Weekly news from the WIA:
MP3 edition of news available at:
http://www.wia-files.com/podcast/wianews-2023-12-24.mp3 Text edition:

2023 DECEMBER 26 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 DEC 26 2023
IN OUR 128th YEAR OF NON STOP NEWS
Peter VK4EA. -
Roger, VK2ZHR WIA AR MAGAZINES EDITOR IN CHIEF. -
Trent, VK4TS, Past WIA Director

And a SPECIAL hello to the Ladies of ALARA who along with
Caryn Eve Murray KD 2 GUT and Raisa, R 1 BIG, presented last weeks
WIA NATIONAL NEWS.

NOW, NEWS FROM THE WIRELESS INSTITUTE OF AUSTRALIA.

I'M EDITOR GRAHAM VK4BB

WIA

JOIN THE WIA
tinyurl.com/yyj87b9y

Hello from Gubi Gubi country, this is Peter, VK4EA, bringing you the
good oil from the WIA board.

News from WRC23 well, the news is, good! Representing Australian
amateurs is are are our hard working volunteers, Peter Pokorny VK2EMR
and Dale Hughes VK1DSH.

The WIA and IARU Region 3 co-funded Dale and Peters attendance where
they report a successful WRC23 and in particular good news for the
23cm band where no new ITU radio regulations have been agreed on by
the member states, so, for moment, us, Australian Amateurs retain
secondary access to the 23cm band. We have had no indication from the
ACMA that any changes to the 23 cm band are being considered.

The board are extremely grateful for Dale and Peters contribution,
WRC23 has now concluded and preparations for the next WRC are already
underway.

The long and winding road to WRC-23

wia.org.au/newsevents/news/2023/20231217-1/index.php>

In other IARU news, the three regional and governing associations are
commencing discussions on merging the regions into one monolithic
international body. As with everything it makes sense to combine
efforts into one organisation, a bit like what happened with the
National WIA some time ago. The restructure has been planned to
take place in 2025.

While these discussions ensue, the IARU business continues and this
week we learn that Timothy Ellam (VE6SH / G4HUA) and Ole Garpestad
(LA2RR) have stood for re-election as President and Vice-President.
Subsequent to that announcement Ole decided to stand down and in his
place Thomas Wrede, DF2OO has been appointed after some period of
consultation.

The importance of the International Amateur Radio Union cannot be
understated, the ITU hold the IARU in high regard. With that in mind
the WIA is committed to support the Region 3 committee and in the
future, the consolidated IARU organisation.

The board wishes everybody listening a good holiday season and we look
forward to a productive 2024 advancing Australian Amateur radio.

Cheers for now, this has been Peter, VK4EA, on behalf on the
WIA Board.

A very special (and close to home) special event has but 7 or 8 days left to
run..

Roger Harrison has the details

Again. That chance in a lifetime is still waiting.

Sign up to use VK90AR, the special event call sign celebrating
90 years of continuous publication of Amateur Radio magazine and
have that experience yourself.

Signing up to use VK90AR is a simple process. Just apply on the WIA
website Online Event Calendar, where you can book a roster to suit
yourself. If you already know where the Online Event Calendar is,
jump to it. Or, go to the website address in the text version of this
broadcast. Its also in a news item featured on the WIA website homepage.

wia.org.au/newsevents/news/2023/20230921-1/index.php
Dont delay. VK90AR expires on 31 December.

Im Roger Harrison VK2ZRH for VK1WIA National News.

________________________________________________

DISCUSSION POINT

TRENT SAMPSON VK4TS

As members of the Wireless Institute of Australia, we are committed to
fostering a vibrant community passionate about amateur radio.

However, our efforts to introduce youngsters to this enriching hobby are
hindered by a crucial gap: the absence of Working with Children cards for our
dedicated volunteers.

These cards are essential to ensure the safety and well-being of the young
enthusiasts we aim to mentor and guide.

Our commitment to nurturing the next generation of amateur radio operators
requires us to create a secure and welcoming environment for them.

By obtaining these cards, our volunteers demonstrate their commitment to the
safety and protection of the children they engage with.

Moreover, these cards are not just a regulatory requirement; they are a
symbol of our dedication to the values of responsibility, accountability, and
ethical conduct.

