AGM Proposal to elect Honorary Life Member

Proposal to AGM May 2023 to elect Peter Young VK3MV
Honorary Life Member of the Wireless Institute of Australia

The Board of the Wireless Institute of Australia has resolved to recommend to the membership that Peter Young VK3MV be elected as an Honorary Life Member in consideration of his many years of exceptional service to the Wireless Institute of Australia.

Motion to be put to the AGM is as follows:-

That this Meeting of the Wireless Institute of Australia approve that Peter Young VK3MV be elected as an Honorary Life Member of this Institute

BIO - Peter Young, VK3MV

Peter has spent 59 years in radiocommunications after he gained his Amateur Operator’s Certificate in April 1964. He was then licenced in December 1964 and allocated the callsign VK2BPY. Peter had his first contact 17th December 1964 following 3 months building his first transmitter.

Peter had a diverse eighteen-year career in the maritime communications industry as a ship’s radio officer, field service technician, communications and navigation equipment planning and commissioning engineer for new shipping, and then an instructor at the Marconi School of Wireless.

In May 1983 Peter joined the federal public service with the then Department of Communications as a frequency assigner in the Operations Branch. During his time with the Dept of Communications he:

undertook duties as a Commonwealth Marine Radio and Radar surveyor;

Licensing Manager Victoria and was appointed the Victorian State Manager in 1989 and subsequently Regional Manager Southern Australia.;

In the early 1990’s he was engaged in a number of reviews associated with Spectrum Pricing and Management - that lead to the introduction of Spectrum Licensing and Class Licensing;

In 1993 he undertook a review of the Apparatus Licensing system, and in 2005 Broadband Over Power-Line; Peter was also involved in a number of organisational reviews;

Managed the Spectrum Management Agency’s (SMA) Program Office and had oversight of the introduction of the Radcom Licensing computer system; and

was a member of the then Australian Communications Authority’s (ACA) Audit Committee for 2 years.

In 2005, Peter took the big step and resigned from the public service and in 2006 and was asked by the WIA President, Michael Owen, VK3KI (sk) if he would assist the WIA in working through issues associated with the 2005 Review of the Amateur Service. The 2005 review saw the introduction of a three-tier category licensing for amateurs including the Foundation Licence. At this time, Peter felt that amateur radio gave him a great career and it was time to give something back amateur radio.

Peter when onto undertake a number of tasks that included:

to develop and oversight a ballot for two letter callsigns by the WIA on behalf of the ACA – he was the “ballot master”;

In 2006 Peter was elected to the Board of the Wireless Institute of Australia;

assisted with the development of a submission to undertake an examination service and make recommendations for the allocation of amateur callsigns;

development of a pricing structure on a cost recovery basis for issuing certificates of proficiency and costs associated with callsign recommendations and associated computer systems;

Intruder Watch Coordinator Sept 2008 to June 2021;

In 2012 after the successful external audit of the contract, Peter stepped down as a WIA Director, but continued a the WIA Regulatory Counsel – a role he still provides today; and

In 2008 Peter was awarded the Jonathan Livingston Award by the Australian Radio Communications Industry Association (ARCIA) in recognition of personal achievement and excellence in the Radiocommunication industry.

In 2012 Peter was awarded the G. A. Taylor medal for his services to the WIA.

In his role as Regulatory Counsel, he coordinates responses to government consultation papers and has a watching brief on the ACMA’s Technical Liaison Group.

Peter is a member of WICEN Victoria and during the Black Saturday Fires was deployed to the Alexandra and Woori Yallock incident control centres as a radio operator.

Peter’s other activities extended to his involvement in International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) Region 3, and attended R3 Conferences either as a WIA Observer, Delegate and/or IARU Activities Coordinator. His IARU activities included:

IARU Monitoring System Coordinator Sept 2011 to June 2014;

Development of the IARU Monitoring System Guidelines; and

Elected as a R3 Director at the Bali Conference in 2015.

During Peter’s time as a R3 Director he edited the R3 Quarterly Newsletter and re-drafted the R3 Frequency band plan that had no Band Plans above 70cm. Peter also developed the R3 Social Media policy Guidelines. Peter served a one-year term on the IARU’s Administrative Council – the peak IARU body. Peter stepped down as a R3 Director in March 2022.

Peter is a keen portable HF operations participant and when time permits, contests – particularly the Remembrance Day and the John Moyle Field Day contests. He won the presidents cup twice for this contesting. Peter suggested to the WIA President, that the cup winner should be the highest scoring WIA Club, not the highest scoring CW operator. This suggestion was taken up and Clubs are a key feature of today’s contest.

During his career in radiocommunications he said that he has worked with some amazing people and enjoys the friendships he has made over the last half century and a bit.

Page Last Updated: Monday, 01 May 2023 at 11:11 hours by Peter Clee

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