VK7AX > BCAST 03.08.25 02:15z 813 Lines 27887 Bytes #155 (0) @ WW BID : 3549_VK7AX Read: GUEST Subj: VK National News 03Aug25 Path: ED1ZAC<ED1ZAC<LU4ECL<VK2RZ<W0ARP<PY2BIL<HB9ON<VK7AX Sent: 250803/0141Z 3549@VK7AX.#ULV.TAS.AUS.AUNZ LinBPQ6.0.24 VK National News 03Aug25 Weekly news from the WIA: MP3 edition of news available at: http://www.wia-files.com/podcast/wianews-2025-08-03.mp3 Text edition: ------------------------------------------------------------* 2025 AUGUST 3 WIA NATIONAL NEWS BROADCAST ON VK1WIA ------------------------------------------------------------* 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 ------------------------------------------------------------* NATIONAL NEWS FOR WEEK COMMENCING AUGUST 3 2025 IN OUR 30th YEAR OF NON STOP NEWS THIS WEEK:- THE NEWS THAT MATTERS:- Why does the news have a common license? WIA Secretary VK8ZZ Peter Clee explains, Giles Kirby Director at the Wireless Institute of Australia and the long-term health of amateur radio in Australia, Phil Wait VK2ASD and more teaching aids and publicity materials coming your way from our Education Committee. WEATHER and TRAFFIC every week:- In radio traffic news, VI 8 POL on September, Paul VK5PAS joins us, Cats and Dogs on the air this month and with your Trans Tasman results, VK4SN Alan Shannon. Radio Weather news, a look up above, for Amateur Astronomers look out for SX 17 ASTRO, and just last month, July 22, earth had the second-shortest day on record, why, stay tuned. BUT WAIT - THERE'S MUCH MUCH MORE IN THIS EDITION OF NEWS FROM THE WIRELESS INSTITUTE OF AUSTRALIA AND IN CASE YOU'RE WONDERIN OR YOU ARE ONE OF OUR NEW VIEWERS/LISTERS I'M EDITOR GRAHAM VK4BB WIA JOIN THE WIA tinyurl.com/yyj87b9y This is to formally advise that rebroadcast stations of the VK1WIA National News will now need to comply with the Common License which came into effect at the end of July. Stations wishing to rebroadcast the weekly WIA National News need to comply with the provisions of a common license which is now in effect. The board have introduced this because a few rebroadcast stations had been making changes, deleting sections or only utilising parts of the national news broadcast, without seeking permission to do so. There will be no significant change to re-broadcast arrangements for most rebroadcast stations. The Common License is published on the WIA web site and details some important aspects which need to be followed by re-broadcast stations. The Common License states that :- The content of the broadcast is copyright to the WIA. Ownership of the content is retained by the WIA. The content of the broadcast shall not be modified, edited, or used to create derivative works without prior written consent from the Secretary of the WIA. A copy of the Common license is available at the text edition of this broadcast or on the WIA News web site. Rebroadcast stations who cannot meet the requirements of the Common License should contact the WIA Secretary for advice. A couple of clubs have already contacted me to clarify their situation. Notification of the copyright provisions and the requirement to follow the common license has already been included at the beginning of this broadcast and will continue to be included. This has been WIA Company Secretary Peter Clee VK8ZZ wia.org.au/newsevents/news/2025/20250716-2/ This is Giles Kirby, Director at the Wireless Institute of Australia, with a quick update from the boardroom. One recent focus of the WIA Board has been on refining our strategic direction for this next epoch to ensure the long-term health of amateur radio in Australia. We continually review our strategic priorities to align with our core values. These include advocacy, member value, and sustainability. Advocacy remains central, ensuring your voice is heard in regulatory discussions with ACMA as spectrum use evolves. Were also looking ahead; building a roadmap that not only protects our current interests but also positions the hobby for future growth in a rapidly changing technology environment. Thank you for your support as we continue this important work. As always, please reach out if you have thoughts or ideas. We have strength as a community. Stay curious, stay connectedand most of all, keep transmitting. 