The Administrative Council (AC) of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) held its Annual Meeting on June 24-25, 2008 in Konstanz, Germany. Topping the agenda was the consultative process leading to nominations for IARU President and Vice President for the five-year term beginning on May 9, 2009. Current IARU President Larry Price, W4RA, announced in 2007 that he was not available to serve an additional term. The AC agreed that Vice President Tim Ellam, VE6SH, and Region 1 President Ole Garpestad, LA2RR, are suitably qualified to serve as IARU President and Vice President, respectively. Their nominations will be offered to the Member-Societies for ratification. The ARRL serves as the International Secretariat of the IARU.

The AC conducted a comprehensive review and updated the working document that defines the additional spectrum requirements of the Amateur and Amateur Satellite Services. Requests from the amateur satellite community for support of additional allocations were considered and referred to the IARU Satellite Adviser for additional information.

IARU International Coordinator for Emergency Communications Hans Zimmermann, HB9AQS/F5VKP, presented his report in person to the AC. He noted the outstanding performance of radio amateurs in China who responded to the recent tragic earthquake emergency. The Council also received reports of the other IARU international coordinators and advisers, including International Beacon Project Coordinator Peter Jennings, AB6WM/VE3SUN; Satellite Adviser Hans van de Groenendaal, ZS6AKV; EMC Adviser Christian Verholt, OZ8CY, and Interim Monitoring System International Coordinator Chuck Skolaut, K0BOG. The AC also heard a progress report from an ad hoc committee that is investigating the future role and structure of the IARU. Work since the previous AC meeting last year in Boston has refined the structure and identified the remaining issues to be resolved.

Region 1 representatives offered a resolution seeking to improve the operating standards of radio amateurs; this was adopted by the Council. The AC endorses and recommends the principles set out in the booklet Ethics and Operating Procedures for the Radio Amateur by John Devoldere, ON4UN, and Marc Demeuleneere, ON4WW, and encourages each IARU Region to consider this booklet, with a view to adopting it, including any Regional variations that might be felt appropriate.

The Council also commissioned a study of the international QSL bureau system. The study will seek input from Member Societies on the problems they face in light of escalating postage and other expenses, as well as the anticipated impact of electronic confirmation systems such as the ARRL's Logbook of the World (LoTW).

The AC reviewed and renewed the three-year strategic plan for the development of support for Amateur Radio frequency allocations for the period 2008-2011. The principal focus is on preparations for the 2011 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-11), especially the attainment of an amateur allocation in the vicinity of 500 kHz.

The Council identified the upcoming International Telecommunication Union (ITU) meetings where IARU representation will be required and plans for such representation were reviewed. The plans of Region 3 for the IARU presence at Telecom Asia 2008 (Bangkok, September 2-5) and of the International Secretariat for Telecom World 2009 (Geneva, October 5-9) were also reviewed.

The AC reviewed the 2009-2011 budget, as presented by the International Secretariat (ARRL). It includes provision for financial contributions from the three regional organizations to defray a portion of the expenses, in accordance with previously adopted policy.

The upcoming implementation of the worldwide exclusive allocation of 7100-7200 kHz that was adopted at the 2003 WRC and set to begin on March 29, 2009, was noted, and the many contributors to this achievement were recognized.

The Council selected "Amateur Radio: Your Resource in Disaster and Emergency Communication" as the theme for the next World Amateur Radio Day, April 18, 2009. The theme for 2008 was "Amateur Radio: Allowing Youth to Connect the World."

Each of the three IARU Regions presented status reports that the AC received and discussed. The next regional conference will be that of Region 1, to be held in Cavtat, Croatia in mid-November.

Attending the Konstanz meeting were IARU President Larry Price, W4RA; Vice President Tim Ellam, VE6SH/G4HUA; Secretary David Sumner, K1ZZ; regional representatives Ole Garpestad, LA2RR; Don Beattie, G3BJ; Hans Blondeel Timmerman, PB2T; Reinaldo Leandro, YV5AMH; Ramon Santoyo, XE1KK; Rod Stafford, W6ROD; Michael Owen, VK3KI, and Gopal Madhavan, VU2GMN; ARRL President Joel Harrison, W5ZN, on behalf of the International Secretariat, and recording secretary Paul Rinaldo, W4RI. IARU International Coordinator for Emergency Communications Hans Zimmermann, HB9AQS/F5VKP, attended a portion of the meeting.

The next scheduled meeting of the IARU Administrative Council will be held in Christchurch, New Zealand in October 2009.