From the WIA, original post here.

Date : 07 / 09 / 2017
Author : Jim Linton – VK3PC

In a part of the ongoing consultation process the Wireless Institute of Australia wants to measure the views of those in Amateur Radio.

No, you don’t have to be a WIA member, or even give your identity.  The WIA asks a series of simple questions and the answers will be automatically handled by software to come up with the results.

Questions are about how long you have you been in Amateur Radio, what sparked your interest, awareness of WIA services,  Amateur Radio magazine contents, volunteering and social media use.  It’s all about learning of your activity, motivation, and make-up, as the institute sets its path for the future.

Please take a moment to complete the WIA survey found on WIA website www.wia.org.au to and encourage others to also share their opinions.

The WIA Online Survey can be accessed here.

From the WIA, original post here.

Date : 01 / 09 / 2017
Author : Jim Linton – VK3PC

Monsoon rains in India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Bangladesh over the past month has according to the UN affected 41 million people, and left an estimated 1,200 dead.  The latest on the subcontinent was on Tuesday August 29 when the rain, the worst in decades, flooded the Mumbai and Pune areas with immediate action by local HAMS helping out during the adverse weather.  All traffic was disrupted, even local trains and buses were submerged and unable to move.  Children stranded in a school were left hungry and the electricity also went off.

Satish Shah VU2SVS and Ankur Puranik VU2AXN and 50 HAMS involved arranging food and power for the school.  The HAMs of Mumbai were in touch with each other, even those who don’t have a VHF transceiver.  The ‘ZELLO app’ was used to connect those without suitable radio equipment to interface with a VHF HAM radio frequency.  Many workers were stranded in their offices or at railway stations until midnight.  Looking after the central railway in Mumbai were the Bharat Scouts & Guides that had undergone previous disaster communication training.

The recent rain is likely to remain for a while, with schools and offices closed.  All the HAMs are kept on alert by government and local bodies should their communications be needed.

– Jim Linton VK3PC, Chairman IARU Region 3 Disaster Communications Committee with Jayu S. Bhide VU2JAU National Coordinator for Disaster Communication in India

From the WIA, original post here.

Date : 31 / 08 / 2017
Author : Jim Linton – VK3PC

Hurricane Harvey began in the Caribbean, watched by the Emergency and Weather Net with radio amateurs activating 3.815 MHz, then it moved to the Gulf of Mexico and intensified into a Category 4 storm to come ashore in Texas.  The weather system arrived with damaging winds in Texas, but also with heavy rain and the flood emergency continues – it has been likened to Hurricane Katrina of August 2005 but some say the disaster is much worse.

In preparation for landfall in Texas the Hurricane Watch Net activated on 14.325 MHz and 7.268 MHz, where radio amateurs shared their on-the-spot observations.  The rescue and recovery work continues in Texas with responding authorities hard at work lifting thousands of people to safety.

ARRL South Texas Section Public Information Officer Mike Urich KA5CVH took to a news-talk radio station WGMD to describe the situation.  He also took the time to explain how Amateur Radio is able to provide a public service during emergencies and disasters.  Spending many hours in the Harris County Emergency Operations Centre, he reported that local radio amateurs were able to help the rescue and recovery work by spotting and reporting problems that require official attention.

The Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) found that there had been minimal impact on communications infrastructure, although an Amateur Radio contingency was in place should there be a major communications outage.  South Texas ARES remained on standby as the response phase continues and sheltering becomes a growing need.  Also involved was the radio amateurs attached to the Red Cross and the Salvation Army.

It had been declared a state of disaster in 50 Texas counties, some 271,000 were without power, while the Red Cross shelters housed more than 3,000 people.  There was also concern that Harvey may cause more damage and weather systems in the Gulf of Mexico are being closely watched.

From the WIA, original post here.

Date : 26 / 08 / 2017
Author : Jim Linton – VK3PC

Over a million Scouts and Girl Guides in 150 plus countries are getting ready for the 60th Jamboree On The Air (JOTA) and the 21st Jamboree On The Internet (JOTI). National Coordinator JOTA/JOTI for Scouts Australia, Brett Nicholas VK2BNN, writes in the September edition of Amateur Radio magazine about the event’s history, its purpose, and how to be involved.

Brett VK2BNN said: “JOTA-JOTI provides a fantastic opportunity to show off our great hobby.  To survive in the future we need to grow our ranks.  Our radio spectrum has become a valued commodity and if we do not make good use of our allocated spectrum we will lose it.”  The article is recommended reading particularly for those who can get involved in this major worldwide event that occurs on the third weekend of October.

One such opportunity comes from the Northern Region Scouts, Echuca Airport, on Sunday October 22.  Scouts Air Activities Victoria Leader, Paul McLennan VK3HGZ said: “We need Amateur Radio operators to setup up a station at the airfield to support this event and JOTA.”

If you are able to assist contact Paul VK3HGZ at state.airactivities@vicscouts.asn.au or on 0419 872 097.  Contacts for all Scouts Australia Branches can also be found here.

From the WIA, original post here.

Date : 22 / 08 / 2017
Author : Jim Linton – VK3PC

The WIA website has expanded its coverage and explanation of how the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) is working for the Amateur Radio and Amateur Satellite Services.  For a number of years the WIA representative dealing with those matters has been Dale Hughes VK1DSH, who is well respected and chairman of the ITU Working Group 5A.  WP 5A is responsible for the Land Mobile Service, and the Amateur and Amateur-Satellite service.  It works with all stakeholders and includes frequency sharing studies to show how radio amateur activities can be compatible with other users of the spectrum.

Dale VK1DSH also attends a number of Asia-Pacific Telecommunity Preparatory Group (APG) meetings in the lead up to the ITU World Radiocommunications Conference due in 2019.  There is enormous pressure on spectrum usage, things are changing, making the work of our IARU volunteers even more important.

The WIA has negotiated with the IARU that due to the importance and effectiveness of the role, the majority of its funding be from the IARU’s budget.

Dale VK1DSH and all volunteers are mindful of expenditure and find themselves out of pocket financially, including taking employer leave or using their accrued holidays to the benefit of radio amateurs.  The WIA has set a budget for the vital expenditure and is fully aware of developments as it makes representations to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).  The WIA board and the WIA Spectrum Strategy committee receive reports from him.

To further raise awareness of the IARU purpose, structure, and reports from Dale VK1DSH, the WIA website’s IARU section has been updated and expanded.  Keep an eye on the IARU webpages, and the IARU Liaison Report in Amateur Radio magazine, which contain information that affects us internationally and regionally now, and in the future.

Select the he IARU option under the MEMBERS ONLY dropdown menu or click here.