73 from the board. This is VK5GK, signing off. EDUCATION. education.wia.org.au This is Phil Wait, VK2ASD. Have you taken a look at the Education Committee Website recently? There, you will find a trove of information for potential new amateurs, and teaching aids for WIA Affiliated Clubs. In the Club Resources section, you will also find some new publicity materials, including an original series of brochures showing the various facets of amateur radio and particularly aimed at attracting newcomers into the hobby. We intend to expand this collection over time to include more teaching aids and more publicity materials. And best of all, everything the Education Committee website is downloadable and free to use by WIA Affiliated Clubs. So, keep looking at the WIAs Education Committee website from time-to- time. education.wia.org.au and see whats new. ------------------------------------------------------------* INTERNATIONAL NEWS is with thanks to Amateur Radio Daily, ARRL, DX-WORLD, eHam, Hackaday, IARU, IRTS, NEWSLINE, NZART, RAC, Radioworld.com, RSGB, SARL and the World Wide sources of WIA. AMSAT Submits Formal Objection to AST SpaceMobile Plan, FCC Records 2,220 Comments. The public comment period has officially closed for FCC Space Bureau Docket 25-201, which reviewed a request by AST & Science, LLC (AST SpaceMobile) to use the 430440 MHz band for telemetry, tracking, and command operations. This spectrum includes 435438 MHz, a critical allocation for our amateur satellite service. AMSAT submitted formal comments opposing the proposal, citing the extensive non-commercial use of 435438 MHz by amateur satellites, including OSCAR-class spacecraft, educational CubeSats, and the ARISS station aboard the International Space Station. AMSAT also highlighted ongoing interference caused by ASTs BlueWalker-3 satellite, 437.500 MHz, which has disrupted InspireSAT-1. The filing urges the Commission to deny ASTs request and preserve the integrity of the amateur satellite service Suffolk England. If you took part in the IARU HF Championship on the second weekend of July and you happened to work one of five stations operating from the grounds of the Euston Estate in Suffolk, England, you were also part of the field test for the World Radiosport Team Championship taking place next year. The five stations were on the air from actual site locations for an important training exercise, testing of the masts, antennas and radios -- and a little experimentation -- to prepare for next year's competition. Volunteers got a chance to practice setup of the equipment and give a thorough test of the scoreboard and IT networking system. Despite some minor issues, the exercise was declared a success - right down to the report from the operators that there were no issues with interference between stations, which were running 100 watts. The organizers wrote on the WRTC website: [quote] "Activity will be different next year - hopefully 10m will be more co-operative - and the interest in chasing 50 real WRTC stations will be higher." [endquote] Kolkata India As many as 27 police officials from the rank of inspector to assistant commissioners from the state and Kolkata Police received hands-on training on ham radio at the Administrative Training Institute recently. The main purpose of the training was to educate the learners how to establish communication through ham radio at a time when the standard communication system is jeopardised after a natural calamity. They also learnt how to send signals through ham radio and the law of the Central government on radio communication. Police were trained on how to send important messages through ham radio sets during such an emergent situation. The Puerto Rico Telecommunications Bureau (NET, in Spanish) has expanded the island's Amateur Radio Bank through a new collaboration agreement, reinforcing its role in emergency communications during natural disasters and other critical events. "In compliance with the mandate of Act 213 of 1996, the NET maintains an Amateur Radio Bank whose duty is to be activated in emergency situations where traditional communications may be affected," said NET President Osvaldo Soto-Garca. "We're pleased to continue establishing new agreements and adding more amateur radio organizations to our communications emergency response team." The updated initiative designates participating amateur radio operators -- known as KP4s -- as first responders. Volunteers will receive preferential credentials to support their mobility and coordination in the field during emergencies. RSGB has released a new high-contrast logbook designed to support amateur radio operators with visual impairments or learning difficulties. Responding to feedback from members and accessibility advocates, the RSGB developed the logbook with wider spacing and a