100 Years of Amateur Radio in Slovenia

The first radio club in Slovenia was founded at the Narodni Dom (“House of the Nation”) in Maribor on 17 April 1924. Its stated aims were to raise the level of knowledge about radio communications and ensure the legality of radio activity within the strictures of national legislation in force at the time. The first newspaper articles about the Maribor Radio Club appeared in the German-language Marburger Zeitung in 1924.

Preparations for the establishment of the club actually began in 1923, but because this was the first official documentation of its activity, 1924 is considered to be the first year of organised amateur radio in Slovenia.

An extremely important characteristic of amateur radio or organised amateur radio activity is that, in line with international regulations, amateur radio operators must pass a suitable exam to prove that they possess sufficient technical knowledge (of electronics and radio engineering) and operating knowledge (the rules and regulations of amateur radio communication). Amateur radio operators have demonstrated their skills and know- how on countless occasions by being among the first to respond in emergencies and playing a vital role in disaster response and recovery. This is also proof that the amateur radio community is not a closed group of hobbyists dedicated to purely personal interests but a genuine worldwide movement of people with a high moral sense and a deep attachment to the principles of humanism, friendship and mutual assistance among all the people of the world – regardless of gender, age, status, ethnicity, nationality, religion and political affiliation