From the WIA, original post here.

Date : 30 / 03 / 2017 
Author : Phil Wait – VK2ASD

The Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee discussed a range of matters with the ACMA on Friday March 24, including the contract between it and the WIA for the provision of examination related services.  Senator Anne Urquhart asked for details of the deed of arrangement with the Wireless Institute of Australia for amateur radio accreditation, when was it commenced and for what purposes?

In reply for the ACMA Giles Tanner said that there were certain requirements or qualifications that users of amateur licences need to hold.  The ACMA has a delegation to the Wireless Institute of Australia in connection with the examination and accreditation of amateur users.

Senator Urquhart asked if the deed of arrangement set out governance and reporting standards or requirements for the WIA to meet.  Mr Tanner replied, yes, it does, but did not have the detail with him.  The Senator asked what arrangements the ACMA had to satisfy itself that the governance and licensing arrangements at the WIA were appropriate.

Mr Tanner replied that as with other contracts for provision of services, the WIA had reporting and other requirements.  Any complaints from third parties were also carefully investigated.

Senator Urquhart asked if the ACMA was aware of concerns about governance and financial processes at the WIA?  The Senator referred to the WIA website and a number of fact sheets stating claims that WIA was in trouble with ASIC and ACMA are without foundation.  And she read from it ‘Some WIA members have noted accusations and criticisms on social media and elsewhere, and asked that the WIA Board make detailed responses to these issues … many issues are either exaggerated, misrepresented, or without foundation.  Some statements are totally inaccurate.’

Mr Tanner replied the ACMA was well aware there was a lot of contention within the amateur community around the WIA and there were a number of people seeking changes in the WIA.  He expressed no comment or speculation on that but said the issue of particular relevance to the ACMA was WIA’s performance under its contract.

The ACMA has assiduously followed up the dimensions of these complaints and concerns that bear on WIA’s contractual relationship.  He made it clear that the WIA was an independent body that is entrusted with a key contract for delivery of services.  “It is a perhaps sometimes a difficult message to get across to the amateur community … a great wish to find some sort of agency that will deliver a review with particular terms of reference that bear on the grievances and concerns that people have.”  He said the ACMA was very determined to ensure that the deed was discharged properly.

View video of the exchange here.

From the WIA, original post here.

Date : 19 / 03 / 2017 
Author : Peter Young – VK3MV

Wireless Institute of Australia observers looking for intruders on the ‘Primary’ frequencies of the Amateur Service on high frequency bands in 2016 found more than five thousand intrusions.  These are collated into a monthly report before sending to the relevant spectrum regulatory agency in IARU member countries.  A resulting clamp down on the Indonesian ‘village radio’ stations was occurring with the government regulator progressively removing offenders.

The WIA reports intruders to the Australian Communications and Media Authority, but due to the itinerant nature of some intruders the ACMA has difficulty in confirming them which draws out the process for their removal.  Unfortunately, some administrations seem to ignore requests for the removal of interfering services.  The observations have included a multitude of Over-The-Horizon-Radar (OTHR) systems mainly Chinese, Turkish, Iranian and British systems.  There have also been CODAR systems (oceanographic radars) particularly on the 20m to 10m bands.

With the downward trend in the Solar cycle, there will be increasing numbers moving to the lower HF bands in future years.  Among the observers are the very active John Kirk VK4TJ with monthly reports.  Individual volunteers have also left frequent reports sent via the WIA website electronic lodgement system, including Lyn VK4SWE and Col VK4CC.

An increasing number of digital emissions are intruding, and the use of Software Defined Receivers (SDR) have identified non-amateur digital systems that are frequency hopping.  The Manly-Warringah Amateur Radio Society of New South Wales has a five-band SDR receiver system that greatly assists in monitoring activities.  Other clubs could use SDR systems to not only help their club members but the intruder monitoring system as a whole.

For the WIA monitoring system to work volunteers are required.  Information can be found on the WIA website on how to become an observer and what is involved.  Link If your interested in assisting as a volunteer send a message to Peter Young by email vk3mv @ wia.org.au.