high-contrast black-and-yellow design to improve ease of use. This release reflects the RSGBs wider commitment to improving accessibility across all areas of the Society and amateur radio as a whole. The organisation continues to explore ways to make the hobby more inclusive and user-friendly for all participants. This version will be available through Amazon and is expected to be a useful addition for both seasoned operators and newcomers looking for a more accessible logging option. ------------------------------------------------------------------- OPERATIONAL NEWS - A FELIX VK4FUQ PRESENTATION -------------- -------------- NOW CONTEST WISE:- 2025 -------------- --------------- We'll start by hearing from VK4SN with "the results!" Hi This is Alan, VK4SN with the Trans Tasman contest results and more! This year operators experienced good propagation and low noise on the bands. A total of 61 logs were entered containing 4,752 QSOs. A full report containing my report, certificates for both VK and ZL, and an error log report is available for download from the WIA TT contest page. So have a look, print your certificate and see where mistakes were made. For Soapbox comments and Statistics, see vklogchecker dot com. Our Top 3 Winners in each category are SOHP, VK4M, VL5L and VK1OZ SOLP, VK2MT, VK3GJG and VK5LJ SOQRP, VK3TUN, VK2IO, and VK2WY MS, VK3KK, VK3III, and VK2AOJ MM, VL4R, VK4P and VK2ATZ This year I have introduced a Youth sub section. Congratulations go to our winner, James, VK3JFR. No sooner has the TT finished, now, The Remembrance day contest is almost upon us. The RD is held on the 16th and 17th of August. Put that in your diary for a 0300Z start, while we remember those who paid the supreme sacrifice. A youth category has also been introduced this year. All the necessary information is on the WIA contest pages. Best 73 de Alan VK4SN ---------- REGISTER NOW! This year, International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend will run from 0001UTC on the 16 August to 2400UTC on the 17 August. The event usually attracts more than 500 lighthouse entries located in over 40 countries. illw.net/ ---------- Oceania DX (OCDX) Contest The Oceania DX Contest is managed by the Oceania DX Contest Committee, info(at)oceaniadxcontest.com Oceania stations may contact any station for QSO points whilst non-Oceania stations are required to contact any station in Oceania for QSO points. The contest runs over the first two full weekends in October and has SSB, CW and SWL categories wia.org.au/members/contests/oceania/ --------------------- YOTA Contest Organized by the IARU R1 Youth Working Group in cooperation with the Hungarian Amateur Radio Society, the aim of the YOTA Contest is to increase youngsters activity on the air, strengthen the reputation of the YOTA programme and demonstrate support for youngsters across the planet. The final session of this year's YOTA Contests will be held 29 December ----------------------------------------------------------------- NOW THE DX WINDOW TO THE WORLD. ----------------- VI 8 POL on air 13-29 September. Paul VK5PAS joins us:- Special event call VI8POL will be on air from Saturday 13th September 2025 to Monday 29th September 2025 to celebrate the 8th annual National Police Week in Australia. National Police Week 2025 is a celebration of our nation's police. National Police Week includes National Police Remembrance Day held on Monday 29th September 2025. It is a day dedicated to honouring and remembering police officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty. This day serves as a tribute to their bravery, dedication, and ultimate sacrifice in the pursuit of public safety and justice. Sadly, a total of 827 police officers have been killed on duty in Australia. It is also a time to remember police officers who have lost their lives through illness or other circumstances. VI8POL will be on air on the HF bands on SSB and the digital modes. The station will also be operated from significant police historical sites in South Australia. QSL is via VK5PAS. More information on VI8POL can be found on QRZ.com Thanks for listening. 