Weekly news from the WIA:
MP3 edition of news available at:
http://www.wia-files.com/podcast/wianews-2023-12-31.mp3 Text edition:

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2023 DECEMBER 31 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 31 2023
IN OUR 28th YEAR OF NON STOP NEWS

WOW WE GET AN EXTRA DAY THIS YEAR!
Last week I signed off by saying that it was the last broadcast of the
year, NOW I am told TODAY is the last day of the year...>
so we gained a day!
THIS WEEK:-

WIA director, Steven Green, VK2TSG .-

Wireless Institute of Australia Technical Advisory Committee Chairman
Grant VK5GR .-

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

Hello, this is one of your national WIA directors, Steven Green,
VK2TSG, with the final 2023 Board comment this New Years Eve.

Not only do we have the New Year to contend with as we move into
2024, but here in Australia and its territories, we also have the
new class licence arrangement starting from the 19th of February.
This will include a revised qualifications framework, new call sign
arrangements, the ACA managing qualifications and callsign services,
as well as accrediting examiners.

Further details will be available on the WIA website, although there
were reservations held over class licencing. The WIA have worked
closely with the ACMA to ensure that amateurs retain equivalent
privileges, and we thank the ACMA for their efforts.

As a volunteer organisation, member contribution to our activities is
essential and we are presently seeking expressions of interest for
several roles, including... Digital Modes Advisor, QSL volunteers,
Application Developers, and graphics or web designers.

I myself recently attended the Amateur Radio New South Wales site at
Dural; they had requested additional people for their broadcast
roster. Although I tend to have limited time, I'm looking forward to
helping out where possible, to try to ease-the-load for this hard
working and dedicated team.

Even if you are far away, differently abled, or unsure how you could
help, get in touch with the WIA, your state or territories' amateur
radio group, or affiliated club to see what you can do. Often, the
experience you gain in these roles can help towards furthering your
career or other prospects and interests. And if you can't contribute
directly, why not see if there are a few people close by that you
could bring into Amateur Radio?

We are looking forward to seeing attendees at the WIA AGM in May 2024
in Bundaberg, Queensland. Here I'll be presenting a short talk on what
I've learned in brief from the prepping community here in Australia.
And I must say thank you to those who offered feedback recently on my
last broadcast news on the topic. Making some corrections that were
quite helpful.

Lastly, tomorrow is a special day for my family, with my Grandmother
Dulcie celebrating her One-hundred-and-sixth Birthday, yes 106..
although not an Amateur, Dulcie wound thousands of coils for AWA
Aircraft Radios as part of their military work in world war two, and
has many fond memories of the contributions of 'Wireless' in her
lifetime. This leads me to wonder what Radio stories all of your
families may have to share... Happy Birthday Dulcie !!

This has been Steven Green VK2TSG closing the Board comments for 2023.
Until next time 73, and Happy New Year.

WIA - TAC

Hello all from Grant VK5GR, your new Wireless Institute of Australia
Technical Advisory Committee Chairman.

Firstly I just wanted to say thanks to the WIA board for accepting my
nomination. I also wish to acknowledge the many years of work put into this
role by my predecessor, John Martin VK3KM, whom was one of my very early
amateur radio mentors (and now is sadly a silent key). Hopefully I can fill
his very big shoes!

I also wish to thank several of the departing TAC committee members for their
contributions over the years, including Rex VK7MO, Wally VK6KZ, Barry VK2AAB
and Peter VK3PF. They are now seeking to retire from the committee, opening
the way for new blood to join the team. Thank you all for your efforts over
many years.

Now, to start the process of replenishing the team, we wish to welcome Hayden
VK7HH who will take over the VK7 regional representative as well as Kevin
VK4UH who is taking on the Microwave advisory role. After a further review of
the committee structure and responsibilities, other roles will be opened in
the coming months. Stay tuned for more details.

Next up, with 2024 almost upon us, it is time to consider the current issues
before the TAC.

One of the early projects we have identified was a need to update several of
the band plans, following several recent regulatory changes. The bands we
studied include 6 metres (following standard grade licenses getting access to
the entire band), 9 centimetres (3.4 GHz) following the complete withdrawal
of 3400-3600 MHz in populated parts of Australia, and 70 centimetres where
some clarifications have been proposed for repeater station allocations.

In order to develop appropriate changes, the TAC has prepared a consultation
paper, which is accessible via the WIA news website. The paper discusses the
proposals for each band and welcomes feedback on these from all licenced
amateur radio operators. We encourage you to take the time to read the paper,
consider the impacts on your activities, and share your feedback! The closing
date is the 31st of January 2024. We look forward to hearing from you.

Well thats all from me this week. 73 from Grant VK5GR, for the WIA Technical
Advisory Committee

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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.

REGION ONE

JAMMING.

FPV drones are a signature weapon of the Ukraine conflict, and jammers
to stop them are a matter of life and death.

Both sides have fielded jammers and drone guns firing beams of radio
waves to knock out drone communications, these jammers are said to
take out thousands (YES THOUSANDS) of drones a month. Now a Russian
group claims to have developed a magic radio for FPVs which is
highly resistant to jamming. A physicist with the handle DanielR
evaluated the device minutely in a detailed Twitter thread.

>From a technological perspective there is nothing surprising here,
DanielR said, but the device does make efficient use of cheap,
off-the-shelf components.

Racing quadcopters converted into cheap kamikaze drones are used by
both sides. They are capable of diving into foxholes and bunkers,
chasing down trucks, and even destroying main battle tanks from
five or more miles away. Often jamming is the only protection, but
this device claims to nullify it.

bit.ly/3ty5XMA

REGION 2

Status of CQ Magazine:

ARRL has heard from many members concerned about their print
subscriptions to CQ magazine.

CQ magazine is not an ARRL publication, however ARRL members enjoy the
ability to pursue earning the CQ Worked All Zones and Worked All
Prefixes awards through Logbook of The World.

CQ Editor Rich Moseson, W2VU, acknowledged the delays in delivering
CQ magazine. He indicated that the November and December issues are
delayed but plans are to get them out to the readership as soon as
circumstances permit.

HOWEVER

In another message circulating on some mailing lists, a reply to an
inquiry explained that due to funding issues they have
temporarily suspended publication at this time.

"Our apologies for this inconvenience and we hope to be back up and
running soon."

It is unknown exactly what funding issues the magazine has
encountered, but CQ Communications, Inc. has discontinued other
publications within their operation over the last few years.
CQ-DATV ceased its free online publication in 2021. CQ VHF ceased
publication in 2013 along with Popular Communications magazine and
merged with WorldRadio into an online digital Publication in 2014.
While it is Santa Claus who delivers toys to good boys and girls around
the world on Christmas Eve, and is even tracked by NORAD each year, the
United States Air Force also does its part to provide goods to islanders
throughout Micronesia as part of what is now the Pentagons longest-running
humanitarian airlift operation.

The tradition began during the Christmas season in 1952 when a B-29
Superfortress aircrew saw islanders waving at them from the island of
Kapingamarangi, 3,500 miles southwest of Hawaii. In the spirit of Christmas,
the aircrew gathered some items they had on the plane, attached the bundle of
supplies to a parachute, and dropped it to islanders below, giving the
operation its name.

At the time, the island had no electricity or running water and was
periodically hit by typhoons.