WIA
Wireless Institute of Australia
There are some 15,000 amateur radio licences on issue in Australia. How many regularly submit observations of intrusions on the HF amateur bands?
Well the WIA Coordinator of the International Amateur Radio Union – Monitoring System (IARU-MS), Peter Young VK3MV has only two Australian radio amateurs sending him regular reports of well over 100 intruders.
While the bands are allocated internationally to the amateur service, other radio users are able to use them and in the absence of reports that they are causing interference may continue to do so.
It has never been easier to report un-authorised (non-amateur) transmissions in our primarily allocated frequency bands. Full details can be found at: www.wia.org.au/members/intruder/about/
It is understood that Peter VK3MV will be approaching the HF DXing community soon seeking its support by way of increased regular observation reports.
But if you want to help protect the amateur bands for radio amateurs, then why not regularly report intruders – it can take only a few minutes of your time and contribute to the global effort of the IARU-MS.
Radio Kuwait QSYd from amateur 40m band after IARU-MS reports
On Friday 14 May the WIA President Michael Owen VK3KI will launch the WIA’s two week period of operating the special WIA Centenary callsign VK100WIA.
It will then be operated by WIA Director Bob Bristow VK6POP on Saturday 15, and a member of the WIA Centenary Committee Jim Linton VK3PC on Sunday 16.
Here is the tip for those in VK3 wanting to get an early contact with VK100WIA and also begin to qualify for the WIA Centenary Award:
Listen on 40m from 9am to 10am (sharp) Sunday 16, then at 11am immediately after the WIA Sunday broadcast on the VK3RMM Mt Macedon 2-metre repeater. Further operating on 40m will occur in the afternoon.
Amateur Radio Victoria on behalf of the WIA has the callsign on the 17, 18 and 19 of May. This coincides with opening of the WIA Victoria time-capsule that was created during the WIA's 75th anniversary, and our annual general meeting on Wednesday 19 May.
The roster for 17, 18 and 19 is yet to be finalised. Please expect a further e-news when details are available.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) is continuing to consider opening up some, or all, of the 440-450MHz band for greater use by the land mobile service, reducing spectrum availab
The WIA's National Technical Advisory Committee (NTAC) has altered the 2m, 70cm and 23cm bands plans to accommodate narrow band digital technologies, such as D-Star.
