VK100WIA Club & Media Feedback
About this web page.
Each WIA affiliated club is being encouraged to make contact with the media in relation to the promotion of the hobby of amateur radio and the celebration of the Centenary of organised amateur radio in Australia. Various clubs from around Australia are running public events many include the activation of the VK100WIA Centenary callsign. This web page is dedicated to providing feedback and reports from the various clubs participating and details of any media coverage received as part of their event. It is hoped that clubs will be motivated and inspired as they read the reports below.
Canberran students enjoy ARISS contact
Ten students from the Trinity Christian School at Wanniassa in the Australian Capital Territory made history at the weekend with the first Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) program contact to be held in Canberra. The event was part of the Wireless Institute of Australia (WIA) centenary dinner attended by 200 people including international guests, Australian Communications and Media Authority Chairman Chris Chapman, and WIA Centenary Patron Dick Smith VK2DIK.
A telebridge ON4ISS in Belgium (operator Philippe Van houte, ON5PV) made the contact with ARISS Asia-Pacific Coordinator, Tony Hutchison VK5ZAI at the controls in Canberra for the contact on Saturday, 29 May. The audience remain quiet and listened intently as the Year 12 students asked Astronaut and Flight Engineer Tracy Caldwell-Dyson KF5DBF, on her assignment on the space station, a series of questions.
The session began with a brief speech by Tracy who congratulated the WIA on its centenary and commented briefly on amateur radio's history and amateur satellites. Student William Shaw, asked: When you are in space, are you "above" the law? If there was a legal issue that arose on the space station which nation's law would apply? Tracy replied that she did not foresee that there would be a legal problem on the space station and added that there were controls on what could occur in space. Another student, Elizabeth Shen, asked about living is space with zero gravity, its effects on the body and whether there were changes to the normal blood pressure and pulse rate. It was learnt in Tracy's response that the crew are constantly monitored, there are effects and rehabilitation on return to earth can take up to three months. In other questions the topics of sleeping in an environment with 16 sunrises and sunsets a day, space walking Tracy is to have that experience soon and the potential for collision with solid matter in space.
After the ARISS contact Elizabeth Shen and William Shaw said they were both extremely impressed by the efforts made by astronauts to qualify and fly in space, giving them encouragement to strive in their chosen careers. Elizabeth, aged 17 added: 'The opportunity to speak to someone above the space station was one of the best experiences in her life.' While William, aged 18, said 'It was really cool to be able to talk to someone who is in a completely different situation with the zero gravity and what not.' Trinity Christian School Principal, Carl Palmer VK2TP/VK1TP was justifiable very proud of his students. WIA President Michael Owen VK3KI presented each with a participation certificate. WIA Centenary Patron Dick Smith VK2DIK - aviator, adventurer and entrepreneur - shook their hands, spoke to them about their experience and had is photograph taken with them. News of the ARISS contact made the news bulletins on three Canberra radio stations and a detailed story with photograph has appeared in the Sunday Canberra Times newspaper.
Click the image above or this Link to read the newspaper article.
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Wagga Wagga Amateur Radio Club - Operating Fri 4th to Sun 6th June
Wagga Wagga radio club in the news
Wagga Wagga radio club president John Eyrles VK2YW was interviewed for a newspaper article which appeared in the 1st of June edition of the Daily Advertiser (Wagga's local newspaper). In addition to this, the news story made its way onto to local FM radio station.
Click the image above or this Link to read the story.
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South East Radio Group SERG - Operating Thu 10th to Sat 12th June
Email
From : Charles Prime
To : Robert Broomhead
Date : 14th June 2010
Hello Robert
Last week the South East Radio Group had a very busy and eventful week. Firstly I would like to say thank you to everyone who has organised the special call sign and to everyone who gave me the tools from the web site to help with media. For the first two days of the event we operated from our homes and in the evenings a large group with down to the club rooms. On the last day we set up portable out the front of the SERG convention and operated from there. This was really good and we had a lot of contacts. We had huge support from all and the on line log book is a great idea.
I very much enjoyed using the call sign and how the SERG club members have supported the event. We may have two new amateurs from the event!!
Thank you to all the WIA
Charles Prime
President
South East Radio Group
Oxley Region Amateur Radio Club successfully uses Media Kit
The Oxley Region Amateur Radio Club decided to make its 35th Annual Field Day weekend at the Sea Scout Hall in Port Macquarie on 12th and 13th June 2010 the focus of its efforts to promote amateur radio in its community. The weekend was identified as a WIA Supported Activity and WIA President Michael Owen VK3KI agreed to participate.
