Weekly news from the WIA:
MP3 edition of news available at:
http://www.wia-files.com/podcast/wianews-2023-09-17.mp3 Text edition:

2023 SEPTEMBER 17 VK NATIONAL NEWS BROADCAST ON VK1WIA
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THE BEST NEWS YOU'LL GET ALL WEEK

THIS LINK IS A VIDEO VERSION OF NEWS COMPILED BY VK5BD BEVAN
tinyurl.com/WIA-News-Videos

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NATIONAL NEWS FOR WEEK COMMENCING SEP 17 2023
IN OUR 28th YEAR OF NON STOP NEWS AND INFACT AUSTRALIA'S
ONLY HAM RADIO SERVICE WHICH HAS MAINTAINED IT'S
"WE NEVER TAKE A BREAK" NEWS SERVICE

THIS WEEK:-

WIA VICE PRESIDENT LEE VK3GK AND WIA DIRECTOR CHRIS VK3FY
ALSO WIA RD CONTEST MANAGER ALLAN VK4SN AND
WIA YOTA Deputy Co-ordinator - Alec Cherry VK2APC

PLUS MUCH MUCH MORE IN THIS EDITION OF
NEWS FROM THE WIRELESS INSTITUTE OF AUSTRALIA
I'M EDITOR GRAHAM VK4BB
WIA

JOIN THE WIA
tinyurl.com/yyj87b9y

This is WIA Vice President Lee Moyle VK3GK

Earlier this week ACMA held their Assessor information session for all
current AMC assessors. This session was designed to inform assessors
the current status of the planning and implementation of the assessor
program and the many finer details of enabling a smooth transition from
AMC to the ACMA assessor network for conducting Amateur exam sessions
Australia wide.

I was one of the 108 attendees on the zoom session and it was excellent
to see many of the previous WIA assessors at the meeting. ACMA staff
delivered the draft proposal via a powerpoint presentation and as
always the ACMA staff answered the many questions asked by the
attending assessors.

The major positives are that assessors once again, just like when the
WIA was administering exams, will be able to actually assess and mark
candidates on the spot once the candidate has completed the exam and if
need be, candidates can sit the next exam if they so chose to do so.
This is excellent as it allows the assessor to provide explanations to
questions and feedback to the candidate, unlike the current process in
place.

ACMA is proposing to implement a portal in which the assessor can log
in and download uniquely generated exam papers and completed exams and
documentation can then be uploaded for archiving results. Not unlike
how the WIA exam service previously generated unique and secure exam
papers for assessors to use. As ACMA propose to use much of the current
AMC process, assessors will be very familiar to the new process and I
believe it should be a smooth transition come February 2024.

Discussions about remote exams was popular as there are some new
proposed restrictions. Another hot topic was the aspects of insurance
cover for assessors and the location exams can be held.

ACMA seem happy to keep the single assessor structure in place which
does make assessments easier to organize as opposed to having a two or
the three assessors attending an exam for integrity, much like the US
exam system currently has in place.

The Certificate of Proficiency will be replaced with an ACMA
Recognition Certificate once the Class Licence is introduced.

Working with children cards or similar will still be required to be
kept current.

ACMA assessor guidelines will need to be agreed to be followed before
accreditation will be approved. Both General assessors and Specialist
assessors will be utilized, not unlike the current situation with
AMC now.

ACMA fees for issuing ACMA recognition certificates, assessing
applications for recognition of prior learning and issuing call signs
are proposed to be similar to the current AMC fees for these services
although currently it looks as though the theory and practical exams
will actually be free of charge if conducted by an accredited ACMA
Assessor.

ACMA invite comments and suggestions from assessors on the consultation
by 5 pm (AEST), Tuesday 26 September 2023. See ACMA website for further
information at acma.gov.au

For now, 73 From Lee VK3GK, now we continue WIA NATIONAL NEWS with
fellow Director Chris Dimitrijevic VK3FY and particularly a 'new spot
on the dial' utilising the WiresX protocol for this VK1WIA News
Broadcast ."

YES, catch this Weekly News Broadcast on WiresX through the
AUS REPEATER NET WiresX Room 24160.

This is WIA DIRECTOR Chris Dimitrijevic VK3FY

Listen to Amateur Radio NewsLine, VK1WIA Weekly News and an
AUS REPEATER NET copy write exclusive of K1KC Chriss Tech Corner,
which is not be; rebroadcast on any other mode other than C4FM.
These broadcasts can be heard on C4FM System Fusion by connecting to
AUS REPEATER NET WiresX Room number 24160.

