Changes to Callsign Allocation etc..

[VK6LD]

http://www.wia.org.au/licences/licensin ... callsigns/

An example of how & when the WIA sticks its fingers in the pie and gets involved in something quite simple (issue of a callsign) it turns into a bureaucratic nightmare! Countless procedures and no less than 4 different forms.

[robbage]

I can't connect to wia.org.au at all right now. I wonder if they've got more traffic than usual

[Fastlane]

I can't connect to wia.org.au at all right now. I wonder if they've got more traffic than usual

Network down by the looks. Perhaps they didn't pay their internet allocation fee?

[meg]

I can't connect to wia.org.au at all right now. I wonder if they've got more traffic than usual

I swear I didn't orchestrate a DDOS attack on them...

They should consider though that if they're going to act in this new administrative role then they will need to toughen up their systems and their network connection. If people can't get to the info on their site when they need it, there's going to be complaints.

[Fastlane]

It's back up. Love this:

WIA Fees for a Callsign Recommendation
he Deed between ACMA and the WIA pursuant to which the WIA performs these callsign management functions requires the WIA to adhere to the Commonwealth Cost Recovery Guidelines, and so it must charge a fee that represents what it actually costs it to provide the service. These fees have been reviewed and approved by ACMA and are subject to a full review at the end of the first year, and thereafter the annual submission of audited cost information.

The fees are as follows:

Level One $5 including GST;
Level Two $21 including GST;
Level Three $49 including GST;
Level Four At an hourly rate of $67.80 including GST, computed in blocks of ten minutes.
Payment may be made by cheque or money order, or by credit card by completion of the card details on the form or by telephone to the WIA office, or included in the moneys accepted by a WIA Assessor in accordance with the Assessment Instructions.

So for a random selection, its $5.. or for one you've chosen yourself thats available, its $21. I'd love to know how it costs $16 more.. wonder if a FOI request would get a copy of the justification etc?

The webpage and the forms have different prices also... and if you're in VK2, VK3 or VK4, it costs you more to get a 2 letter call (over double) then the other states..

[meg]

adhere to the Commonwealth Cost Recovery Guidelines, and so it must charge a fee that represents what it actually costs it to provide the service. These fees have been reviewed and approved by ACMA and are subject to a full review at the end of the first year, and thereafter the annual submission of audited cost information.

So for a random selection, its $5.. or for one you've chosen yourself thats available, its $21. I'd love to know how it costs $16 more.. wonder if a FOI request would get a copy of the justification etc?

What I'd like to know is how ACMA did it for no charge - presumably they were required to have full cost recovery? Why the huge difference between $0 and $21 between these two organisations? And note that neither of these orgs has a Perth office...

ACMA has some exemptions from FOI, they are a bit vague but the process is listed on this web page. There's a $30 fee. Happy to go halves with you on this Fastlane. The tender documents should be available, I can't imagine they'd be excluded under the act.
http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_90024

[robbage]

The page for callsigns is now up http://www.wia.org.au/licences/licensing/publiclist/
Apparently this works better than just typing in a callsign on the ACMA search page....
Hope you get your $22 worth