73 Paul VK5PAS. ---------------- Once again special callsign 4 A 2 MAX will be activated August 1 - 31 in remembrance of St. Maximilian Maria Kolbe. Activity is on 80-6 metres SSB, CW and digital. Born in 1894, Father Kolbe (SP 3 RN) was killed on 14 August 1941 at Auschwitz. QSL via LoTW, eQSL, QRZ Logbook, or via EA5GL. qrz.com/db/4a2max (425dx) ---------------- CROATIA 9 A 169 TESLA This is a special callsign that will be used until 31 December in celebration of the 169th anniversary since the birth of Nikola Tesla (10 July 1856). QSOs will be uploaded to LoTW, Club Log, and QRZ Logbook. (425dex) ------------- CATS & DOGS During the month of August, especially around 8 August (International Cat Day) and 26 August (International Dog Day), a number of stations will be active to raise awareness of pets in need - those who have been abused, abandoned or neglected - and to encourage adoption for those who have yet to find a home and a family forever. Special "cat" callsigns include DA0CAT, DL0CAT, GB4CAT, GB9CAT, W1C, and YL1CAT Special "dog" callsigns include DA0DOG, DL0DOG, GB4DOG, K2D, and YL1DOG. (425dxnews) ------------------------------------------------------------* WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- ASTRONOMY (and Wireless Weather) Here's one for wallpaper chasers. Members of the Radio Amateur Association of Western Greece are operating a special event station SX 17 ASTRO until 8th of August for the 17th Panhellenic Expedition of Amateur Astronomers. A number of certificates will be available. sz1a.org/en (425dxnews) On July 22, 2025, Earth completed its rotation 1.34 milliseconds FASTER than the standard 24-hour day, making it the second-shortest day on record since precise atomic clock measurements began in 1973. This continues a puzzling trend observed since 2020, during which Earth has repeatedly broken its own speed records the shortest day to date was July 5, 2024, some 1.66 milliseconds short. While day length variations are not new over geologic time, the recent acceleration defies easy explanation and may point to changes deep within the planet. (ans208) WORLD WIDE SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP NEWS SUMMITS ON THE AIR, WORLD WIDE FLORA, FAUNA PROGRAM, PARKS ON THE AIR and other ADVENTURE GROUPS. hema.org.uk/index.jsp minesontheair.com/about-mota parksontheair.com/ sota.org.uk sotawatch.sota.org.uk/en/ facebook.com/SotaAustralia/ wwffaustralia.com/ VKFF National Get Together October 24-27 Canberra Celebrating the International Amateur Radio Union's 100th anniversary, members of the Atlantic Coast DX & Contest Group in Canada are active as CG 9 IARU throughout this month of August. They will conduct special activations of Parks on the Air (POTA), World Wide Flora & Fauna (WWFF), and Canadian Historical Sites On the Air locations, alongside other commemorative events. QSL via VE9CF. qrz.com/db/CG9IARU (425DXNEWS) WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS - BALLOONS In the UK, National Coding Week takes place in the third week of September, and the RSGB is dedicating a whole month to amateur radio and coding activities. As part of the Societys strategy to encourage practical skills development, it is inviting hams to take part in its LoRa high-altitude balloon challenge. The project takes place on Saturday 20 September. The balloon will be equipped with a LoRa digipeater, and the challenge is to follow the instructions provided and build a LoRa tracker. If your tracker build is successful, it will beam up packets to the airborne relay, which will transmit them to a local i-gate. Your goal is to get your signal the furthest distance from the launch. Anyone can enter, but to win one of the prizes you need to be an RSGB member. (rsgb) Closer to home in September, in fact in Hobart, the REAST club will have a presentation on weather Balloon Chasing reast.asn.au/event/reast-presentation-weather-balloon-chasing/ This by Steve VK7OO, Anders VK7TCP and Steven VK7SH There are hundreds of weather balloons with radiosondes launched every day around the world to help Meteorological and Aviation understand what is going on in our atmosphere. These balloons are one use devices and the balloon eventually bursts and the radiosonde comes back to earth on a parachute. They transmit on the 75cm band and can be picked up using a modest receiver and antenna. Some amateurs have even repurposed the transmitters for amateur beacons on 70cm. They are tracked through a citizen-science project called SondeHub that Steven VK7SH has been deeply involved with. sondehub.org/ When?: September 3rd, 2025 from 7:30pm Where: Queens Domain Clubrooms and Streams on the REAST YouTube Channel reast.asn.au/event/reast-presentation-weather-balloon-chasing/ (vk7wi news) WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS - IOTA iota-world.org/ ------------ SOME IOTA 'OC' REMINDERS ------------ ---------- OC-013 Steve, ZL2KE will again be active from