ARI San Donato Milanese (IQ2DP): A History of Resilience and Service

San Donato Milanese, Italy – The A.R.I. (Associazione Radioamatori Italiani) Sezione di San Donato Milanese, identified by its call sign IQ2DP, was founded on November 30, 1973. It was established by a group of particularly active radio amateurs driven by a strong spirit of social initiative, and it has a rich history marked by challenges, perseverance, and significant contributions to the community.

The section is currently located at C/O CENTRO SCOLASTICO OMNICOMPRENSIVO – VIA MARTIRI DI CEFALONIA 46, 20097 SAN DONATO MILANESE MI. For inquiries, you can contact President IK2SYK Grioni Cristiano L..

Meetings are held on the 1st and 3rd Friday of each month, starting from 9:00 PM. For more information, visit their website: www.arisandonato.org.

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Early Years and Overcoming Stigma

 

The 1970s were challenging for amateur radio. Operators were often viewed with suspicion, and there was considerable confusion in the public and media, sometimes blurring the lines between amateur radio and CB activities, a misunderstanding that, to some extent, persists today. These difficulties extended to finding suitable social venues for "category associations," which often began meeting in the homes of their pioneering members before moving to more public spaces.

The pioneers of ARI San Donato faced similar hurdles. Their first constitutional act established the institutional headquarters at the historic AGIP motel, strategically located at the beginning of the Autostrada del Sole, a significant structure within the ENI industrial and tertiary hub.

From early 1976, the section found hospitality at a location on Via Emilia, 8, sharing premises provided to the local hunters' association. During these years, the radio amateurs of San Donato were dedicated to various social activities. Beyond promoting their passion, they supported important social and cultural initiatives, including international efforts like "Save Venice," aiming to raise public awareness on broader issues beyond just amateur radio.

This period at the Via Emilia headquarters was fraught with difficulties, including literal submersion due to the Redefossi Canal flooding and an illegal occupation, both of which resulted in the loss or destruction of many associative documents. However, the associative spirit remained undaunted.

 

Finding Stability and Gaining Recognition

 

From 1981, the ARI San Donato Section finally secured a new headquarters (for a fee) in the basements of the Centro Scolastico Omnicomprensivo (CSO). Despite the location not being ideal for an association of national importance recognized as a "Moral Entity," the San Donato radio amateurs, undiscouraged, worked diligently to make it as welcoming and functional as possible.

They finally installed antennas and activated the institutional radio station. The OMs of San Donato were "ON THE AIR," gaining national and international recognition by participating in contests, achieving respectable positions even against well-resourced competitors. During these years, the number of ARI members in San Donato peaked, demonstrating their ability to turn difficulties into opportunities.

In 1984, recognizing the crucial role radio amateurs play in emergency communications, tragically highlighted by the Friuli and Irpinia earthquakes, ARI San Donato, along with other sections in the Province of Milan, signed an agreement for Civil Protection Services. This agreement stipulated that the Provincial Administration would grant social-use premises to ARI Sections in exchange for their service in activating, maintaining, and operating emergency communication structures.

 

Current Status and Future

 

After years in the CSO basements, the Province declared the premises unusable in 1993, allowing their use only as "storage warehouses." It took difficult and patient negotiations with the Provincial Administration, but the radio amateurs finally succeeded in securing a new, officially recognized headquarters. This new location was then also included in the Civil Protection agreement starting in 1995.

Today, the ARI San Donato Section is a vibrant community of 70 members spanning diverse age groups. Since 1995, the headquarters has been located in one of the three prefabricated buildings within the Centro Scolastico Omnicomprensivo. It features a radio room equipped for multimode HF/VHF/UHF traffic and ATV (Amateur Television), a meeting room, and a laboratory equipped for small mechanical and electronic interventions.

Every Friday evening from 9 PM, members meet to exchange information, knowledge, and experiences, welcoming anyone interested in or simply sympathetic to their passion. The headquarters has recently hosted regional associative initiatives and twice a year organizes social events for members, sympathizers, and their families to foster the "ham spirit."

In this same spirit, the activities undertaken by the radio amateurs of San Donato encompass the development of communication technologies, related experimentation, and dissemination among members. The knowledge and experience gained are always available to serve the community, as evidenced by their support for city sporting events, Civil Protection exercises coordinated with COM20, and their commitments within emergency radiocommunications.

This dedication makes ARI a nationwide asset, contributing fully to Civil Protection efforts and fostering cultural and educational exchange through its agreement with the MIUR (Ministry of Education, University and Research).