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MARCH 12 2017 - VK NATIONAL NEWS BROADCAST ON VK1WIA
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THE BEST NEWS YOU'LL GET ALL WEEK
Oh... and to contact us with your news because
If It Matters To You It Matters To Us!
Email nationalnews@wia.org.au
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NATIONAL NEWS FOR WEEK COMMENCING MARCH 12 2017.
IN OUR 22nd YEAR OF NON STOP NEWS
WIA meets with ACMA. -
WIA office closure during financial audit. -
WIA Board Fact Sheets. -
WIA AGM VK5 May hear from Shirley, VK5YL, President of ALARA. -
WIA Director Roger Harrison VK2ZRH and UHF VHF scoring. -
WIA Coordinator for John Moyle Field Day, Denis VK4AE.
THESE STORIES AND MORE IN THIS EDITION OF NEWS FROM THE WIRELESS INSTITUTE
OF AUSTRALIA 2017 AND FOR WEEK OF MAR 12
The ACMA and WIA meeting
The Wireless Institute of Australia (WIA) met with the Australian
Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) in Canberra on Friday February 24.
It was a mix of face-to-face meeting in Canberra and by teleconference for
two in Victoria.
The ACMA a team of three headed by its manager of spectrum licencing policy
Dominic Byrne, Executive Manager of the Spectrum Management Policy Branch
David Brumfield, and a Senior Policy Officer Stewart White.
The WIA representatives were Phil VK2ASD, Peter VK3MV, Dale VK1DSH and Fred
VK3DAC.
The ACMA talked briefly about the draft new Radiocommunications Act due to be
made public in later this year and the changes it may bring to licensing.
The ACMA explained that they were undergoing substantial staff reductions with
some delays being experienced.
The WIA suggestion that Foundation Licences could have callsigns with a three
letter suffix was being further explored, but no decision had been yet.
The WIA Exams Service was discussed including its financial and delivery
performance.
A definition of reportable complaint was discussed.
Reciprocal licence arrangements were discussed and agreed that all claims for
overseas licences needs to include proof of operator competency to be licensed
in Australia.
The WIA advised the ACMA that it was introducing a new arrangement for
consultation with members.
The proposed changes to the three amateur licences under a future review of
the Licence Condition Determinations would draw on the findings of that
consultation, but as yet no date had been set.
The WIA had identified options for Foundation Licensees to have a three letter
suffix callsign to help them access digital modes, should digital modes for
Foundation licensees be approved.
The ACMA licensing section indicates that its SPECTRA system should be able
handle them, and the WIA agreed that there be a test to prove the concept.
In seeking Amateur Service access to the 60m band (5351.5 - 5366.5 kHz) the
WIA offered to work with Defence that currently uses that spectrum.
At the end of the two hour meeting a greater understanding was had by both
sides on a number mutual interest issues.
WIA BOARD TALK CONTINUES
WIA office closure during financial audit
The Wireless Institute of Australia (WIA) financial report for the 2016 year
has been checked by the accountants, and about to be examined in depth by
Kidmans Partners a registered Company Auditor.
The WIA Board of Directors decided last year to audit the financial accounts,
although an optional lower cost review process is permitted by the Australian
Security Investments Commission.
To enable WIA staff, plus about two Directors to be dedicated on financial
matters, the WIA office will be closed for at least a day next week.
The thorough process examines in detail the financial accounts, invoices,
income, banking, and liabilities.
An audit normally looks at everything, questioning the staff, book-keepers,
accounts and Directors.
The WIA in closing the office on Thursday March 16, and may be March 17 too,
is essential to avoid any disruption to the financial audit.
The WIA Board Fact Sheets
Like most organisations, the Wireless Institute of Australia (WIA) attracts
different views on matters and a few who unfortunately spread not fully
correct, or total wrong information.
The WIA Board of Directors has found it necessary to research the various
claims being made and set the record straight.
These are the facts.
The Foundation Licence Manual is in profit after a short time, and is not a
10 year financial burden.
The WIA is not in trouble with ASIC and ACMA - claims that it has incurred
penalties and faces other serious trouble are untrue.
The WIA licence assessment system complies and is valid - the rumour sought to
cast doubt where it did not exist.
The WIA is guided by policies and procedures - and is not a dysfunctional
organisation.
The WIA 2015 Accounts have been independently found twice to be correct.
And some of the WIA achievements in 2016.
Worth a read is a suite of Fact Sheets that are based on factual information,
showing that the WIA has produced results and is looking forward to the future.
