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VK7AX > WIA 24.12.14 02:00l 76 Lines 3607 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
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Subj: [WIA-News] Merry Christmas from the WIA
Path: IZ3LSV<ED1ZAC<VK2DOT<VK7AX
Sent: 141223/2320Z 19076@VK7AX.#ULV.TAS.AUS.OC [Ulverstone] $:19076-VK7AX
From: VK7AX@VK7AX.#ULV.TAS.AUS.OC
To : WIA@WW
Merry Christmas from the WIA
Date : 23 / 12 / 2014
Author : Phil Wait - VK2ASD
The WIA would like to wish everyone a very merry Christmas.
2014 was an important year. Firstly, we managed to repair the WIA’s finances,
and the WIA is now on track to show a small surplus this year, with the full
benefit not becoming apparent until the end of 2015 - quite a turn-around.
The total WIA membership is about the same as it was last year prior to the
membership fee increase, and it was very pleasing to see such a strong number
of new WIA members, and many previous members re-joining throughout 2014.
A digital edition of AR Magazine has been available for member download sine
early 2014, and continues to be very popular with members.
The Department of Communications Spectrum Review and the remake of the
Amateur Licence Conditions Determination were both initiated in 2014.
These are two areas where we see substantial opportunities to improve the
licence conditions, and increase the public benefit, of amateur radio.
The WIA made a series of major submissions to the Department of Communications
and to the ACMA on these issues, and it will continue to take a very
pro-active stance as they play-out over the next couple of years.
The Department of Communications recently released the "Spectrum Review
– Potential Reform Directions" paper for public comment.
Many of the proposals contained in the Directions Paper are consistent with
the WIA’s submission.
The WIA also made submissions to the 2.3GHz and 3.4GHz spectrum reviews.
The 3.5GHz review is now on-hold, at least in the short term, until options
for the use for that spectrum become clearer.
More recently, we embarked on a full review of the WIA’s Repeater and Beacon
Recommendation service. The new policy has now been placed on the WIA website
together with some background information and a summary of the responses
received to a draft for comment.
Finally, we are currently reviewing some of the amateur band plans, and we
propose to place a draft of the new plans on the WIA website for
public comment in the new year.
I would like to sincerely thank our staff and our many volunteers,
and our affiliated clubs, who have achieved so much in 2014. It’s always a
problem signalling anybody out for special mention, as there are so many
people who have helped the WIA over the past year. For instance, Dale Hughes,
VK1DSH, continues to put in a huge amount of work and his own time chairing
the ITU group which is investigating the possibility of a new Amateur
allocation at 5.3MHz, and preparing for WARC 2015, a huge amount of work
taking place largely in the background.
Volunteers working directly with the WIA, and through the affiliated
club network, are the backbone of the organisation, and their efforts are
all greatly appreciated. All Australian radio amateurs benefit, one way or
another, from the time and effort put-in by WIA volunteers.
The New Year will continue to be a busy one, as the various reviews continue,
but for now, from myself and the WIA board, I would like to wish you all
a very merry Christmas and a safe and happy new year. Hopefully I’ll find
some time to rebuild the antenna that came down in the last Sydney storm,
and see some of you on air. You might find me on 40mx AM.
Phil Wait
VK2ASD
President, WIA
(Sourced from the WIA Website)
http://www.wia.org.au/newsevents/news/2014/20141223-1/index.php
(Posted to the Packet Radio Network courtesy Tony VK7AX)
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