You will soon be able to connect through a YSF Reflector 24160.

The broadcasts are heard on Sundays from 9:00am and 7:00pm local
Australian Eastern Time. Following the news broadcasts Peter VK5JP
will conduct a call-back of those listening. Please note that all are
welcome to connect and listen to broadcasts and we welcome call-backs
from where you maybe.

WIA Board Comments

Topic 1

* The WIA Bundaberg Convention will be held in May 2024, during
the Queensland 's labour Day long weekend.

There will be Commercial displays, surplus equipment disposals,
talks on Digital communications a connection with the
International space station plus a tour of Bundaberg rum
facilities.

Further details will be advised on wia.org.au in AR and on
VK1WIA the WIA National News Service.

Start Planning your attendance and see you all there.

Topic 2

* Nominations for the WIA Merit awards are now open.
Further details and how to nominate someone can be located
on the WIA Website, wia.org.au
Topic 3

* The WIA are currently considering an application from South
Australia to utilise the callsign VK5WIA during call-backs.
The board are looking at options for call logging.
Topic 4

* The WIA Encourages clubs to submit items of interest for
broadcast, especially field days and meetings.

This has been Chris Dimitrijevic VK3FY on behalf of the Board of the
Wireless Institute of Australia through VK1WIA Weekly News.

Regards
Chris Dimitrijevic de
VK3FY / W3YM / T30T / 3D2FY / DU8FY / 4E8T / 5W0FY / HK7T
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INTERNATIONAL NEWS With thanks to IARU, RSGB, RAC,
ARRL, NZART, eHam, AMATEUR RADIO NEWSLINE, eHam,
Radioworld.com and the World Wide sources of the WIA.

World Radio Conference 2023 Will Impact Amateur Satellite Service

The World Radio Conference in 2023, WRC-23, will take place
November 20 - December 15 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Some decisions made during the conference will affect Amateur Radio
and the Amateur Satellites service.

Representing Amateur Radio at the conference is the IARU, the
International Amateur Radio Union. The two most pressing issues
affecting the Amateur Satellite Service are:

1/

Additional measures to protect the radionavigation-satellite
(space-to-Earth) in the 1240 - 1300 MHz band from amateur
interference. As in most microwave allocations, the Amateur Service
is secondary and must avoid interfering with primary services
operating in the band, even if they are introduced later.

An ITU Radiocommunication sector Recommendation that contains
guidance for administrations is in the final stage of development.
If an agreement is reached prior to WRC-232, it should complete
work on the item.
2/

Identification of the 10 - 10.5 GHz band for International Mobile
Telecommunications in ITU Region 2, including a primary allocation
to the mobile service. The IARU opposes the introduction of IMT in
the band and has some allies among administrators within and outside
of Region 2.

REGIONN ONE

Polands railways have recently come under a form of electronic attack, as
reported by Wired. The attack has widely been called a cyber-attack in the
mainstream media, but the incident was altogether a more simple affair
pursued via good old analogue radio.

The attacks were simple in nature. As outlined in an EU technical document,
Polands railways use a RADIOSTOP system based on analogue radio signals at
around 150 MHz. Transmitting a basic tone sequence will trigger any duly
equipped trains receiving the signal to engage emergency braking. Its
implemented as part of the PKP radio system on the Polish railway network.

The attacks brought approximately 20 trains to a standstill, according to the
BBC, with services restored within hours. There was no major safety risk in
the event, something made clear in a statement from Polish rail authorities.
Regardless, the attacks frustrated logistics across the rail network.

Polands railways will receive an upgrade to more secure cellular technology
by 2025, with the 150 MHz system retained only for shunting duties and other
edge cases.

In Europe an amateur radio activation is honouring the legacy of a
once-popular broadcast station with a special call that our own DX

GURU Felix vk4fuq has been reminding us of over the past weeks, now
Jeremy Boot G4NJH from the RSGB and reporting via ARNewsLinebrings us that
story.

Long before the British pirate broadcast station Radio Caroline took to the
airwaves from a boat off the Essex coast, there was Radio Luxembourg. Much to
the displeasure of the BBC, the English-language service was launched 90
years ago and became one of Europe's most popular stations. According to some
reports, the long and medium-wave broadcast of its programmes and its British
presenters peaked at an estimated 78 million daily listeners before Radio
Luxembourg went off the air in December of 1991.