From the WIA, original post here.

Date : 10 / 11 / 2016 
Author : Jim Linton – VK3PC

No less than 15 hoax radio calls on AM aeronautical channels have been made in the past weeks at Tullamarine Airport Melbourne, and the Avalon Airport near Geelong.

Police want public help to find the perpetrator.  Here is what happened:

• A man pretends to be in a control tower and orders three jets to abort their landing
• Impersonation of a light aircraft with engine trouble putting out a may-day call.

The story has attracted wide media attention across newspapers, television and internet news sites.  Melbourne’s Age and Sydney Morning Herald newspapers ran a story headed “lone-wolf hoaxer”, and unfortunately included a comment that “… rudimentary amateur VHF radio equipment could be used in such a hoax.”

The media coverage continued that a number of federal government agencies were investigating, but did say there were fears that copycat amateur radio operators might trying the same thing.  Members of various Amateur Radio Facebook sites picked up on the newspaper reports, expressing alarm and concern that Amateur Radio could be implicated in such a negative way.  Some radio amateurs emailed the WIA with their concerns.

The Institute understands that amateurs would be justifiably upset about any connection with such dangerous and illegal rogue transmissions.  Some have expressed the view that individual radio amateurs should write-in to set the record straight, and that the WIA should make a strong statement to the offending publications.  However, the WIA strongly advises caution about individuals making complaints.  In situations like this, misunderstanding is easily compounded and may make matters worse by re-invigorating the original story from another angle.

It is common for the media to focus on the “issue of the moment” in a way that sensationalises matters, which could easily be to our detriment.  Fortunately, the lone-wolf air-traffic radio hoaxer story had a very limited run.  The WIA is prepared for the story to arise again, and is developing a considered response to the media to counteract any negative references to Amateur Radio.

From the WIA, original post here.

Date : 05 / 11 / 2016 
Author : Phil Wait – VK2ASD

At the Tuesday night Board meeting the WIA’s new Treasurer, Chris Hendry VK3PAT and Assistant Treasurer Jeff Tubbenhauer VK5IU gave an outline of the financial and operational position of the WIA.  Both Chris and Jeff have significant corporate experience to tackle the accounting and operational systems of the WIA.  Chris has had a week in the office and reviewing the WIA’s accounting records.

Clearly, the WIA is solvent and it can pay its current liabilities such GST, Employee PAYG and Employee Superannuation as they fall due.

Unfortunately, getting the accounting up-to-date will be both a challenge and a time consuming exercise.  The sub-systems such as the online bookshop, and MEMNET do not integrate easily with the MYOB Accounting software.  Many of the transactions relating to these sub-systems have been incorrectly entered into the accounting software.  Chris has found that the bookshop inventory is incorrectly valued in the Accounts and that debtors, that is people who owe us money, are too high and more importantly may not have been reconciled correctly.

We now have many hours work reviewing all transactions to discover past errors.  This will take two to three months.  Producing an accurate Profit and Loss and Balance sheet to the Board will take some time.  Once we are satisfied that the accounts are accurate our goal is to have a reconciled set of financials provided to the board monthly.  In addition, the Treasurers are developing an operating budget for 2017 for approval by the Board.  A budget compliance report will be submitted to the Board each month.

Processes have already been put into place to make sure that all expenses are scrutinized.  For any proposed expenditures over $1,000 competitive quotes must be sought and approved by the Treasurer.  All unbudgeted expenditure over $1,000 must be approved by the Board.  Members can be assured that the issues are not life threatening but there are significant challenges to maintaining our revenue streams and providing member benefits.

The board has created a new volunteer charter which will be distributed shortly.

There are many operational issues to tackle and to solve these issues a strategic review is recommended.

From the WIA, original post here.

Date : 05 / 11 / 2016 
Author : Roger Harrison – VK2ZRH

WIA President Phil Wait VK2ASD and director Roger Harrison VK2ZRH joined a throng of electronics industry identities past and present at Dick Smith’s Sydney home on Saturday 22 October.  The invitation-only event drew key past and long-term employees, industry identities from the 1970s and 80s, and some of Dick’s partners in various adventures around the world.

The proprietors of the widely-known electronics stores, Altronics – Jack O’Donnell – and Jaycar – Gary Johnston, were there.  Both adopted the DSE electronics retailing model and built successful businesses.  Altronics is based in the West Australian capital of Perth, while Jaycar is headquartered in Sydney.  Other industry identities of the 1970s and 80s swelled the crowd, including Owen Hill of Microbee fame, Greg Ackman of Mobile One – the famous manufacturer of mobile antennas, and Collyn Rivers, publisher of Electronics Today International in that era, where Phil and Roger worked.

Dick’s very first employee, Marshall Gill, turned up, who worked for Dick in his original car radio business in the late-1960s.  Also there was Ross Tester, who ran Dick’s advertising division for years, and the architect of those crowded magazine advertisements, with black and white illustrations and tiny, tiny type!  One of the longest-serving employees, Chris Ayres appeared, who started with DSE as a components buyer and survived through all the ownership eras beginning with Dick himself, then Woolworths and finally, Anchorage Capital.

In his typical ebullient style, Dick stood on a chair in his helicopter hanger and harangued the audience with his views on the myth of ‘continuous growth’ and how the management of Dick Smith Electronics by Anchorage Capital brought on the final collapse of his and wife, Pip’s, “baby”.  Dick told us all that he and Pip dreamed that the firm would last 50 years; in the end, it lasted 47.  It had taken 15 years for Dick and Pip, and a phalanx of enthusiastic employees, to build Dick Smith Electronics and sell out to Woolworths for some $20 million.

In reviewing DSE’s history, Dick echoed the words of DSE’s administrator, McGrathNicol, on what went wrong – dumb management blunders, such as expansion beyond belief, buying too much inventory, wrong product choices and too much debt.  Dick was highly critical, saying the tragedy was a typical example of “professionals” that didn’t know retail, never worked in the business and thought that, “. . if a dummy like Dick could make money, just think what “professionals” could do!”  Unsurprisingly, there was a smattering of radio amateurs among the throng – aside from VK2DIK himself; Ike Bain VK2AIG, Chris Ayres VK2YUS, Mark Plowman VK2MP, and Sandy Brucesmith ex-VK2AD and a ZL now.  I’m unsure if I caught up with all those with a callsign.

From the WIA, original post here.

Date : 05 / 11 / 2016 
Author : Fred Swainston – VK3DAC

The WIA Office has been advised by ACMA Licensing, that the processing time for applications for new amateur licences or variations to existing licences is around four weeks.  Applications will be processed on a first in time basis.

These delays are unavoidable and the WIA will keep radio amateurs Informed of any timing changes.  We thank you for your patience.

Please note: those running Amateur Radio training courses need to be aware that candidates who are seeking licences for the end of year holiday period will need to have applications for licences lodged as soon as possible.