Wireless Institute of Australia
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| Abbreviation | WIA |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1910 |
| Type | Non-profit |
| Purpose | Advocacy, Education |
| Headquarters | Bayswater, Victoria [http:Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.-37.8426_N_145.2433_E_ QF22od] |
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Region served
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Australia |
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President
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Phil Wait - VK2ASD |
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Main organ
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Board of Directors |
| Affiliations | International Amateur Radio Union |
| Website | http://www.wia.org.au/ |
The Wireless Institute of Australia (WIA) was formed in 1910, and is the first and oldest national amateur radio society in the world. 2010 is the 100th anniversary of its formation. It represents[1] the amateur radio operators of Australia in dealings with the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), the authority under the government of Australia that administers communications within and external to Australia.[2][3][4][5] The WIA publishes a monthly journal for its membership called Amateur Radio.[6] The organisation is the national society representing Australia in the International Amateur Radio Union.[7]
Contents
Governance
On 16 May 2004, the Annual General Meeting adopted a new constitution that established a national organisational structure (seven Directors with individual membership of persons in the national body) versus the former federal arrangement (membership held in state Divisions, and the Divisions having membership of the Federal body).[8]
100th anniversary
The 100th anniversary of the WIA was commemorated in 2010.[9] A special event callsign and station was established and used throughout 2010: callsign VK100WIA.
The Annual General Meeting was held in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, over 28–30 May 2010, and included:
- a formal meeting
- an inspection of Black Mountain Tower
- a commemorative dinner, including:
- an ARISS contact[10] with the International Space Station, operator astronaut Tracy Caldwell Dyson, and students from Trinity Christian School, Canberra (school principal Carl Palmer is VK2TP/VK1TP).[11]
- an address by adventurer and entrepreneur, and AGM Patron, Dick Smith VK2DIK
- a barbecue and gathering at the country property of Dick Smith at Gundaroo, New South Wales, on the last day of the conference
- a live broadcast[12] of the weekly WIA news
Training and licensing
The WIA conducts training sessions and has training materials[13] for people wishing to become licensed Amateur Radio operators, conducts the testing using a system of accredited testers, and issues the authorisations for the ACMA to issue licenses.[14]
Emergency communication
The Wireless Institute Civil Emergency Network (WICEN) (pronounced 'Wy-sen') trains and rehearses amateur radio operators in amateur radio emergency communications for call-out in civil emergencies. It is organised by state and region, with autonomous bodies in each state linked to that jurisdiction's disaster plan. In most states, WICEN is organised by a committee of the WIA state organisation, but in New South Wales and Victoria, WICEN is separately incorporated. WICEN has been activated for various emergencies, notably in recent years the Black Saturday bushfires on 7 February 2009 in Victoria.[15]
Contests
The WIA sponsors or conducts various Australian and Australasian radio contests.
Remembrance Day (RD) Contest
Amateur radio operators in Australia participate in the Remembrance Day Contest on the weekend nearest Victory in the Pacific Day, 15 August. The competition commemorates amateur radio operators who died during World War II and encourages friendly participation to help improve the operating skills of participants. The contest runs for 24 hours, from 0300 UTC on the Saturday (formerly 0800), preceded by a broadcast including a speech by a dignitary or notable Australian (such as the Prime Minister of Australia, Governor-General of Australia, or a military leader) and the reading of the names of amateur radio operators who are known to have died. It is organised by the WIA, with operators in each Australian state contacting operators in other states, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea. A trophy is awarded to the state that can boast the greatest rate of participation, based on a formula including: number of operators, number of contacts made, and radio frequency bands used.[16]
Notable members of the WIA
- Ernest Fisk (later Sir Ernest) - first President of the WIA, founder of AWA: Amalgamated Wireless (Australasia) and pioneer of broadcasting
- Charles Maclurcan - second President of the WIA, pioneer broadcaster through 2CM and the holder of Australia's broadcasting licence No.1[17][18]
- Rev. John Flynn[19] – founder of the Royal Flying Doctor Service
- Alfred Traeger – Australian radio pioneer[19]
- Florence Vi McKenzie (“Mrs Mac”) – Australia’s first woman electrical engineer, first licensed woman amateur radio operator, and the first female member of the Wireless Institute of Australia[20]
- Dick Smith VK2DIK – electronics entrepreneur and adventurer
References
- ↑ Wireless Institute of Australia Submission to the Productivity Commission Review of the RadioCommunications Acts and the Role of the Australian Communications Authority, 12 October 2001, accessed 30 May 2010
- ↑ Wireless Institute of Australia (2009). Wireless Institute of Australia official web site. Retrieved 18 January 2009.
- ↑ Wireless Institute of Australia, National Library of Australia catalogue, accessed 30 May 2010
- ↑ Wireless Institute of Australia, National Museum of Australia catalogue, accessed 30 May 2010
- ↑ ACMA Glossary (WIA), Australian Communications and Media Authority, accessed 30 May 2010
- ↑ Wireless Institute of Australia (2009). "About AR Magazine. Retrieved 18 January 2009.
- ↑ International Amateur Radio Union (2008). "Member Societies". Retrieved 21 February 2009.
- ↑ Wireless Institute of Australia (2009). "Constitution of the Wireless Institute of Australia". Retrieved 18 January 2009.
- ↑ Wireless Institute of Australia, delimiter.com.au, accessed 30 May 2010
- ↑ ARISS school contact planned at Centennary [sic] Dinner of Wireless Institute of Australia, ON4WF, International Amateur Radio Union Region 1, 27 May 2010, accessed 30 May 2010
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ WIA News 30 May 2010 (MP3), **warning: large file (MP3)**, WIA, accessed 30 May 2010
- ↑ Wireless Institute of Australia (training materials), Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, Victoria, Australia, accessed 30 May 2010
- ↑ History of Amateur Radio Callsigns in Australia, IEEE Region 10, accessed 30 May 2010
- ↑ 2009 Bushfire Activation Updates, WICEN Vic, accessed 15 August 2009
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Bruce Carty, Australian Radio History, Sydney, 2011.
- ↑ http://bpadula.tripod.com.au/australshortwave/id34.html
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 John Flynn Timeline, Royal Flying Doctor Service, accessed 30 May 2010
- ↑ Australia’s women pioneers of telecommunications, National Pioneer Women's Hall of Fame www.pioneerwomen.com.au, accessed 30 May 2010
External links
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- WIA home page
- Amateur Radio magazine
- WIA News – weekly audio broadcast (download) and text
- WICEN
- Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA)
