Weekly news from the WIA:
MP3 edition of news available at:
http://www.wia-files.com/podcast/wianews-2024-02-18.mp3 Text edition:

2024 FEBRUARY 18 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 FEBRUARY 18 2024
IN OUR 29th YEAR OF NON STOP NEWS

THIS WEEK:-
DISCUSSION POINT with Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP. -

Editor-in-Chief of Amateur Radio magazine, Roger Harrison VK2ZRH. -

WIA DIRECTOR VK2TSG Steven Green (audio only).

AND the new kid on the block, he's just turned Ten, obtained his
Foundation Licence, whoops as of tomorrow it's called FOUNDATION
QUALIFICATION.. VK2COD.
PLUS MUCH MUCH MORE IN THIS EDITION OF NEWS FROM THE
WIRELESS INSTITUTE OF AUSTRALIA.

I'M EDITOR GRAHAM VK4BB

DISCUSSION POINT

Hello, Im Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and Ive been thinking.

Tomorrow is the day that license fees are no longer required as the
Class Licence regime comes into force. There is still some confusion
about how certain matters will be dealt with under this new framework
but it seems that the ACMA has been quite assiduous in following up on
detail. It remains to be seen if we will end up with the regulations
spelled out in plain language for everyone to understand, not just
public servants.

Im Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, that's what I think, how about you.

AR MAGAZINE

This is Editor-in-Chief of Amateur Radio magazine, Roger Harrison
VK2ZRH.

Once again, I have to speak to you . . . . seriously.

Last Wednesday, with my heart in my mouth, I was preparing to tell you all
the sad news that Amateur Radio magazine as we all know and love it with
all its charms and occasional flaws had come to an end; that the issue you
have just received, or bought, was to be . . the last.

In my piece two weeks ago, I mentioned that there was a hiccup, an unforeseen
circumstance, holding up Issue 1. And that, after some particular efforts
were exerted, the issue rolled off the press and the hiccup was averted.

However, hardly a week had passed and the remains or the echo of that old
hiccup threatened to derail the continued publishing of Amateur Radio
magazine.

The hiccup, came from a surprising quarter. Nevertheless, a cure for the
hiccup was applied, thanks to the stalwart efforts of the Publications
Committee, and disruption was once again averted.

Take a big breath. Thank goodness there will be no repeat this year of the
debacle of 2020 that you will recall, when Issue 2 was not published until
August a five-month delay. And, with the grateful cooperation of our
printer, members then got each issue month-by-month until all six were
completed.

Incidentally, this saved the Institute from getting into trouble with the
consumer protection laws.

So. The good ship Amateur Radio magazine sails on with all its charms and
occasional flaws nobodys perfect. Look in the mirror.

Amateur Radio magazine, Volume 92, 2024.More guts. Less gab.
Proudly produced and printed in Australia.
Im Roger Harrison VK2ZRH for VK1WIA News.
WIA

JOIN THE WIA
tinyurl.com/yyj87b9y

WIA DIRECTOR VK2TSG STEVEN GREEN

(Apologies from the Editor but the Directors report was only supplied
as audio.. )
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INTERNATIONAL NEWS With thanks to IARU, RSGB, RAC,
ARRL, NZART, eHam, AMATEUR RADIO NEWSLINE, eHam,
ICQPodcast, Radioworld.com Hackaday and the World Wide sources
of the WIA.

Good news first, since January the 4th the broadcasting station
KTWR from Guam, 9900 and 9910 kHz, ceased sending secondary
transmissions on the 30 m band 10124 and 10134 kHz.
The German Society, DARC IARUMS national coordinator Daniel, DL3RTL,
had involved the German Federal Network Agency, BNetzA for the purpose
of issuing an international complaint.

Now the bad news, transmissions of the Australian Jindalee
Operational Radar Network were often received on the 30 m band
particularly in Europe.
2 Arrested after Theft of Copper from Destroyed Radio Tower.

Two people have been arrested in Texas in connection with the theft of
copper from a radio tower in Oklahoma last month.

