Colombia. This April 18 was commemorated the World Amateur Radio Day, and the ICT Ministry of Colombia took the opportunity to highlight the work carried out by the 1964 radio amateurs that the country has.
'World Amateur Radio Day' has been celebrated since 1981 by the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU). In Colombia, this sector has been strengthened thanks to the contribution in emergency situations and the activities carried out by radio amateurs and their non-profit associations.
To be a radio amateur it is necessary to have the specific technical, regulatory and operational knowledge to set up a station and intercommunicate with other radio amateurs in the world through the frequency bands assigned for this service.
Amateur radio is a service of the International Telecommunication Union (IARU) for self-instruction, intercommunication and technical research carried out by amateurs.
This guild is integrated from a non-profit service and play a preventive and support role to the authorities and civilian population in case of emergency, such as the one that the country experienced on a large scale in 1985 with the eruption of ash from the snow-capped volcano of Ruiz located in the department of Tolima.
Radio amateurs share experiences, knowledge and train even with other latitudes of the globe to be attentive to humanitarian needs.
When natural disasters strike, radio amateurs are always willing to provide support through their technology and personal skill. In that sense, if the normal channels of communications are interrupted or the signals are down due to some catastrophe, this association is willing to support the affected areas with its communications system.
MinTIC has developed strategies to improve response times in relation to the digital issuance of licenses that include a QR code, allowing the radio amateur and the control authority to verify the authenticity of the document, as well as the completion of online procedures through the RABCA platform, among which are new applications, renewals, re-admissions or duplicates of licenses authorized by this entity.