They can be found on the WIA website www.org.au
WIA AGM VK5 May
Good morning. My name is Shirley, VK5YL, President of the Australian Ladies
Amateur Radio Association (ALARA for short) and I'd like to tell you about
two wonderful tours we have organized for the WIA AGM weekend in May this year.
Hahndorf is the starting point with bus pick-ups from two venues - Hahndorf
Convention Centre and The Haus.
We are offering two tours for partners during the AGM and Forum for those not
involved in this aspect of the weekend.
Tour 1: Hahndorf and its environs
Included in this full day out is a trip to the Mt. Lofty Lookout with views
across Adelaide and the Gulf, before a tour of "Cedars" the home of
Hans Heysen with morning tea in the grounds. Then we visit Beerenberg Jams
for a tasting of some very different jams, before lunch at the Old Hahndorf
Mill. A relaxing afternoon follows with a visit to a craft venue followed by
chocolate and cheese tastings.
Tour 2: Barossa Valley
Hear your own voice echo from afar as we talk to the Whispering Wall then
journey on to the Barossa Chateau for morning tea which incorporates antiques
and a massive rose garden opened by Queen Elizabeth. A detour to the Lavender
Farm followed by lunch at Yaldara Winery which includes a tasting. Back to
Hahndorf and a special discount for our members from the Opal Shop.
Both tours return in time for drinks before the Gala Dinner.
If you haven't already registered for this fun weekend, please do so as soon
as possible especially for these tours as numbers are limited.
Hope to see you in Hahndorf in May.
Shirley Tregellas, VK5YL, President of ALARA
INTERNATIONAL NEWS With thanks to IARU, RSGB, SARL, Southgate AR Club, ARRL,
Amateur Radio Newsline, NZART, WIA Local News Service VK7, VK3PC and the WW
sources of the WIA.
The Dayton Hamvention has announced the winners of the 2017 Hamvention Awards.
Each year, the Dayton Hamvention honours radio amateurs who have made major
contributions to the art and science of amateur radio.
So it's congratulations to AMSAT Vice President for Human Spaceflight
Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, was named 2017 Amateur of the Year.
For those who were planning on a trip to Dayton this year... KEEP ON DRIVING!
Hamvention chief spokesman and board member Mike Kalter, W8CI tells of a NEW
venue, Xenia, eastward down US 35.
Kalter conceded that the new venue in Greene County is a slightly longer drive
from Dayton City Center but he believes it will be worth the trip.
HAM RADIO ADDED TO POLICE RESOURCES IN INDIA
Amateur Radio Newsline have been looking at how one police organization in
India has been busy integrating amateur radio into its well-established
strategy of radio response.
The Assam Police Radio Organization is working to integrate amateur radio
use more deeply into its operations, particularly for disaster preparedness.
According to a recent article in the Assam Tribune, the strategy gained
traction during a February APRO seminar on disaster response and planners
said priority needed to be given to communication methods that did not
rely on the existing communications grid.
The director general of Assam's police, Mukesh Sahay, said during the seminar
that the need for more trained and licensed amateur radio operators is
paramount.
World's oldest beacon now 60
The 60th anniversary of the world's oldest amateur radio beacon is being
marked by running the NAC-contests from the OZ7IGY QTH at JO55wm, with the
call sign OZ 7 IGY.
Specific frequencies and other details can be found at
www.oz7igy.dk/event-log.
60m in Hong Kong
The local telecommunication authority in Hong Kong, OFCA, has now allocated
5351.5 to 5366.5kHz to the amateur radio service on a secondary basis with
maximum power 15 watts EIRP.
Who and Where are our broadcast stations?
http://www.wia.org.au/members/broadcast/where/
HAM RADIO OPERATIONAL NEWS - IT'S A CONTACT SPORT
All major Australian contests, rules and results, are on the
Contest Section of the WIA website.
wia.org.au/members/contests/about
2017
Jan 1 - Dec 31 The Victorian Local Government Award 2017 Challenge
RSGB 80th Commonwealth Contest 11 and 12 March for 24 hours FROM 10.00 GMT.
This is ON NOW !
Ham Radio On The Ferries 12th of March
THIS ALSO IS ON NOW !
WIA's John Moyle Memorial Field Day 18th-19th March 2017
Good Morning,
This Denis VK4AE, WIA coordinator for the John Moyle Memorial Field Day 2017.
