Ron Wilkinson Award 2006

The Ron Wilkinson Award is one of the oldest and most important of the awards made by the WIA and was made possible through the generosity of Mrs Mary Wilkinson, widow of the late Ron Wilkinson VK3AKC. The award was first presented in 1977 Wally Green, VK6WG for record breaking contacts on 1296 MHz.

Mary Wilkinson passed away last June, but Ron�s children have let the WIA know that they are delighted that their father�s memory continues to be honoured by the Award.

At the WIA Annual General Meeting held in Sydney on 6 May 2006, WIA President Michael Owen VK3KI announced that the WIA Board had decided to present the Ron Wilkinson Award jointly to two people who, in different ways, had contributed greatly to the WIA�s role in the introduction of the new licence structure, and in particular, to the new WIA amateur qualification assessment system.

The Board had decided to present the Award to Fred Swainston VK3DAC, the WIA�s nominated RTO, who had provided the information, advice and guidance that had enabled the WIA to rely on a nationally recognised qualification for its assessors, and who had trained so many assessors and generally managed the system, and as said on the certificate presented to him, to recognise �his invaluable, unstinting and expert assistance in developing and establishing a new WIA amateur qualification system.�

Jointly with Fred, the Board presented the Award to Ron Bertrand VK2DQ, who had participated in the development of the syllabi for all three grades of licence, coordinated the formulation of the practical assessment, worked on the creation of the question banks and led the early trial Foundation training and assessment programs, advising on the documentation, and working together with Fred on a project of great importance to the WIA and amateur radio in Australia.

At the AGM Fred Swainston accepted the Award from the President for himself and for Ron Bertrand, who was unfortunately unable to attend.

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