WIA visits the NZART AGM

The close relationship between the Wireless Institute of Australia (WIA) and the New Zealand Association of Radio Transmitters (NZART) includes an alternative visit to each other’s annual general meeting. This year it was the WIA’s turn to send representatives to Hamilton, New Zealand. They were the WIA Vice President, Fred Swainston VK3DAC and Director Rowan Dollar VK2OE.

Held on the Queen’s Birthday long-weekend (May 29 to June 1), there were various presentations. Rowan VK2OE attended forums on Amateur Digital Mobile Radio, an update on the KiwiSAT project, and strategies to encourage new entrants into Amateur Radio.

Fred VK3DAC addressed the conference on the Australian experience of 10 years of Foundation Licence, the changes including more portable activity, the remake of the Licence Condition Determinations, the Spectrum Review and the ANZAC 100 Commemoration. There was an obvious strong relationship between emergency services and the Amateur Radio community in New Zealand. The Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Forum held its own AGM at the venue. A report to the WIA Board included a range of mutual issues as a result of them being discussed during the weekend.

The WIA representatives were invited to the NZART Council Meeting AGM weekend. Led by the newly elected NZART President, Stuart Watchman ZL2TW, it further considered the role of office staff, development strategies for the website, and the future of Amateur Radio. The WIA and NZART representatives discusses regional and global matters - with the IARU Region 3 triennial conference to be held in Bali Indonesia in September, and the World Communications Conference, in Geneva, Switzerland early November.

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