New Zealand Amateurs Get Power Increase

The New Zealand communications regulator, the Ministry of Economic Development, Radio Frequency Management, announced on Thursday 24th November 2011 that in response to a request made by the NZART in June this year the New Zealand Radiocommunications Regulations (General User Radio Licence for Amateur Radio Operators) has been amended to authorise all amateurs a transmitter power increase to one kilowatt PEP. This will take effect from the 30th November 2011.

On 15 October 2010 the WIA had lodged a submission with the Australian regulator, the ACMA, seeking a power increase for Advanced licensees on the amateur primary allocations on a case by case basis. After that, at the request of the ACMA, the WIA provided further information. Representatives of the WIA met with ACMA staff from the Licensing Development Section of the Infrastructure Regulation Branch on the 16th May 2011 to clarify certain aspects of the submission and the additional information that had been provided.

As soon as it became available, the WIA provided the ACMA with a copy of the amended New Zealand amateur General User Radio Licence, pointing out that many Australian amateurs would seek to rely on the New Zealand decision and also again expressing concern at the long delay that had occurred in the consideration of its submission.
The ACMA has told the WIA that the delay is regretted, but that it was committed to resolving the issue, taking into account the New Zealand decision, within the next three weeks.

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