This year the contest will occur over the weekend of Saturday the 18th to
Sunday 19th March, 2017, the duration of the contest will be from UTC 0100
Saturday to 0059 on Sunday.
The aim of the field day contest is to encourage familiarisation with portable
operation and to provide training for operations in emergency situations.
During the contest the field (portable) stations appreciate the support from
home stations. However, in order to make the whole event a lot fairer, those
field (portable) stations actually take part in effectively a separate event
to home stations. In this way home stations are not given an unfair advantage,
when compared the portable stations that do not have the advantages of a
permanent antenna installation, mains power and the comfort of operating from
their own home QTH.
No matter how you plan to take part in the contest, after the activity is
all over and the radio equipment has been packed away, there is one task that
must be completed by all stations. They must submit their log for the contest
for the validation of those contacts for the other stations. There is
sufficient time allowed after the contest to actually complete and submit
their log to the WIA, as electronic logs and paper logs will be accepted right
up until midnight 26th April 2017. So there are not many excuses today for
not sending in your as it can be kept electronically while the contest is
under way using one of the many logging programs such as VK Contest Log by our
own Mike VK3AVV. Then you simply have to submit the print file from this
program to me via one of the e-mail addresses shown on the contest page on the
WIA website.
Of course by submitting your log you automatically enter the contest and you
never know you might even get a certificate?
Now is the time to carry on with your planning for the field day as there are
only a few weeks to go before the event. There is still time to make sure
that everything is in order and operating and all of the little bits and pieces
that are needed to put your station onto the airwaves are all in the desired
place. Nothing worse than to arrive at your chosen spot only to find you have
forgotten to pack the piece of cable that is installed between the set and
some other piece of gear.
Make sure that the location you have chosen is still accessible after the
summer onslaught from flood and bushfire and the roads into the place have not
been closed - in the interests of public safety - and that the trees that were
so useful for string aerials and tent ropes in the past are still in good
condition and safe to be around.
Best of luck to all in the field day and I look forward to working a few of
you on the day and most of all receiving your log entry after the event.
WIA's Harry Angel Memorial 80 meter sprint Saturday May 6 10:00 -11:46 UTC
May 13-15 Mills On The Air
VK SHIRES June 10 and 11.
Trans-Tasman Low-Band Contest 160/80/40 Saturday night July 15 and Start Time
is 08:00 UTC and finish time is 14:00 UTC
10-10 INTERNATIONAL SUMMER CONTEST Aug 5 - 6
WIA's Flagship contest the Remembrance Day Contest 12th & 13th August
Aug 19-20 ILLW the 3rd full weekend in August since 1998
Aug 26 ALARA Contest Start Time 1600 this is a 24 hour Contest for YL's
IARU High Speed Telegraphy world championships are 8th to 12th September.
October CQ WW DX / SSB CONTEST (always Octobers Last full weekend)
Running ALL year 'til Dec 31 Victorian Local Government Award 2017 Challenge
A R I 90 Years Activity
IARU member society, Associazione Radioamatori Italiani or ARI, is celebrating
its 90 anniversary between now and the end of December.
Many Italian club stations are supporting it with operations on all bands and
modes.
They are using special callsigns, and a PDF email operating award certificate
is available.
To also mark the 1874 birth of Italian born wireless pioneer, Guglielmo
Marconi, there will be 10 stations.
And on International Marconi Day, Saturday April 22, there will be Amateur
Radio stations at sites used for the work of Marconi.
The VK3 Local Government Challenge
Enthusiasm for the Local Government Challenge in Victoria is evident by the
increased mention of municipalities on the air, whether during a portable
activity or routine QSOs.
For example, Alex VK4TE reported having on a weekend numerous contacts
including seven different local government areas.
Tony VK3XV also recently travelled up the Hume activating Local Government
Area or LGAs as he travelled.
Next weekend's WIA John Moyle Memorial National Field Day from March 18 has
even more possibilities for those chasing LGAs.
Details and rules of the Local Government Challenge are on the Amateur Radio
Victoria website.
https://www.amateurradio.com.au/awards
(Jim Linton VK3PC)
Another opportunity for the LGA is the Lake Boga Flying Boat Anniversary
on air next weekend
To help commemorate the 75th anniversary of the once secret RAAF No. 1 Flying
Boat Repair and Service Depot is Amateur Radio station VI 3 FB 75, set up in a
Communications Bunker at Lake Boga, northwest Victoria. Thomas VK3EO of
Swan Hill and Noel VK3FI from Mildura, both members of the Sunraysia Group,
will supervise the operation involving other radio amateurs.
