Update On WIA Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) Consultations

News from Grant VK5GR about the current activities underway within the WIA Technical Advisory Committee.

Currently the committee has two amateur community consultations open, the first covering the introduction of new standards that describe how specific frequencies are selected for amateur fixed repeater and beacon stations, and the second which is considering what improvements may be possible with the amateur 40m band plan.

The details of both of these are available to download from the WIA website.
I encourage you, if you have any interest in
either topic, to head on over to wia.org.au and have a read.

What is more important, however is for people to understand what happens next and how you can get involved.

The WIA TAC has released these consultation papers because we want to hear your feedback and thoughts on these matters.
We also want to make it clear that these consultations are open to all radio amateurs, clubs, groups, societies etc. We want any interested radio amateurs to know that they are welcome to provide their feedback, whether they are members of or affiliated with the WIA or not.

This point is very important.
The changes proposed have potentially wide reaching consequences, and so for them to be successful it is important that we build consensus with as wide a cross section of the amateur community as possible. This is why this is open to more than just WIA members.

An example of the consultation processes being considered, can be seen in the way the 40m band plan discussion is being carried out.
The domestic WIA options paper currently being circulated is only the beginning of a longer international process. That process includes seeking feedback via the IARU Region 3 HF Band Plan committee from all of the Region 3 member societies.
From there, if endorsed at the Region 3 conference in November, it will be submitted to the IARU inter-regional HF band plan committee where it
will receive further input and discussion, this time including IARU Regions 1 and 2.
Ultimately, should all three regions agree, resolutions adopting the change would finally be made.
This, as you can imagine, is not a quick process.

A final resolution may well still be 1-2 years away. Indeed, even the work to get to this stage has involved 3 years of research and meetings with many diverse groups (including the leading lights in the WSJT and Winlink communities as well as with ARRL, DARC, JARL and IARU Region 1 and 2).

Rest assured, we take the responsibility seriously when considering changes with international ramifications.

Now, given that background, you might be wondering what happens next once you have submitted your feedback to these consultations.

It is our intention to publish a summary of the feedback received.
Then, depending on whether there are any substantive new ideas received, the committee may either conduct a second round of consultations or move to produce an outcomes and recommendation paper.

The recommendations will then undergo a final round of consultation, before being submitted to the WIA board for acceptance.
It is through this structured process that we hope to achieve a balanced outcome for all.

So, to have your say, please have a read of the consultation papers, consider the questions being asked, and then pen your thoughts (an email will do) to tac@wia.org.au. Email TAC: Link
By doing so, we can take your views into account.

Finally, to help people understand the scope of the consultations, the WIA will be inviting club presidents and secretaries to a special round table meeting to discuss the current TAC consultations and answer any questions they may have so they can discuss them in more details with their members.
Details will be provided shortly by the WIA secretary.

This meeting will be held on Tuesday 30th of July at 8.00pm eastern time.

Thank you to those that have already taken the time to pass on their feedback.

Grant, VK5GR,
WIA Technical Advisory Committee

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