Code of Activities for Radio Amateurs in the Event of Disasters and Dangers.

Article 1

The ARON Code sets out the rules of conduct and action of radio amateurs - members of the Slovenian Radio Amateur Association (ZRS) in the event of disasters and dangers, such as: natural disasters (floods, fires, storms, landslides, earthquakes), major ecological disasters or dangers (pollution or threat to the environment), traffic or other accidents and dangers of greater proportions. These rules also apply mutatis mutandis to cooperation with radio amateurs from neighboring and other countries in cases of disasters and dangers of international proportions.

Article 2

The purpose and objective of the activities of radio amateurs under this code is to provide assistance in protecting and rescuing human lives and material goods. The activities of radio amateurs are based on humanitarian, patriotic and voluntary principles in accordance with the ZRS statute and the norms and principles of the International Amateur Radio Union - IARU.

Article 3

In the event of a major danger or accident, radio amateurs shall organize themselves on their own initiative or at the initiative of the protection and rescue services (Civil Protection, firefighters, Red Cross and others).

Article 4

A radio amateur who notices or receives a notification about signs, phenomena or events that threaten property, health or life of people is obliged to notify the relevant competent services as soon as possible (Information Center, telephone number 112, police, telephone number 113).

The notification must have a concise content:

* what is happening or what happened,
* where it is happening (determine the orientation points of the place event),
* when it happened (day, hour, minute),
* who is reporting (name and surname, address, telephone/call sign of the amateur radio station and place from which they are reporting).

A radio amateur shall initiate action under ARON on his own initiative if he assesses that the accident or danger is of such a magnitude that it requires immediate activation of the amateur radio network. In the event that further action and assistance by a radio amateur or several radio amateurs is still necessary, action shall be taken according to the instructions of the relevant services.

Article 5

Radio amateurs - members of the ZRS who participate in activities covered by the ARON code may organize themselves into relevant amateur radio networks. Radio traffic in ARON campaigns is carried out in a standard manner in accordance with the standards governing the work of amateur radio stations.

Article 6

All frequency ranges permitted for amateur radio work may be used for activation and operation under ARON. The radio amateur shall use a frequency depending on the equipment at his disposal or his assessment of how he will transmit the message most quickly.
In the event of accidents and major threats, the recommended frequencies are:
FM simplex channel V40 145.500MHz, FM simplex channel U280 433.500MHz, ZRS and 3700KHz repeaters. In accidents or threats of the greatest magnitude, other frequency ranges may also be used.
The relevant instructions in this regard shall be issued by the Slovenian Amateur Radio Association based on prior agreement with the competent state authorities.

Article 7

On frequencies where a rescue operation is initiated or in progress, all radio amateurs must immediately cease establishing other radio amateur communications. It is the duty of every radio amateur who hears a distress call to immediately respond and follow the instructions of the station conducting the rescue operation.

Article 8

The operation is usually led by the administrative station closest to the events at the threatened location. Several administrative stations may act for coordination, if this is dictated by the size and scope of the threat or other technical reasons. During the operation, the work of all participating stations is directed and coordinated via the administrative station (or several stations).

Article 9

The scope and intensity of the operation depend on the needs of the threatened area. The operation lasts from the reporting of the accident or danger until the situation is remedied, or until the competent authorities assess that the activity of radio amateurs is no longer necessary. The action shall be terminated immediately or gradually, depending on the development of the events that led to its initiation.

Article 10

Participation in rescue operations and compliance with the ARON Code is the duty of every ZRS member.

Article 11

The ARON Code was adopted by the ZRS Board of Directors at a session in Ljubljana on 14 March 1992.

General description of activities (ARON)

The Slovenian Radio Amateur Association (ZRS) began its organized operations 60 years ago, but the first ARON Code (amateur radio emergency network) was adopted in 1992. ARON is an amateur radio code that addresses the manner, behavior and operation of radio amateurs and their integration into the domestic and international radio communications system in the event of natural and other disasters and emergencies.

In 2002, when A contract was concluded between the Ministry of Defence and the Slovenian Amateur Radio Association to provide backup communications via amateur radio systems, providing minimal funds for co-financing the organization of work and for maintaining voice and digital communications. Co-financing contracts were then concluded for each year separately. The ZRS is included in the national system of protection against natural and other disasters in the Republic of Slovenia.

The inclusion of the ZRS is carried out in a pyramidal manner, i.e. from the Information Centre of the Republic of Slovenia (CORS) to all areas where there are ReCOs (Regional Information Centres). The teams are composed of radio amateurs, experts in the field of telecommunications and providing amateur radio communications even in the most difficult working conditions. Therefore, voice HF and VHF communications and digital communications are provided from the entire territory of Slovenia to the CORS.

Content of work:

The ZRS performs certain tasks of protection, rescue and assistance in the event of natural and other disasters and dangers. For these tasks, he must organize flawless operations, procure and maintain equipment and resources for the alliance, train team members, ensure participation in exercises, and produce programs and annual reports. In cases of natural disasters and other disasters, good communication and information are necessary for proper and timely resolution.

The Amateur Radio Association, with the ARON code, determines the rules of conduct and operation of all radio amateurs in the Republic of Slovenia (RS) in the event of disasters and dangers, such as: natural disasters (floods, fires, storms, landslides, earthquakes), major ecological disasters or dangers (pollution or threat to the environment), traffic or other accidents and dangers of greater proportions.

These rules also apply mutatis mutandis to cooperation with radio amateurs from neighboring and other countries in cases of disasters and dangers of international proportions in accordance with the instructions of the competent services.

Regardless of the fact that there are emergency situations, radio traffic is carried out in the established manner and in the spirit of HAMSPIRIT, because it is sufficiently effective. The most important duty of radio amateur operators in such cases is to stop establishing existing radio connections, report to the station leading the operation, and await instructions from the radio station or operator leading the operation in emergency situations.

They participate in the operation as long as necessary or until professional services have fully mastered the matter and assess that the activity of radio amateurs is no longer necessary and they can return to their hobby.

The frequencies that are primarily intended for such actions are:

FM simplex channel V40 (145,500 MHz), FM simplex channel U280 (433,500 MHz), SSB VHF frequency 144,250 MHz SSB HF frequency 3,700 MHZ
For international activities, according to the recommendations of the IARU 1st Region, the following frequencies are intended for these purposes in individual frequency ranges, everything is on the SSB part of the frequency ranges:

15 m 21,360 KHz 17 m 18,160 KHz 20 m 14,300 KHz 40 m 7,060 KHz 80 m 3.760 KHz
We radio amateurs have always been involved in rescue and relief operations.

Let's relive the memories:

The earthquake in Skopje, the earthquakes in the Montenegrin and Dalmatian coasts, and then the Breginj earthquake closer to us and the floods in the Celje region. However, these involvements were unorganized and not sufficiently utilized, although they provided the necessary information and showed the willingness of radio amateurs to help. In order to improve the operation of the ARON network, test operations of the network have been carried out in recent years, two republican operations of the network operated by the ARPZR,annual municipal campaigns in several parts of Slovenia and the inter-municipal campaign in Celje, which was tentatively planned five years ago, and which, after positive initial experiences, has been adjusted annually to check the ARON network throughout Slovenia.