Hans Zimmermann, HB9AQS/F5VKP, Receives IARU Diamond Award

The International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) Administrative Council has recognized Hans Zimmermann, HB9AQS/F5VKP, for his success over many years in raising the visibility at international forums for Amateur Radio’s role in providing disaster-relief communication. A presentation took place on February 20 in Geneva.

While at the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Zimmerman was instrumental in organizing the 1998 Intergovernmental Conference on Emergency Telecommunications in Tampere, Finland, which resulted in an international treaty facilitating the transport of amateur and other radio communication equipment across borders during disaster relief operations.

Zimmerman served as IARU Disaster Communications Adviser and later became IARU International Coordinator for Emergency Communications. He was a major contributor to the Global Amateur Radio Emergency Communications (GAREC) conferences held from 2005 until 2014.

“Radio amateurs owe a debt of gratitude to Hans Zimmermann for 2 decades of effective work in increasing the visibility of Amateur Radio’s emergency communications capabilities among the leaders of the international telecommunications community,” said IARU President Tim Ellam, VE6SH.

Source:ARRL