Please note, all applicants should have read and agree with the draft WIA Volunteer Charter. Link

From the WIA, original post here.

Date : 13 / 03 / 2017 
Author : Jim Linton – VK3PC

To commemorate the RAAF No. 1 Flying Boat Repair and Service Depot 75th anniversary an Amateur Radio station VI3FB75 will be at Lake Boga, northwest Victoria.  Thomas VK3EO of Swan Hill and Noel VK3FI from Mildura, will supervise the operation on Saturday March 18, involving other radio amateurs from the Sunraysia Radio Group.  Any operator is welcome but prior contact with the organisers is recommended.

From an underground communications bunker the main frequencies will be primary 7.075 MHz and a secondary of 7.115 MHz, plus or minus QRM.  Operating time is 10am to 4pm (AEST) and maybe later depending on conditions.

A commemorative QSL card is available.  QSL information is via the bureau or a stamped self-addressed envelope care of VK3FI QTH(R) or qrz.com.  The WIA recommended the VI3FB75 callsign and the ACMA issued its licence.

The then WWII secret RAAF Repair and Service Depot had 416 aircraft land to be serviced, repaired, restored, rebuilt or overhauled.

The underground communications bunker has some original equipment, and photographs of it in operation.  Adjacent is a museum with a theatrette with narrated archival footage.

Further information is available via the following link.

From the WIA, original post here.

Date : 09 / 03 / 2017 
Author : Jim Linton – VK3PC

The prestigious Dayton Hamvention top award for 2017 goes to the ARISS International Chair, Frank Bauer KA3HDO, for his major contributions to Amateur Radio.  His long list of achievements include that in 1995 he proposed an experiment for the AMSAT Phase 3D (AO-40) satellite to measure the strength of the signal from the GPS satellite constellation.

The aerospace industry saw the results as exciting leading its engineers to improve the GPS system itself and the introduction new GPS applications.  Frank KA3HDO helped begin the ARISS program involvement with human spaceflight.  University trained in aeronautics and astronautics, and first to become a radio amateur in 1974, he has seen many ARISS developments.  His reaction to the award is not yet known.  Formal presentation of the Amateur of the Year award is expected at Dayton in May.

More on the award is in a ARISS news release here.

From the WIA, original post here.

Date : 08 / 03 / 2017 
Author : Phil Wait – VK2ASD

The Wireless Institute of Australia (WIA) met with the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) in Canberra on Friday February 24.

It was a mix of face-to-face meeting in Canberra and by teleconference for two in Victoria.

The ACMA a team of three headed by its manager of spectrum licencing policy Dominic Byrne, Executive Manager of the Spectrum Management Policy Branch David Brumfield, and a Senior Policy Officer Stewart White.  The WIA representatives were Phil VK2ASD, Peter VK3MV, Dale VK1DSH and Fred VK3DAC.

The ACMA talked briefly about the draft new Radiocommunications Act due to be made public in later this year and the changes it may bring to licensing.

The ACMA explained that they were undergoing substantial staff reductions with some delays being experienced.

The WIA suggestion that Foundation Licences could have callsigns with a three letter suffix was being further explored, but no decision had been yet.

The WIA Exams Service was discussed including its financial and delivery performance.

A definition of reportable complaint was discussed.

Reciprocal licence arrangements were discussed and agreed that all claims for overseas licences needs to include proof of operator competency to be licensed in Australia.

The WIA advised the ACMA that it was introducing a new arrangement for consultation with members.  The proposed changes to the three amateur licences under a future review of the Licence Condition Determinations would draw on the findings of that consultation, but as yet no date had been set.  The WIA had identified options for Foundation Licensees to have a three letter suffix callsign to help them access digital modes, should digital modes for Foundation licensees be approved.  The ACMA licensing section indicates that its SPECTRA system should be able handle them, and the WIA agreed that there be a test to prove the concept.

In seeking Amateur Service access to the 60m band (5351.5 – 5366.5 kHz) the WIA offered to work with Defence that currently uses that spectrum.

At the end of the two hour meeting a greater understanding was had by both sides on a number mutual interest issues.