About The ANZAC Centenary
Commemorating the centenary of the First World War
The world is commemorating 100 years since World War I (WWI), also known as the First World War or the Great War, centred in Europe from 1914 to 1918.
In Australia several events that involving Amateur Radio have already occurred. The WIA has a plan that allows all radio amateurs to commemorate this event with related activities.
The major commemoration is on the 25th April 2015 which is when Australian and New Zealand troops landed at Gallipoli, marking 100 years since our nation's involvement in WWI.
The ANZAC Centenary is a milestone of special significance for all Australians. The WWI helped define us as people and as a nation. During the ANZAC Centenary we remember not only the original ANZACs who served at Gallipoli and the Western Front, but commemorate more than a century of service by Australian servicemen and women.
The ANZAC Centenary Program takes in all wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations in which Australians have been involved. The program of commemoration activities aims to give all the opportunity to honour the service and sacrifice of all those who have worn our nation's uniform, including the more than 102,000 who have made the supreme sacrifice.
The commemoration encourages all radio amateurs to reflect upon and learn more about Australia's wartime involvement, the costs and its impacts on our nation.
Amateur radio's role in times of war
Many who fought in WWI were radio amateurs. A continuing effort is being made to record information about those who served their country during all wars and campaigns.
The WIA Remembrance Day Contest remembers those 26 radio amateurs who lost their lives in the service of this country during World War II. Who were all the others serving during the war? Wartime Amateur Radio (AR) magazines identifies early VK2 and VK3 lists. Enlistment in other States was also located. A rough count puts it at about 300.
Further investigation of wartime ARs revealed that a column by Jim Corbin VK2YC entitled "Slouch Hats and Forage Caps" contained more information, enabling another 150 or so persons to be added, taking the number to 460.
Then an editorial in AR magazine in June 1940 mentions that over 700 radio amateurs we're serving. Whichever way you look at it, the Amateur Radio response to the call to serve was significant. If we take the lesser figure of 460, discount those too old, or in the essential services, it is probably fair to suggest that over 50 per cent of available radio amateurs became involved directly in the war effort.
Special Event Callsigns
Ministerial approval has been given to the WIA to use the protected word ANZAC for the callsign VK100ANZAC as well as the VI state and territory based callsigns.
Events dates and commemorations by them are listed.
The WIA has the Department of Veterans Affairs approval to use of the word ANZAC. Conditional permission for the use of the word ANZAC has been received and is reflected mainly in the callsigns. These conditions are included in the document Protection of Word ANZAC. Regulations; Statutory Rules 1921 No. 2 as amended made under the War Precautions Act Repeal Act 1920. This will require stations using the callsign containing the word ANZAC to agree to these conditions.
These callsigns and their licence fees are paid for by the WIA, and the ACMA has agreed on their use up to December 20, 2015.
Should a call be received from a contest station, the operator will be told politely that ‘This is a commemorative callsign which is not allowed to enter contests, however the QSO will be logged and it qualifies for an eQSL and counts toward the ANZAC Centenary Award’.
Commemorating the ANZAC Centenary--the plan
The WIA intent for ANZAC 100 was announced at the 2014 AGM. It has since been referred to in news releases, the weekly VK1WIA broadcast and club newsletters.
All applications for the ANZAC callsigns, which close on March 31, 2015, were sent the requirements and obligations for their commemorative activation. A summary of them is included in the April 2015 edition of Amateur Radio magazine.
The WIA plan for ANZAC 100 also has close cooperation with the New Zealand Radio Amateur Transmitters (NZART), the Türkiye Radyo Amatörleri Cemiyeti (TRAC), and has liaised with several IARU member societies.
Callsigns
Callsigns - purpose and use
VK100ANZAC Callsign
This callsign will be used only on days/occasions during the commemoration of 100 years since the Australian and New Zealand force landed at Gallipoli.
Expressions of interest to use this callsign close on March 31. The WIA Office will coordinate the expressions of interest and advice to the Board. The WIA Board will advise applicants of the success or otherwise of their application for VK100ANZAC.
Use of Callsign VK100ANZAC
Groups, clubs or individuals through an expression of interest had until March 31, 2025, to apply through an online application on the WIA website.
Information for callsign use must include:
• Purpose for the callsign i.e. the significance of the date. Where possible events should include service personnel.
• Duration of the callsign use
• Date/Time
• Location where the callsign will be used
• An advanced licence holder who will be responsible for the duration of the event
• All licence conditions will be observed
• Agreement to adhere to the requirements for the use of the word ANZAC.
The WIA Directors will review applications and allocate VK100ANZAC. The Directors decision will be final.
The VK100ANZAC callsign will cease operation on 20th December 2015. That day in 1915 was when the last ANZAC troops left the shores of the Dardanelles.
The WIA has reserved VK100ANZAC on the 25th April and 20th December with a broadcast from Canberra to begin and conclude the event.
VK100ANZAC Station Requirements
• HF with access to all bands
• VHF/UHF access
• Internet availability at the station site
• A minimum of one operator with an advanced licence and a second person preferably licenced, to allow for electronic logging.
State and Territory based callsigns
To provide further participation and access to the ANZAC 100 event, State and Territory callsigns will be issued.
These are active only after the unofficial opening time at 4.30am NZ time, but required to cease operation to allow for the official opening to be completed.
The ANZAC weekend (25th and 26th April 2015) it is preferable for stations to operate from a location of significance.
After the ANZAC weekend the State and Territory callsigns will be available for clubs, groups and/or individuals to use on a roster basis for one week (7 days).
For the individual State/Territory callsigns the following information must be provided to WIA Office:
• Purpose of the callsign
• Duration of the callsign use
• Date/Time
• Location where the callsign will be used
• An Advanced Licence holder who will be responsible
The callsigns cannot generally be held for longer than 1 week per event. The WIA Directors reserve the right to allow or rescind access to them should this be required.
QSL
All contacts made using VK100ANZAC or any other ANZAC event related callsign will be acknowledged via www.eqsl.cc, www.clublog.org and LoTW. No hard copy will be provided. Any received direct or via the QSL Bureau will not receive a response.
The VK100ANZAC eQSL card will have an appropriate design symbolic of the event. The state/territory based QSL cards will be subsets of the VK100ANZAC card. The design of these cards has been provided to and approved by the Department of Veteran Affairs Minister.
Recognition and Awards
Recognition and Awards
The WIA has operating awards available. These are the ANZAC Centenary Awards for the WIA allocated commemorative ANZAC-suffix callsigns and to all radio amateurs. A separate award for AX-prefixed callsign stations on April 25 and 26, is the AX Centenary Century Award.
Rules and how to make a claim are listed separately on the WIA website.
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Page Last Updated: Wednesday 9 September 2015 at 11:42 hours
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