From the WIA, original post here.

Date : 02 / 07 / 2017
Author : Jim Linton – VK3PC

The International Amateur Radio Union represents more than 150 country member societies and has for many years provided a frequency coordination service for amateur satellites free of charge.  In a news release the IARU said that often these satellites are constructed by students at universities and other institutions as a part of their educational experience.

In general, they have been licensed to operate in the amateur-satellite service, which is defined by the Radio Regulations of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) as having the “…purpose of self-training, intercommunication and technical investigations carried out by amateurs, that is, by duly authorized persons interested in radio technique solely with a personal aim and without pecuniary interest.”  However, the IARU said some administrations have issued experimental licenses for such satellites operating in amateur-satellite frequency bands.

The IARU has coordinated these satellites as well, to reduce the possibility of harmful interference that might result from uncoordinated operation. Continue reading →

From the WIA, original post here.

Date : 02 / 07 / 2017
Author : WIA Board Of Directors

The Wireless Institute of Australia (WIA) Board of Directors has looked at the major changes it can make as it sets its future course, while also dealing with routine matters.  On finances the seven directors have considered some budgetary matters, the balance sheet, and the membership level.

Major changes will see the formation of two WIA Board Sub-committees.  The first is an ‘Audit and Risk Committee’, with its terms of reference to be reviewed and presented at the July meeting. It will have the Directors Greg VK2GPK as the Chair, David VK4MZ, Phil VK2ASD and Marcus VK5WTF.

The second will be a ‘Strategy Committee’ looking at the WIA in the medium and long term.  Directors Brian VK2GCE and David VK4MZ are taking the lead to set it up, putting a call to members for expressions of interest and reviewing of the terms of reference.  Both committees are to have a minimum of two Directors and report back to the Board.

Also the WIA Board supports Directors having undergone training provided by the Australian Institute of Company Directors.  Three Directors have had similar training in the last five years making them exempt, with four to do the courses on ‘Governance in Action, ‘The Director Mindset’, ‘The Role of the Director’, and ‘Duties and Responsibilities’.

Other matters discussed were a review of the national office and improvement recommendations, with the need to fill a vacant QSL Manager position being referred to Radio Activities Committee so the VK3 based role is advertised to members.  A free copy of The Wireless Men & Women at War book is to be given to all contributing authors, and the Australian War Memorial, with WIA President to sign a thankyou letter for each.

For more information on these and other matters see the WIA Board minutes that will soon be on the WIA website.

From the WIA, original post here.

Date : 25 / 06 / 2017
Author : Roger Harrison – VK2ZRH

An extension of the deadline for submissions on the Radiocommunications Bill 2017 has been announced by the Department of Communications and the Arts.

The new deadline is now 28 July 2017 at 5:00pm AEST.

In an email to stakeholders, the Department said that the extension came as a result of requests for an extended consultation period.  “We acknowledge we provided a substantive consultation package and an extended period is appropriate to ensure you are able to fully consider the package and respond accordingly”, the Department said.

The Department of Communications’ consultation package is available here.

In line with this extension, the WIA has extended the deadline for comment on its Radiocommunications Bill Consultation page to 14 July, seeking input from the Amateur radio community.  Apart from making your own submission to the government, should you wish to, you can share your views with the WIA on the Radiocommunications Bill 2017 Consultation page here.

The Spectrum Strategy Committee will review and consider all input through this consultation when developing the WIA’s submission to the Department of Communications on behalf of the Amateur radio community.

From the WIA, original post here.

Date : 24 / 06 / 2017
Author : Roger Harrison – VK2ZRH

The ACMA has released a consultation package outlining its considerations on the band, which follows on from the discussion paper “Future use of the 1.5 GHz and 3.6 GHz bands”, released in October 2016.

Get the skinny here.

You can see how this may impact the current 9cm Band Plan here.

It is hoped that the two licensed repeaters within this band will be able to remain until the re-farming has been completed.

From the WIA, original post here.

Date : 23 / 06 / 2017
Author : Jim Linton – VK3PC

The around the world solo flight by pilot Brian Lloyd WB6RQN, who is tracing most of the path taken by the Amelia Earhart flight, is now due over the Timor Sea headed for Australia.  The legendary Earhart and her navigator Fred Noonan disappeared July 2, 1937, near Howland Island in the Pacific and were never found.

On June 1 this year, Brian WB6RQN, a 62-year old from Texas began his two month flight from Miami Florida in a single-engine 1979 Mooney 231 aircraft, fitted with Amateur Radio.  The flight has already successfully crossed the Atlantic Ocean, South America, Africa, India, and South East Asia.  By Sunday June 24, it should be over the Timor Sea headed for Australia.  His flight has stopovers in Darwin, Alice Springs, Townsville, Brisbane, Sydney, Auckland, Suva, a fly-over of Howland Island which has no runway, then to Hawaii, California, ending in Texas on July 29.

Listen for WB6RQN on SSB at about 14.210, 14.346, 18.117 or 7.130 using a 125 watt transmitter and an antenna under the aircraft’s fuselage.