GACW - Casilla de Correos 9 - B1875ZAA Wilde - Pcia. Buenos Aires

IN THE CITY OF BUENOS AIRES, CAPITAL OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARGENTINA, THE
UNDERSIGNED COORDINATORS, MEMBERS AND SYMPATHIZERS OF AGRUPACION GRUPO
ARGENTINO DE RADIOTELEGRAFISTAS GACW,
DESIRE TO EFFECT THE FOLLOWING DECLARATION RELATED TO THE ACTIVITIES,
EXAMINATIONS AND QUALITIES OF THE FUTURE LICENSEES IN THE AMATEUR RADIO
SERVICE OF THE INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS UNION:

1. Underscore that we decidedly maintain that the rules (should serve) as an
incentive to support, not only the progress of the radio science or art, but
also to preserve traditional operating modes, maintain sportsmanship in
operating competitions, preserve individual abilities in craftsmanship,
stimulate the education and advancement of new radio amateurs; these
elements are essential in order to keep our heritage and culture alive,
honor our predecessors, and respect the initiatives for technical evolution.

2. Affirm that the actions and individual initiatives that suggest the total
elimination of the CW examination, or setting aside of the requirement
simply because "it takes effort to learn," which constitute without a doubt,
at the bottom and the root of the subject, another step toward the loss of
identity and weakening of our own roots.

3. That understanding Amateur Radio as another means to elevate the
individual and collective human spirit and not just mere entertainment, we
consider the moderate effort necessary to obtain the ability to operate
radiotelegraphy a desirable goal, no different than that of sportsmen or
students that, far from being a hindrance, forms their character, maintains
their ability and improves their personal situation without any doubt and
that the same should be considered a personal skill to be possessed and
exercised, one that contributes to being recognized by ones peers and
imparts an ethical responsibility to teach the art to others.

4. Reaffirm that the resolution of WARC 2003, that leaves the criteria to
the national administrations with respect to the CW examination, should in
no way be considered as mandatory for our country, that said resolution has
only been followed by 11% of the member nations and that they only represent
12% of the estimated amateur radio population. (See SPAR)

5. Highlight the actions of countries such as Russia, Canada and Japan that
have decided to maintain this requirement to obtain an amateur radio
license. They believe that they should maintain a well trained group of
operators, with the ability to perform whatever means of communication
possible in case it should be necessary.

6. That the radiotelegraph operators of our nation continue contributing at
a level of equality with the users of other emission modes in the activity
and dissemination of the Amateur radio Service. (See
http://www.geocities.com/eetecar). Perhaps they are, possibly, those who do
more with more enthusiasm than other groups, because they are the guardians
of a tradition of our radio ancestors and they have learned to keep alive
through the ages the flame and mystique of communications in its simplest
form: Morse code.

7. Recommend that the enclose reports from SPAR, The Society for the
Preservation of Amateur Radio, of the US, presented to the FCC in that
country and of Andrew Roos, ZS1AN, advisor of The South African Amateur
League, SARL, be used as valuable elements to be considered in conjunction
with the study of this subject by the institutions and authorities and that
they include recent studies and statistics with the object of understanding
the evolution of the number of licenses, age, equipment, vehicles and other
available resources, etc.

8. Reject the opinions, actions and declarations of the No Code
International group, (http:// www.nocode.org/) that was created with the
only goal to work toward abolishing Morse code examinations in the entire
world, considering the group to be intolerable, discriminatory, and
completely contrary to the spirit and letter of the Amateur Radio Service of
the ITU.

9. Affirm that the present does not pretend to establish any privilege or
special consideration for radiotelegraph operators, but to maintain an
action and thought in favor of experimentation and operation in whatever
mode, current or future, without consideration of whether the practitioners
only represent a majority or minority, or whether they should enjoy greater
bandwidth than the rest.

