, restoring and operating vintage military and commercial radio equipment such as those from 1940s to 1960s. Some undertake to construct their own gear, known in ham slang as homebrewing, using vintage parts and designs. A number of amateur radio clubs and organizations sponsor contests, events, and swap meets that cater to this specialized aspect of the hobby.
The Global Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Conference or GAREC was a conference held annually from 2005–2014 by the International Amateur Radio Union for discussion of amateur radio operation during natural disasters and other emergencies with the motto, "Saving lives through emergency communications". GAREC was first held in Tampere, Finland in 2005, coinciding with the adoption of the Tampere Convention, a globally binding emergency communications treaty that had been signed in Tampere in 1998. In later conferences, the venue has attempted to rotate in sequence through ITU Regions 1, 2 and 3.
An international distress frequency is a radio frequency that is designated for emergency communication by international agreement.
The Indian Telegraph Act, 1885 was the enabling legislation in India which governed the use of wired and wireless telegraphy, telephones, teletype, radio communications and digital data communications. It gives the Government of India exclusive jurisdiction and privileges for establishing, maintaining, operating, licensing and oversight of all forms of wired and wireless communications within Indian territory. It also authorizes government law enforcement agencies to monitor/intercept communications and tap phone lines under conditions defined within the Indian Constitution. The act came into force on 1 October 1885. Since that time, numerous amendments have been passed to update the act to respond to changes in technology.
The Radioamateurs du Luxembourg (RL), originally founded in 1937 as Réseau Luxembourgeois des Amateurs d'Ondes Courtes, is a national non-profit organization for amateur radio enthusiasts in Luxembourg. RL supports amateur radio operators in Luxembourg by operating the RL QSL Bureau for those members who regularly communicate with amateur radio operators in other countries, sponsoring amateur radio operating awards and radio contests, and supporting radio propagation beacons in Luxembourg. RL represents the interests of amateur radio operators in Luxembourg before local and international telecommunications regulatory authorities. RL is the national member society representing Luxembourg in the International Amateur Radio Union.
The International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend (ILLW) is an annual event held on the third full weekend of August each year. The event was the brainchild of John Forsyth and Mike Dalrymple who were members of the Ayr Amateur Radio Group in Scotland. The event, which started in 1998, has developed into an international gathering of amateur radio operators from an estimated 95 countries.
The Amateur Radio Association of Bahrain (ARAB) is or was a national non-profit organization for amateur radio enthusiasts in Bahrain.
Amateur radio, also known as ham radio, is the use of the radio frequency spectrum for purposes of non-commercial exchange of messages, wireless experimentation, self-training, private recreation, radiosport, contesting, and emergency communications. The term "amateur" is used to specify "a duly authorized person interested in radioelectric practice with a purely personal aim and without pecuniary interest"; and to differentiate it from commercial broadcasting, public safety, or professional two-way radio services.
The Luxembourg Amateur Radio Union (LARU) is a national non-profit organization for amateur radio enthusiasts in Luxembourg . The LARU was founded on January 1, 2014. The LARU promotes technical progress and cohesion of amateur radio operators. The LARU sets priorities in emergency communications, digital voice communications, digital data transmission, science and education.
The Association des Radioamateurs du Kayldall (ADRAD) is a local non-profit organization for amateur radio enthusiasts in Luxembourg. The ADRAD was founded on March 30, 1979.
The LX National QSL Bureau provides a service by volunteers to exchange amateur radio QSL cards between Luxembourgish amateur radio operators and amateur radio operators from the world. The LX National QSL Bureau was founded in July 2014 by the Association des Radioamateurs du Kayldall (ADRAD) and by the Luxembourg Amateur Radio Union (LARU).
Call signs in United Kingdom include a three letter country code, and a series of letters and numbers.
The 8–meter band (40 MHz) is at present the lowest portion of the very high frequency (VHF) radio spectrum available for national amateur radio use. The term refers to the average signal wavelength of 8 meters.
Luxembourg Amateur Radio Society is a member of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU). Established in 1937, it's the first and largest amateur radio society in Luxembourg.