The Choctaw County Sheriff said that the two were identified by scrap
yard employees in Texas, where one day after the 15th January
incident, they tried to sell copper wiring from the coax line.
Authorities said that Payne Media Group, the broadcast station's
owner, was contacted and confirmed that the copper had come from the
tower for KITX, a 50,000-watt station serving southeast Oklahoma and
northeast Texas.

The station has been live streaming and operating with limited
broadcast range following the destruction of the tower. Its guy wires
had been cut and its backup generator also was destroyed.
In the Caribbean, Australian-made goods are synonymous with quality.
For emergency management teams tasked with saving lives and property,
quality is key and thats why theyre choosing Barrett Communications.

The island nations of St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Tobago, as
well as the region wide Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency
have all turned to Barrett Communications HF radios and equipment.

CDEMA, based in Barbados is made up of 19 participating states.
In 2021, CDEMA purchased HF radio equipment and accessories, as well
as the supply of an HF base station transceiver and supporting
accessories from Barrett Communications.

Beyond radios, the Caribbean has turned to Australian-made goods for
other emergency response systems. Australian shipbuilder Austal has
for more than a decade delivered a total of 13 ferries and coast guard
patrol vessels to Trinidad and Tobago.
Potential for Canada to Ban SDR Devices

Over concerns of devices such as the Flipper Zero that can record and
replay wireless signals used for remote keyless entry in cars, Public
Safety Canada is proposing a ban of such devices which could include
software defined radios (SDR).

Pursuing all avenues to ban devices used to steal vehicles by copying
the wireless signals for remote keyless entry, such as the Flipper
Zero, which would allow for the removal of those devices from the
Canadian marketplace through collaboration with law enforcement
agencies.

Flipper Zero has requested evidence that their devices have been used
in criminal activity, suggesting there currently is none.
100 NEW DAB+ TRANSMITTERS ACROSS FRANCE

Throughout 2023, network operator TDF worked to deploy 100 new DAB+
transmitters at 70 sites across mainland France. Through this effort,
more than 55% of French citizens have access to DAB+ digital radio
signals and more than 550 radio stations broadcast using the
technology in the country.

TDF is now currently focused on the second phase of deploying the
M1 and M2 national multiplexes, which carry 13 services. Since
October, TDF has brought online 44 DAB+ transmitters, this second
phase, which brings DAB+ reception to new motorways across the county,
is scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2024.
Qualifying CubeSats from developing nations will be able to get a free
ride into space soon under an agreement signed last month between the
United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs and Exolaunch.

The Berlin-based company known as Exolaunch agreement is part of the
Access to Space for All programme that opens the door to space for
countries that might not otherwise have such access and presents
opportunities for the next generation in developing countries to put
their STEM education to work with an eye toward pursuing a space
related career.

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HAM RADIO OPERATIONAL NEWS - IT'S A CONTACT SPORT

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NOW CONTEST WISE:- 2024
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ON NOW - the ARRL DX CW Contest Feb 17-18.
Use only the 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, and 10 meter bands.
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NEW ZEALANDS Jock White Memorial Field Day WILL BE NEXT WEEKEND
24/25 Feb.
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ARRL DX Phone Contest March 2-3
Use only the 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, and 10 meter bands.

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IARU HF World Championship July 13-14.

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Trans-Tasman Low Band Contest July 21st
This contest is another official WIA Contest and will count towards
the Peter Brown Contest Champion Awards.

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AUGUST 17 - 18 Remembrance Day Contest.

This contest commemorates the Australian Amateurs who died during
World War II and is designed to encourage friendly participation and
help improve the operating skills of participants.

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44th A.L.A.R.A. CONTEST AND this ALARA contest is ALWAYS held on the
last FULL weekend of August.

ELIGIBILITY?

All licensed operators throughout the world are invited to
participate. Scout and Girl Guide groups are encouraged to
take part using their Club's equipment and callsign.

YLs work everyone; OMs work YLs only.