Rarotonga as E 51 KEE during August, 3-18 to be exact. He was previously active from there last year. QRV mainly on 40-10m, CW & SSB using verticals next to sea and End-fed wires. QSL via IK2DUW, LoTW, eQSL, Club Log. (dx-world) ----------------- OC-065 Lance, W7GJ will be active as H40GJ from Pigeon Island (OC-065), Temotu Province on 8-27 August. This will be a 6m EME DXpedition, using Q65-60A in the "Q65 Pileup" mode. "When I am not aimed up at the moon, I will be monitoring 50.313 on FT8 mode", Lance says. "Please take the initiative to call my direction when you think there may be ionospheric propagation. If propagation is good and there are many callers, I may switch to FT4 or FT8 F/H on a frequency to be announced". QSL via LoTW, or direct to W7GJ. (425DX plus facebook.com/lance.collister/) WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS ---- MARITIME. HMAS Vampire Update. VK 2 VMP is the callsign of the Amateur Radio station operating on the historic HMAS Vampire, berthed at the Australian National Maritime Museum in Sydney. The station has recently undergone a communications upgrade with the installation of a new Off-Centre Fed, Dipole antenna. This replaces the previous antenna, which had deteriorated due to prolonged exposure to the harsh marine environment. Radio operators aboard the Vampire are already reporting outstanding results across multiple amateur radio bands, 80m, to 10 meters and surprisingly 6m. This renewed antenna system ensures the HMAS Vampire continues to serve not only as a significant piece of maritime history, but also as an active educational platform for amateur radio and naval communication enthusiasts. Listen out for VK2VMP on Saturdays, 7150kHz SSB and 7030kHz CW. (vk2wi news) WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- RADIO AMATEUR OLD-TIMERS qcwa.org raotc.org.au Hello everyone, this is Peter VK7PD reminding you that tomorrow is the first Monday of the month, time for the Radio Amateurs Old Timers Club of Australia's August bulletin to go to air. First up this month, as well as the latest Club news, is an article about former amateur radio magazine editor Bill Rice, VK3ABP, maritime mobile on Lake Eyre, with an introduction By bills son, Peter VK3ABP. This will be followed by an article about electrolytic capacitors, read by Clive Wallis. VK6CSW. In addition, there will be details on the upcoming Perth RAOTC luncheon as well as what to expect in the latest edition of OTN, the clubs journal, Everyone, RAOTC members and non-members alike, is most welcome to listen to the program and join in the call backs afterwards. Full details of all transmissions times and modes can be found on the RAOTC website at www.raotc.org.au <http://www.raotc.org.au/> or just Google RAOTC broadcasts. If none of the transmission times suits you, you can download the audio file at any time from today from the clubs website. Once again, tune in tomorrow for the August RAOTC bulletin, enjoy the program and please join in the call backs afterwards. 73 from Peter VK7PD. WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- RADIO AMATEUR YOUNG TIMERS - YOTA (Youngsters On The Air) WIA committee:- Steve VK6SJ, Alec VK2MV and Pete VK2LP. ham-yota.com/category/yota-region-3/ facebook.com/groups/YOTAOC/ youtube.com/channel/UClAapljf0VQ751sOgu2IzaA Alec VK2MV and Alan VK2COD. Good news Alan for all our YOTA listeners ALAN: What is it Alec? ALEC: I have seen on the WIA website that the Remembrance Day Contest has a rule change. The Manager, Alan Shannon VK4SN will provide awards for the top 3 Youth entries. ALAN: That is Great news Alec. We need to encourage our YOTAs to get involved in the contest. As our listeners may know, the RD contest honours the Amateurs who paid the ultimate sacrifice during World War Two. It is held on the weekend closest to the 15th August, the date on which hostilities ceased in the southwest Pacific area. ALEC: This year it will be on 16 and 17 August. Unfortunately I will be on a bivouac that weekend with Army Cadets so I have to miss this years RD contest. ALAN: What a shame Alec, however as Uncle Kempy VK4 Baker Baker says, theres lots lots more to this news article! ALEC: You and Uncle Kempy are right Alan, I have some great news from the Fishers Ghost Amateur Radio Club! ALAN: Tell us about it Alec! ALEC: The Club has set up a VK YOTA contest. The contest is to run the full month of December and is designed to encourage YOTAs to make contact on air. ALAN: Sounds great Alec, I am sure our listeners can find out more about