The club made full use of the Media Kit provided by the WIA for affiliated clubs, preparing its own Media release based on the generic release provided in the kit, and following the advice in the kit as to how and when to approach the local media outlets. On Friday 11 June Alan Nutt VK2GD was interviewed by Cameron Marshall on the ABC Mid North Coast breakfast program, talking about amateur radio generally and the Club's Field Day. In the afternoon Michael Owen was a guest for 20 minutes on Fiona Wyllie's ABC State Wide program, originating from the ABC studios in Port Macquarie and broadcast throughout New South Wales except Sydney and Newcastle. A sound bite of an early experimental station acting as a broadcasting station from the WIA's Sounds of Amateur Radio CD provided an interesting introduction to the interview. On the same day, the Port Macquarie News featured a photograph of Oxley Club President Henry Lundell VK2ZHE and Vice President Jim Neil VK2VIVand an article based on the club's media release.
The Port Macquarie Independent also published on the Thursday a significant article, again based on the club's release. On the morning of Sunday 13 June, the important day for amateurs not competing in the various events, both Henry and Michael were interviewed by Craig Huth on the Super radio network across the country. (Craig Huth is also recognised by amateurs as VK4SSB.) The WIA website was promoted as the place to find out more about amateur radio. On Monday a brief but prominent item about the Field Day was included in the NBN TV 6 o'clock news. Prime TV have arranged with Henry to shoot footage for an item 'Amateur Radio 100'.
While attendance was down on previous years, several people attracted by the publicity visited the Sea Scout Hall. The Club will be conducting a training/assessment weekend in the near future, and as a result of the publicity it is expected that the participants will include several people who otherwise would not have made contact with the club.
Click the image above or this Link to read the media reports.
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Community magazine covers WIA Centenary
The District Bulletin that circulates in North Canberra, Bungendore, Palerang and Queanbeyan areas, has run a good picture story on the Sunday afternoon at Dick Smith's Bowylie Flying Club, Gundaroo. So keen to do the job well the magazine's editor, Marie Taylor attended the afternoon to take photographs and write a story. She was provided plenty of material, including a local resident Carl Palmer VK2TP/VK1TP who joined Michael Owen VK3KI and Dick Smith VK2DIK for photo opportunity in the radio room.
Click the image above or this Link to read the report.
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Tasmania learns about amateur radio
WIA affiliated club the Radio Electronics Association of South Tasmania did extremely well with its roster slot using the special callsign VK100WIA from the old coastal radio station site, Queens Domain in Hobart. Special Event Manager, Justin Giles-Clark VK7TW reports that nine REAST members ended up with 415 contacts over the three days. IRLP and Echolink on 2 metres, ATV, and HF phone, CW and PSK31.
While the activity would normally be newsworthy it clashed with much bigger news of the week, Australia getting a new Prime Minister. However ABC 936 radio ran an interview with Justin VK7TW lasting five minutes. Announcer Michael Veitch actually did his research before the interview by seeing the VK100WIA station in action. The result was a very interesting, sometimes humorous but also highly informative interview. After it was aired a half a dozen interested ABC listeners visited VK100WIA to learn more.
And Justin VK7TW is likely to have another radio interview during the coming week.
Pictured
Scott Hutchins VK7FRRT operating the VK100WIA station from Queens Domain. Click the picture for a larger view
Hills Amateur Radio Group in the news
The Hills Amateur Radio Group (HARG) found the WIA Media Kit very useful, scoring not one but two articles in their local newspapers written from its media release.
HARG members expressed both excitement and appreciation for the media publicity that was gained promoting the hobby.
Click on the picture left for a larger view
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Doubled-headed promotion
A large article in the Hastings Independent newspaper in Victoria has promoted both the Frankston and Mornington Peninsula ARC and the Southern Peninsula ARC.
This excellent story not only gives readers both detail of the VK100WIA activity but how to follow-up each club for more information.
While including the history of amateur radio and its role in providing emergency communications, it also features a photo of 9-year old Callum Seymour operating on air, a radio amateur of the future.
Click on the picture right for a larger view
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New radio club joins publicity blitz
An article "100 years on, still hamming" in the Macedon Ranges Leader Newspaper in Victoria gives the local club only formed last November with a great publicity boost. The story includes a photograph taken at the home of Club President, Peter Willmott VK3TQ (pictured in the background) with the Secretary, Graeme McDiarmid VK3NE in the foreground who has held a licence for more than 30 years. Graeme is quoted saying he continues to find it an interesting hobby and is often on air for about 90 minutes each day.
The newspaper reports that GENERATION Y would question why they aren't using the internet, but a Macedon Ranges club prefers to use amateur radio to keep in touch. It is celebrating 100 years of amateur radio this week. The club with 34 members hopes that the publicity and its use of the special callsign VK100WIA will generate new local radio amateurs and members.
Page Last Updated: Wednesday 18 August 2010 at 23:17 hours
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