They affirm our commitment to providing a positive and supportive space where
young minds can explore and thrive in the world of amateur radio.

I urge our associated clubs and committees to recognize the critical need for
these cards and to support our volunteers in obtaining them.

By doing so, we pave the way for a seamless and secure introduction of
youngsters into our beloved hobby, ensuring its continuity and growth for
years to come.

Together, let us prioritize the safety and development of the next generation
of amateur radio enthusiasts by ensuring our volunteers possess the necessary
Working with Children cards.

Thank you.
Trent
VK4TSVK4T WW7TT M0HTT
PO Box 275Mooloolaba 4557
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INTERNATIONAL NEWS With thanks to IARU, RSGB, RAC,
ARRL, NZART, eHam, AMATEUR RADIO NEWSLINE, eHam,
Radioworld.com Hackaday and the World Wide sources of the WIA.

ARLB036 WRC-23 Concludes with Wins for Amateur Radio and Agenda Items
Designated for the Next Two Events

The following report comes from International Amateur Radio Union Secretary
Joel Harrison, W5ZN:

After 4 hectic weeks of the 2023 World Radiocommunication Conference
(WRC-23), and a preceding week of Radiocommunication Assembly meetings,
WRC-23 concluded on Friday, December 15. Amateur radio fared very well
overall, despite the enormous pressures across the radio spectrum from LF to
terahertz. This is a tribute to the effort of the International Amateur Radio
Union (IARU) team, who at times had to work from 8:00 AM to as late as 2:00
AM the next morning, as well as on the weekends.

At the top of the amateur radio priority list was Agenda Item 9.1b, regarding
the coexistence of the secondary amateur and amateur-satellite allocation
with the primary radionavigation satellite service in the 1240 - 1300 MHz
band. This had seen 4 years of strenuous effort prior to WRC and resulted in
a recommendation being agreed upon at the Radiocommunication Assembly,
followed by WRC-23 participants agreeing to mention the recommendation in a
new footnote for the allocation. Both the recommendation and the footnote are
an excellent outcome for the amateur services.

Other items were relevant to the amateur service and were prioritized
beforehand and included topics such as:

* AI 9.1a: Space weather sensors was an item of major interest. A clear
definition for such sensors was confirmed, with frequency protection being
agreed upon as an agenda item for WRC-27.

* AI 1.2: More broadband in the 3.3 GHz and 10 GHz bands (in Region 2). This
is a difficult challenge, as the amateur services are secondary with numerous
(mainly South American) countries allocating mobile broadband by way of
footnotes. Instead of a region-wide designation for IMT at 10.0 - 10.5 GHz in
Region 2, there is a footnote limited to a dozen countries.

Every WRC agreed to an agenda for the next conference under AI 10. This AI
had an unprecedented number of proposals for WRC-27 and preliminary ones for
WRC-31. Following the relatively quick agreement on AI 9.1b, the IARU team
switched most of its efforts to the following future proposals to reduce the
impact on the amateur services, as numerous amateur bands were under
consideration.

The numerous changes dont formally take effect until 1 January 2025 and
preparations are already underway to agree the agenda for future WRC events.

REGION ONE

The UK Meteor Beacon project is now in its second phase, and both phases have
been supported by the RSGB Legacy Fund.

At the RSGB 2023 Convention, Brian Coleman, G4NNS outlined the plan for the
second phase. A network of receivers will be developed, streaming their data
via a central server for detailed study of individual meteor events. This is
a cooperation between the worlds of amateur radio and astronomy. You can now
watch Brians presentation on the RSGB YouTube channel. The RSGB Legacy Fund
supports a wide range of amateur radio projects. You can find out more and
download an application form on the RSGB website

Ofcom in the UK have sweeping changes proposed for everything related
to amateur radio -- from call signs and power levels to the terms
under which a Notice of Variation is needed.

Jeremy Boot G4NJH gives us an overview.

JEREMY: A general notice from Ofcom has alerted radio amateurs in the UK to
various licence changes the regulator is proposing. Licence variations are
being proposed starting in February, affecting the use of Regional Secondary
Locators, suffixes and unlicensed individuals' use of an amateur radio. Power
limits would also be raised under certain conditions for Foundation,
Intermediate and Full licensees.