Orienteering is a group of sports that require navigational skills using a map and compass to navigate from point to point in diverse and usually unfamiliar terrain whilst moving at speed. Participants are given a topographical map, usually a specially prepared orienteering map, which they use to find control points. Originally a training exercise in land navigation for military officers, orienteering has developed many variations. Among these, the oldest and the most popular is foot orienteering. For the purposes of this article, foot orienteering serves as a point of departure for discussion of all other variations, but almost any sport that involves racing against a clock and requires navigation with a map is a type of orienteering.
The International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) is an international confederation of national amateur radio organisations that allows a forum for common matters of concern and collectively represents matters to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Following an informal meeting in 1924 of representatives from France, Great Britain, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Luxembourg, Canada, and the United States, a plan was formulated to hold an International Amateur Congress in Paris, France in April 1925. This Congress was held for the purpose of founding an international amateur radio organization. The Congress was attended by representatives of 23 countries in Europe, Americas, and Asia. A constitution for the IARU was adopted on April 17, and the formation of the International Amateur Radio Union was ratified on April 18, 1925. In the current era, this is the date on which the Amateur Radio Day is celebrated.
Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC), known in French as Radio Amateurs du Canada, is the national association for Amateur Radio in Canada. It is a not-for-profit membership association with headquarters in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, representing the interests of Amateur Radio all across Canada. Speaking on behalf of Canadian Radio Amateurs, RAC provides liaison with government agencies and carries the Amateur voice about regulatory and spectrum issues to the discussion table with government and industry leaders, nationally and internationally.
Radiosport is formal competition among amateur radio operators in any of three amateur radio activities. 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.
Amateur radio direction finding is an amateur racing sport that combines radio direction finding with the map and compass skills of orienteering. It is a timed race in which individual competitors use a topographic map, a magnetic compass and radio direction finding apparatus to navigate through diverse wooded terrain while searching for radio transmitters. The rules of the sport and international competitions are organized by the International Amateur Radio Union. The sport has been most popular in Eastern Europe, Russia, and China, where it was often used in the physical education programs in schools.
There are a number of caving organizations throughout the world.
The Korean Amateur Radio League (KARL) is a non-profit organization for amateur radio enthusiasts in South Korea. KARL was founded in 1955 by Korean radio communication enthusiasts. Due to advocacy efforts of KARL, the first amateur radio station in South Korea, HL2AA is Seoul, was licensed in 1959. KARL is the national member society representing South Korea in the International Amateur Radio Union. KARL was the host society for the 14th World Amateur Radio Direction Finding Championships held in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi, South Korea in September, 2008.
The Federacion Mexicana de Radio Experimentadores, A.C. (FMRE) is a national non-profit organization for amateur radio enthusiasts in Mexico. Key membership benefits of the organization include QSL bureau services, the promotion and sponsorship of radio contests and operating awards, and an organization dedicated to emergency communications. FMRE promotes amateur radio by organizing classes and technical support to help enthusiasts earn their amateur radio license. Members receive a bimonthly magazine published by the organization, Onda corta. The FMRE also represents the interests of Mexican amateur radio operators before Mexican and international telecommunications regulatory authorities. FMRE is the national member society representing Mexico in the International Amateur Radio Union.
The Chinese Radio Sports Association (CRSA) is a national non-profit organization for amateur radio enthusiasts in the People's Republic of China. The CRSA's primary mission is to popularize and promote amateur radio in China. Early activities of the organization focused on radiosport, and the CRSA was active in promoting Amateur Radio Direction Finding and High Speed Telegraphy competitions throughout the country. Although the CRSA has broadened its scope and now supports many kinds of radio activities, the organization's name continues to reflect this early heritage. Key membership benefits of the organization include QSL bureau services, a quarterly membership magazine called Ham's CQ. CRSA was also responsible for the administration of the amateur radio license certification program in the People's Republic of China until 2010.
The Ukrainian Amateur Radio League is a national non-profit organization for amateur radio enthusiasts in Ukraine. The organization uses UARL as its official abbreviation, based on the standard abbreviation of the Ukrainian name translated into English. UARL promotes amateur radio in Ukraine by sponsoring amateur radio operating awards, radio contests, and Amateur Radio Direction Finding competitions. UARL also represents the interests of Ukrainian amateur radio operators before Ukrainian and international telecommunications regulatory authorities. UARL is the national member society representing Ukraine in the International Amateur Radio Union. Location address: UARL, Office 29, 52/2 Peremohy Ave., Kyiv, 03057, Ukraine. Post address for mail and QSL cards: UARL, P.O.Box 56 Kyiv -1, 01001 Ukraine.