10. Offer an incentive to all amateur radiotelegraph operators to teach
Morse code and share their experiences and knowledge in the institutions
closest to their residence, or where and if it is possible, using the Manual
of CW by Jacobo Aisemberg LU2YA published by the Radio Club Neuquen and
recomnended by GACW as a study guide.

11. Recognize the contribution of the Radio Club Pampeano LU1UG, in the city
of General Pico, La Pampa, and its members, for keeping the weekly slow
speed CW course on the air and the FENIX LU Forum, a group of GACW advisors,
for their contribution in completing this document.

12. Emphasize the development work by the creators and moderators of the
HAMTEC internet forum for their contribution to technical understanding in
all aspects of our activity, that already has transcended our borders,
serving as the means toward technical capability in the Spanish speaking
world.

13. Recognize the effort made by radio clubs, in maintaining their
installation operable, offering courses for those aspiring to be radio
amateurs, participating in local Civil Defense activities in schools and
other environments.

14. Recognize the guiding role of control and regulation of the Federal
government and highlight the necessity to establish a FEDERAL program of
teaching and practice designed for the formation of groups of educators,
with the object of maintaining themselves capable of educating in the entire
nation.

15. Encourage all individual or collective actions that foster the
improvement, coordination, and unity of radio amateurs by any means
possible, with the object of improving and consolidating the current
situation.

16. Recognize and highlight, among other institutions and groups, the Radio
Clubs Almirante Guillermo Brown LU3DY and Morón LU1DBQ for their emphasis on
experimentation; to the participants in the programs "La Radio un Camino
Seguro", to the Radio Club La Rioja LU1SF and Radio Club Catamarca LU5RA, to
the Radio Club City Bell L40E; to those who participated in "La Radio y los
Niños", to the Radio Club de los Andes LU8YE, also the Argentina APRS Group
and the AMSAT Argentina organization for the educational and experimental
activities that they support and develop.

17. Support the presentations made by the UARC Union of Argentinean Radio
Clubs, other Radio Clubs and radio amateurs of the province of Buenos Aires,
in opposition to Resolution N° 900/05 (Secretaría Política Ambiental - Prov.
Bs.As., regarding installation of electromagnetic field generators in the
frequency range above 300 KHz), soliciting the exception from compliance for
members of the Amateur Radio Service.

18. To be alert to the installation of internet transmissions over
electrical transmission lines (BPL - PLC), that produce interference in the
short-wave spectrum and other bands and solicit the corresponding
authorities to follow the CCITT guidelines that guarantee the availability
of this service without interference to radio amateurs and listeners.

19. Invite all radio amateurs and institutions to embrace this declaration,
as a means to express their willingness to stimulate perfection and to
preserve the level reached by amateur radio, contributing to the teaching of
all modes, without exception, in opposition to criteria based solely on
"popularity."

20. Disseminate and distribute this document and its attachments to the
UARC, CNC, D.G. de Defensa Civil de la Nación, SPAR and other amateur radio
institutions to whom this might be of informational interest.

Raúl M. Diaz LU6EF
Arnoldo J. Corda LU7EE
Héctor Ombroni LU6UO
Fernando Fernandez LW2DX
Alberto U. Silva LU1DZ
Juan C. Parra LU9DO
Carlos G. Vanhovan LW1EXU
Héctor Torregiani LW4EZT
Orfilio Guevara LU9FLX
Nestor García LU2DCY
Carlos Affranchino LU1AC
Enrique Perez LU9EXG
Elena Ditdoff LW2DNF
Clive Formigoni LW9DJK
Héctor Vasallo LU8DLB
Mariano Artola LU7DMV
Héctor Morales LW8DGV
Hernán Lopez LU5ECZ
Angel Madroñal LU1DSU
Mario Lorenzo Togno LU5EE
Juan Batipallia LU3AGI
Esteban Toribio LW1DTZ
Guillermo Necco LW3DYL
Ivan Centurión, Aspirante

.... more signatures follow.

--
"I have never made but one prayer to God, a very short one: "O Lord,
make my enemies ridiculous." And God granted it."
- Voltaire