Contacts also qualify for the Swan Hill Shire in the Local Government
Challenge too.
The commemorative callsign VI 3 FB 75 will be active on March 18 at the
Lake Boga Catalina Communications Bunker - that's next weekend.
A commemorative QSL card is to be available. Do listen for VI 3 FB 75.
(Jim Linton VK3PC)
Last weekend WIA Director Roger Harrison told us of being bowled over with
the response to the Wyong Field Day and to the VHF groups meeting he chaired
at the HamFest.
He spoke of help to improve amateur antenna masts and towers thru local
government
"The second hot topic was about VHF-UHF Field Days. No surprises there !
The time has come to consult field day stakeholders about scoring - and it is
generally thought that it must come down to either grid-square scoring or
distance-based scoring. A binary decision.
As listeners may know, the VHF-UHF Field Days have had both means of scoring
since 2014. This was introduced on the principal of - quote - let the market
decide ! - end quote. As it happened, field day participants - the market -
have by and large decided to have an each-way bet. Many operators enter logs
for both scoring divisions; some enter logs for one division in one event, and
the other division in the next event. A few operators stick resolutely to one
division or the other !
I asked the audience how many had participated in the VHF-UHF Field Days, or
had an interest in doing so, and a good proportion of the audience raised
their hands. Everybody was keen to discuss it.
The idea arose that maybe there's a THIRD way.
For a start - the Rover category is necessarily based on grid-square scoring.
Secondly, the philosophy underlying VHF-UHF operating is to work the best
distances you can under the circumstances facing you. Thirdly, the audience
articulated that grid-square scoring is unfair because there is a geographic
advantage for regions that are further from the equator and the grid-square
are physically smaller. And that's not ALL the issues !
A lively, robust, but friendly, discussion progressed - cut short only
because the session ran out of time.
The general upshot was - perhaps some combined scoring method could be devised
that incorporated the best features of the two on the table.
I was bowled over.
The issue of VHF-UHF Field Day scoring will open for consultation on the
WIA website soon. Look out for it.
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- FEMALES IN RADIO
ALARA - AUSTRALIAN LADIES AR ASSOCIATION
http://alara.org.au
Net is held each Mondays on 3.570 MHz, commencing at 1030 UTC.
(1000utc during daylight saving)
Award for Bletchley Park Veteran
The West Morland Gazette in the Mother Country reports on a former
Underbarrow resident awarded a war medal for her Morse code work
Diana O'Brien, spent the Second World War transmitting coded messages
from India to England using Morse code.
Mrs O'Brien (nee Ballantyne) was born in Gloucestershire before moving
and growing up in Letchworth.
Now 90-years-old and living in Shrewsbury, she joined the First Aid Nursing
Yeomanry at the age of 17, in May 1944.
She was a wireless operator and learned the specialist skill of Morse code
in order to help in the war effort.
She trained at Henley-on-Thames and Bletchley Park but was eventually posted
to India, where she worked in Delhi and then Calcutta, transmitting coded
messages back to England, supporting troops behind enemy lines in Burma. She
returned to the UK in October of 1945 and eventually married and settled in
the Lakes District.
Read the full story at
http://www.thewestmorlandgazette.co.uk/news/15134096.Former_Underbarrow_resident_awarded_war_medal_for_Morse_code_efforts/
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- ILLW
Dedication to an annual fun-event
The third full weekend of August has maritime navigation structures activated
around the world through portable Amateur Radio with many doing so year after
year.
WIA's Jim Linton, VK3PC says this dedication is shown by Club Station DF 0 WLG
which has been an entrant in every ILLW event - making 20 years of continuous
participation which started for them at the Peenemunde Light in 1998 and this
August the Greifswalder Oie Lighthouse.
This beautiful but rarely visited octagonal brick tower with lantern on
tiny island and the traditional landfall light for ships in the Baltic Sea
on the German coast.
In 2017 the registrations so far include those from the Americas, Asia,
Europe, Africa, Southeast Asia and Oceania.
To see them all, read the event aims, see simple guidelines and perhaps make
an online registration for August 19-20, visit the website illw.net
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- RADIO SCOUTING
http://www.scouts.com.au
http://www.scout.org/jota
http://www.international.scouts.com.au
Sam VK6KSA is National Jota Coordinator.
PA 2017 BP is on the air until 20th March to commemorate Lord Baden-Powell
founder the Scout Movement, also known as the Boy Scouts.
QSL to PA 3 EFR.
