Feature story

Taking World AIDS Day to the airwaves: Radio station 4U1AIDS

30 November 2009


Credit: HB9ERK

To mark 2009 World AIDS Day a special amateur radio station 4U1AIDS will operate from UNAIDS Secretariat headquarters in Geneva from 1-7 December 2009 and will be broadcast all over the world via the amateur radio network. The initiative is to encourage radio amateurs all around the globe to participate in World AIDS Day.

As well as being a hobby, amateur radio is a public service which offers support during emergencies and disasters when all other communications channels (including mobile telephones, satellite) are interrupted. One of its distinctions from commercial radio is that it is not for profit and skilled amateurs operate without payment.

The amateur radio operator community is global in its reach with an estimated six million people throughout the world regularly involved. They share an interest in what is happening in the world and in reaching out to each other.

To mark this year’s World AIDS Day a special QSL card will be sent to amateur radio stations which have a radio contact with 4U1AIDS. Those contacting on any 3 amateur radio bands, will awarded a special commemorative certificate while those contacting on 5 amateur radio bands will be awarded a special commemorative UNAIDS pennant.

World AIDS Day was first marked in 1998. It is a day of remembrance, global solidarity and celebration and is an opportunity to increasing awareness about HIV in order to reduce stigma and discrimination towards people living with HIV as well as encourage HIV prevention messages.