this new contest on the Fishers Ghost website, as the link is in our text edition. ALEC: They sure can Alan. For WIA National News, I am Alec VK2MV ALAN: and I am Alan VK2COD. Now back to you Bruce. WIA = wia.org.au/members/contests/rdcontest/ FISHERS GHOST = yota.fgarc.org.au/ WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- RESCUE RADIO Radio Amateurs of Canada is proud to announce the development of the Auxiliary Communications Service in Ontario, alongside a comprehensive new recruitment and retention plan. This initiative is part of the Ontario governments $10 million investment in emergency preparedness grants, aimed at enhancing the response capabilities of Ontario Corps partners across the province. Under the leadership of Premier Ford and the Ministry of Emergency Preparedness and Response, Radio Amateurs of Canada is receiving $545,000 to recruit and retain volunteers, upgrade skills, and prepare teams for deployment within Ontario. These efforts will ensure a sustainable volunteer workforce equipped with the necessary skills for emergency telecommunications. The Auxiliary Communications Service will play a crucial role in providing reliable communication during emergencies, leveraging the expertise of skilled professionals and highly trained volunteers. This service will be instrumental in supporting local emergency responders and ensuring communities are better prepared to respond to local emergencies. (twiar) WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS - VIDEO ARISS SSTV Series 28 ran from July 1420, 2025, transmitting 12 commemorative images from the International Space Station. The event drew strong global interest, with more than 8,650 images submitted to the ARISS gallery. Over 3,300 individuals uploaded decodes, and nearly half of all participants were educators or students, highlighting SSTVs appeal in STEM education. Europe led with 42% of submissions, followed by Asia (23%), North America (12%) and here in Oceania, 4%. All seven continents were represented, (Yes Antarctica had 0.1%), demonstrating SSTVs remarkable accessibility with modest equipment. (ans208) ------------------------------------------------------------* IT'S A DATE Clubs are welcome to email text with audio for this section, nationalnews(at)wia.org.au Details of all WIA affiliated clubs and societies can be found on the WIA website, including email addresses and website links. ---------------------------- Hi this is Nathan VK5OG President of the South Coast amateur radio club, we're making some changes to our club meeting night the third Thursday of the month we will no longer be meeting instead the third Wednesday will be meeting for coffee at McLaren Vale visitor Centre McLaren Vale from 10 am. Hope to see you there. 73 This has been Nathan VK5OG President South Coast amateur radio club 2025 VK4 - Redcliffe Club CarBoot Sale Sat 30 August at club house (vk4tfn) VK4 -SunFest at Beerwah Community Hall 25 Peachester Rd 9.30 Sept 13 (wiacal) VK - Sep 14 4-5pm AEST WIA Affiliated Clubs briefing webinar (wiacal) VK2 - Westlakes Field Day 8am October 26 on club grounds. (vk2wi) VK5 - AREG's Amateur Radio & Electronics Sale Sunday 26th October at David Roche Park, Kilburn (VK5QI) VK - VKFF National Get Together October 24-27 Canberra. (vk5pas) VK4 - GOLD COAST AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY 2025 HAMFEST NOV 9 Country Paradise Parklands 231 Beaudesert Nerang Road. (vk4dmh) VK7 - Miena HamFest Saturday November 15 10am (vk7news) VK3 - Rosebud RadioFest, Eastbourne Primary School, Rosebud (wiacal) November Sixteen. VK2 - PICTON HAMFEST November 23 Picton Show Ground 8AM (vk2xqx) VK8 - Darwin Amateur Radio Club Xmas Party 6:30pm Dec 3 (wiacal) VK - Dec 7 WIA Affiliated Clubs briefing webinar (wiacal) Reception Reports No we DO like to hear where in the world you are listening to this, the WIA NATIONAL NEWS SERVICE. WIA News rebroadcasters often give Short Wave Listeners a welcome to the broadcast as they commence call-backs straight after the Local News. Local news follows National news in all states. It would be great if those SWL's would email their reception reports and location to callbacks(at)wia.org.au Not only but also those watching us on YouTube, leave a comment , access is just below the picture on screen and again tell us where and maybe even the day and time you are listening ---------------------------------------------------------------* (Posted to the packet network courtesy Tony VK7AX)
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