(rsgb)
Scout ham radio around-the-world APRS balloon
An amateur radio balloon K2BSA-11 transmitting 144.390 MHz APRS will launch
from the 2017 National Boy Scouts of America Jamboree
The launch is planned for 1400 UT on July 20 and will be carried out by
members of the K 2 BSA Radio Scouting team from the Summit Bechtel Reserve,
Scout reservation in West Virginia.
It is hoped the balloon will circumnavigate the Earth.
In July you will be able to follow the track at
http://aprs.fi/#!call=K2BSA-11&timerange=3600
(SouthGate)
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- RESCUE RADIO
IARU REGION 3
Emergency Centre of Activity (CoA) frequencies
3.600, 7.110, 14.300, 18.160 and 21.360 MHz
In the lead-up to the Tom Quilty national horse endurance ride, SA Endurance
Riders (SAERA) will be conducting a 80km & shorter horse ride event.
WICENSA will be providing a field safety radio network for this event and
volunteers to assist would be appreciated.
This will be based at Wirrina Caravan Park and checkpoints are spread out in
the forest to farming to golf course areas.
The ride will start at 0400 on Sunday morning 26th March and be completed by
1400.
Each checkpoint will record
the horse identity numbers
time they reached your checkpoint
transmit the time & identity number to radio base
Then while the rider is in the saddle, talk to the riders, give the riders
some lollies and water bottles (supplied by SAERA) if the rider wants.
If you and others are available to assist on the 26th March, then please
contact Andrew Macmichael 0403791488 or secretary@sa.wicen.org.au
Andrew needs RSVP's by Sunday 19th March.
(WICEN SA)
SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS - VHF AND ABOVE (The Plumbers Delight)
German 10 GHz EME Beacon, DL0SHF, received in VK7 on a Small Horn Antenna
Wednesday last week Rex, VK7MO, brought along a small aluminium horn for
show and tell to a VK7 lunch time group. This horn had an opening equivalent
to a 12 cm or 5 inch dish.
Rex put it into service that evening as conditions were good, so good. that
Rex was rewarded with excellent signals from the German beacon with 7 decodes
on the QRA-D mode.
The German beacon runs an 8 metre dish and 40 watts and auto tracks the moon
when it is visible in Germany. To date the smallest antenna that has copied
it outside VK7 was a 40 cm or 16 inch dish used by a Dutch station.
The small horn used by Rex, equivalent in area to a 12 cm or 5 inch dish, is
thus by far the smallest antenna to receive the beacon.
(VK7 News)
March 19 VK7 "Meet the Voice" barbecue 11:30am at Ross (vk7cl)
March 26 VK3 EMDRC HamFest, Great Ryrie Primary School, Heathmont (VK3BQ)
April 9 VK6 HARGfest The Lesmurdie Hall at 96 Gladys Rd (Martin Stretton)
April 9 all are warmly invited to HARGfest, an annual
Amateur Radio swap meet with their venue the same excellent
hall as last year - The Lesmurdie Hall at 96 Gladys Road
Lesmurdie.
Entry for sellers at 9.00am and for buyers at 10.00am.
Food and drink available all day including the popular
HARGburgers. The raffle will be held at 1.00pm and doors close
at 2.00.
Entry fee $5 for every person attending, both buyers and
sellers. Tables are free but if you have something to sell
please book your table early as last year they booked up
really quickly. Bookings to vk6zms@iinet.net
Ap 28-May 1 VK4 Clairview Gathering between Rockhampton and Mackay (TARC)
May 19 VK WIA AGM Hahndorf some 25km from Adelaide (vk5kc)
Jun 2-4 VK4 Theresa Creek Camp-out-day (CHARC) (tarc)
Theresa Creek Dam is located 22 km southwest of Clermont
in Central Queensland, with bitumen access all the way
to the boat ramp plus 2 boat ramps to choose from.
If you are able to get along for a great weekend, let Helen
VK4FHEL know by email helenlwood@bigpond.com
CHARC Facebook Page
https://www.facebook.com/groups/632669076759173/
June 10-11 VK5 SERG Annual Convention / VK Foxhunting Champs. (vk5dj)
July 1 VK3 GippsTech 2017 technical conference in Churchill. (wia events)
Sep 9-10 ALARAMEET 2017 Cairns. Listen for VI4ALARA from Jly (vk4swe vk3pc)
Nov 12 VK5 Adelaide Hills Amateur Radio Society HamFest 8am (vk5kc)
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