The Suomen Radioamatööriliitto (SRAL) is a national non-profit organization for amateur radio enthusiasts in Finland. SRAL was founded in 1921 and has approximately 5,000 members. SRAL supports amateur radio operators in Finland by sponsoring amateur radio operating awards and radio contests. SRAL was one of the sponsor organizations for the 2002 World Radiosport Team Championships held near Helsinki. The SRAL also represents the interests of Finnish amateur radio operators and shortwave listeners before Finnish and international telecommunications regulatory authorities. SRAL is the national member society representing Finland in the International Amateur Radio Union.
The Royal Union of Belgian Radio Amateurs (UBA) is a national non-profit organization for amateur radio enthusiasts in Belgium. UBA is the national member society representing Belgium in the International Amateur Radio Union.
The Slovenský Zväz Rádioamatérov (SZR) is a national non-profit organization for amateur radio enthusiasts in Slovakia. Key membership benefits of the SZR include the sponsorship of amateur radio operating awards, radio contests, and a QSL bureau for members who regularly communicate with amateur radio operators in other countries. SZR represents the interests of Slovakian amateur radio operators before Slovak Republic and international telecommunications regulatory authorities. SZR also supports local competitions in Amateur Radio Direction Finding as well as a national team that travels to regional and world championship events. SZR publishes a membership magazine called Rádiožurnál SZR. SZR is the national member society representing the Slovak Republic in the International Amateur Radio Union.
The Federaţia Română de Radioamatorism (FRR) is a national non-profit organization for amateur radio enthusiasts in Romania that serves as a national governing body for amateur radio competitions. FRR represents the interests of its members before Romanian and international telecommunications regulatory authorities. FRR is the national member society representing Romania in the International Amateur Radio Union.
The Bulgarian Federation of Radio Amateurs is a national non-profit organization for amateur radio enthusiasts in Bulgaria.
The Mongolian Amateur Radio Society (MARS) is a national non-profit organization for amateur radio enthusiasts in Mongolia. Key membership benefits of MARS include the sponsorship of amateur radio operating awards and radio contests. In the spring of 2008, MARS purported to be a successor organization to the Mongolian Radio Sport Federation, and supplied the International Amateur Radio Union with documentation regarding a name change and updated organizational constitution. The name change from Mongolian Radio Sports Federation to Mongolian Amateur Radio Society was recognized by the IARU Region I Executive Committee at its April, 2008 meeting. Subsequent to that meeting, the IARU determined that the name change documentation was not authorized by the Mongolian Radio Sport Federation, which had in fact not changed its name or constitution, and continued to exist as a separate organization. The IARU currently recognizes the MRSF as the IARU member society representing Mongolia.
The Association of Radio Amateurs of Slovenia is the national non-profit organization for amateur radio enthusiasts in Slovenia.
The Croatian Amateur Radio Association is a national non-profit organization for amateur radio enthusiasts in Croatia. Key membership benefits of HRS include the sponsorship of amateur radio operating awards and radio contests. HRS also supports local competitions in Amateur Radio Direction Finding as well as a national team that travels to regional and world championship events. HRS has been the sponsoring organization for the 2010 Amateur Radio Direction Finding World Championships held in Dubrovnik. HRS represents the interests of Croatian amateur radio operators before Croatian and international telecommunications regulatory authorities. HRS is the national member society representing Croatia in the International Amateur Radio Union.
The Belarusian Federation of Radioamateurs and Radiosportsmen is a national non-profit organization for amateur radio enthusiasts in Belarus. The organization uses BFRR as its acronym, based on the standard Romanization of the Belarusian name of the organization. The name of the organization reflects an early purpose of the organization: to support radiosport activities within Belarus. In addition to High Speed Telegraphy and Amateur Radio Direction Finding, BFRR now supports a wide variety of amateur radio activities. Key membership benefits of BFRR include the sponsorship of amateur radio operating awards and radio contests, and a QSL bureau for those members who regularly communicate with amateur radio operators in other countries.
The Kazakhstan Federation of Radiosport and Radio Amateur is a national non-profit organization for amateur radio enthusiasts in Kazakhstan. KFRR promotes amateur radio in Kazakhstan by sponsoring amateur radio operating awards and radio contests. The KFRR organizes and supports Amateur Radio Direction Finding competitions and the Kazakhstan national ARDF team. The KFRR also represents the interests of Kazakhstan amateur radio operators before Kazakhstan and international telecommunications regulatory authorities. KFRR is the national member society representing Kazakhstan in the International Amateur Radio Union, which it joined on February 10, 2009.
