Wireless Institute of Australia
Encyclopedia
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 the amateur radio operator
s 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. The WIA publishes a monthly journal for its membership called Amateur Radio. The organisation is the national society representing Australia in the International Amateur Radio Union
.
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).
The Annual General Meeting was held in Canberra
, Australian Capital Territory
, over 28–30 May 2010, and included:
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.
n radio contests
.
and encourages friendly participation to help improve the operating skills of participants. The contest runs for 24 hours, from 0800 UTC on the Saturday, 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.
Amateur radio
Amateur radio is the use of designated radio frequency spectrum for purposes of private recreation, non-commercial exchange of messages, wireless experimentation, self-training, and emergency communication...
society in the world. 2010 is the 100th anniversary of its formation. It represents the amateur radio operator
Amateur radio operator
An amateur radio operator is an individual who typically uses equipment at an amateur radio station to engage in two-way personal communications with other similar individuals on radio frequencies assigned to the amateur radio service. Amateur radio operators have been granted an amateur radio...
s of Australia in dealings with the Australian Communications and Media Authority
Australian Communications and Media Authority
The Australian Communications and Media Authority is an Australian government statutory authority within the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy portfolio...
(ACMA), the authority under the government of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
that administers communications within and external to Australia. The WIA publishes a monthly journal for its membership called Amateur Radio. The organisation is the national society representing Australia in the International Amateur Radio Union
International Amateur Radio Union
The International Amateur Radio Union is an international confederation of national amateur radio organisations that allows a forum for common matters of concern and collectively represents matters to the International Telecommunication Union...
.
Governance
On 16 May 2004, the Annual General MeetingAnnual general meeting
An annual general meeting is a meeting that official bodies, and associations involving the public , are often required by law to hold...
adopted a new constitution
Constitution
A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
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).
100th anniversary
The 100th anniversary of the WIA was commemorated in 2010. A special event callsign and station was established and used throughout 2010: callsign VK100WIA.The Annual General Meeting was held in Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
, Australian Capital Territory
Australian Capital Territory
The Australian Capital Territory, often abbreviated ACT, is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and is the smallest self-governing internal territory...
, over 28–30 May 2010, and included:
- a formal meeting
- an inspection of Black Mountain Tower
- a commemorative dinner, including:
- an ARISS contact with the International Space StationInternational Space StationThe International Space Station is a habitable, artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. The ISS follows the Salyut, Almaz, Cosmos, Skylab, and Mir space stations, as the 11th space station launched, not including the Genesis I and II prototypes...
, operator astronaut Tracy Caldwell DysonTracy Caldwell DysonTracy Caldwell Dyson, PhD is an American chemist and NASA astronaut. Caldwell Dyson was a Mission Specialist on Space Shuttle Endeavour flight STS-118 in August 2007. She was part of the Expedition 24 crew on the International Space Station between April 4, 2010 and September 25, 2010...
, and students from Trinity Christian School, CanberraTrinity Christian School, CanberraTrinity Christian School, founded in 1980, is a private Christian K-12, co-educational school located in Wanniassa in the Tuggeranong Valley of Canberra ACT Australia.-Facilities:...
(school principal Carl Palmer is VK2TP/VK1TP). - an address by adventurer and entrepreneur, and AGM Patron, Dick SmithDick Smith (entrepreneur)Dick Smith, AO is an Australian entrepreneur, businessman, aviator, and political activist. He is the founder of Dick Smith Electronics, Dick Smith Foods and Australian Geographic, and was selected as the 1986 Australian of the Year.-Electronics:In 1968, Dick Smith founded electronics retailer...
VK2DIK
- an ARISS contact with the International Space Station
- a barbecue and gathering at the country property of Dick Smith at Gundaroo, New South WalesGundaroo, New South WalesGundaroo is a small village in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia and in Yass Valley Council. It is situated to the east of the Yass River, about north of Sutton, about west of the Lake George range. At the 2006 census, Gundaroo had a population of 331.The explorers Charles...
, on the last day of the conference - a live broadcast of the weekly WIA news
Training and licensing
The WIA conducts training sessions and has training materials 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.Emergency communication
The Wireless Institute Civil Emergency Network (WICEN) trains and rehearses amateur radio operators in amateur radio emergency communicationsAmateur radio emergency communications
In times of crisis and natural disasters, amateur radio is often used as a means of emergency communication when wireline, cell phones and other conventional means of communications fail....
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
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
and Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, 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.
Contests
The WIA sponsors or conducts various Australian and AustralasiaAustralasia
Australasia is a region of Oceania comprising Australia, New Zealand, the island of New Guinea, and neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. The term was coined by Charles de Brosses in Histoire des navigations aux terres australes...
n radio contests
Contesting
Contesting is a competitive activity pursued by amateur radio operators. In a contest, an amateur radio station, which may be operated by an individual or a team, seeks to contact as many other amateur radio stations as possible in a given period of time and exchange information...
.
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 IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and encourages friendly participation to help improve the operating skills of participants. The contest runs for 24 hours, from 0800 UTC on the Saturday, preceded by a broadcast including a speech by a dignitary or notable Australian (such as the Prime Minister of Australia
Prime Minister of Australia
The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...
, Governor-General of Australia
Governor-General of Australia
The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia is the representative in Australia at federal/national level of the Australian monarch . He or she exercises the supreme executive power of the Commonwealth...
, 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
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, and Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
. 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.
Notable members of the WIA
- Rev. John FlynnJohn FlynnJohn Flynn may refer to:*John Flynn , professional baseball player*John Flynn , American film director*John Flynn , Irish footballer...
- founder of the Royal Flying Doctor Service - Alf Traeger - Australian radio pioneer
- Florence Vi McKenzieFlorence Violet McKenzieFlorence Violet McKenzie OBE affectionately known as "Mrs Mac", was Australia's first female electrical engineer founder of the Women's Emergency Signalling Corps and lifelong promoter for technical education for women...
(“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 - Dick SmithDick Smith (entrepreneur)Dick Smith, AO is an Australian entrepreneur, businessman, aviator, and political activist. He is the founder of Dick Smith Electronics, Dick Smith Foods and Australian Geographic, and was selected as the 1986 Australian of the Year.-Electronics:In 1968, Dick Smith founded electronics retailer...
VK2DIK - electronics entrepreneur and adventurer
External links
- WIA home page
- Amateur Radio magazine
- WIA News - weekly audio broadcast (download) and text
- WICEN
- Australian Communications and Media AuthorityAustralian Communications and Media AuthorityThe Australian Communications and Media Authority is an Australian government statutory authority within the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy portfolio...
(ACMA)