Changes to Callsign Allocation etc..

[VK6LD]

It's not - they've set the pricing. Apparently with the ACMA's approval. I'd dearly like to know how it's justified. They claim its "full cost recovery" in which case the question is why did the ACMA manage to do it for less?

Outsourcing by .gov rarely seems to be cost effective...

1

[Fastlane]

Probably worth floating the letter past your local member of parliament and/or the minister if you get no joy seeing the govt has apparently signed off on it all.

I was considering joining.. the $75/year might be better off in my pocket however.

[meg]

Yes, if you're going to write to them (or email them) then make sure you at least cc the ACMA. The ACMA are copping a fair bit of flack of the internet filtering trial at the moment too... You may also want to send a copy to Stephen Conroy
http://www.aph.gov.au/Senate/senators/h ... asp?id=3L6

I was considering joining.. the $75/year might be better off in my pocket however.

Save your bucks to pay for the gilt-edged "choose your own callsign" service

[Zebedee]

Don't be hoodwinked by their gratuitous press releases that the WIA are doing us a favour in all of this!

My last e-mail on the topic to the WIA President a few weeks ago seems to have been ignored - Hopefully my Registered Post won't be! I might also send it to AR Magazine to test Editorial Independence.

At the outset, as an Advanced Licensee I have nothing to gain financially, but as an Assessor I believe the future of the hobby is being jeopardised.

I don't know how the WIA does justify $67.00 per exam, when all they do is print off the exam already on the database, post it to the Assessor and then check the Assesor's marking & issue a CoP. Even less effort is involved when it comes to the Practical Exam - the WIA send out nothing! On top of this the candidate also usually pays an event fee to cover room hire and postage back to the WIA. Yes the WIA don't even pay for the return postage for your exam, even though they specify Express Post Satchels are to be used.

The WIA office is either woefully inefficient, employ a bunch of overpaid stamp lickers to send out the exams or are raiding the radio hobbyist pocket to pay for their AGM pissups!

How could the WIA explain a $5.00 charge for them to issue you a callsign of their choice or $22.60 for a callsign of your choice? Other than shameful profiteering it is unexplainable.

Let me say from the outset that I am a paid-up member of the WIA. Having said that, I agree with everything that Rob has said above. I think the costs of becoming a radio amateur now are a massive step *backwards* and will do unimaginable harm to the hobby by making it an unattractive proposition to sit the exams and become licenced.

I paid for five years membership last year. At the end of the five years, this issue will weigh heavily on my decision whether to remain a member or not.

[Tyranus]

Let me say from the outset that I am a paid-up member of the WIA. Having said that, I agree with everything that Rob has said above. I think the costs of becoming a radio amateur now are a massive step *backwards* and will do unimaginable harm to the hobby by making it an unattractive proposition to sit the exams and become licenced.

I paid for five years membership last year. At the end of the five years, this issue will weigh heavily on my decision whether to remain a member or not.

Exactly the same here...Doh

[robbage]

I was pre-warned so I won't be a member. I thought the WIA were supposed to represent amateur operators much the way a union represents the workers.... oh wait..

[Blinky]

Who have you been emailing with your concerns? Anyone emailed the VK6 WIA Director to see if you get any responses? Cc: a message if you are concerned to all directors and the President or has this been done? A email to the general WIA address could easily be overlooked.

[VK6LD]

1

[VK6LD]

Who have you been emailing with your concerns? Anyone emailed the VK6 WIA Director to see if you get any responses? Cc: a message if you are concerned to all directors and the President or has this been done? A email to the general WIA address could easily be overlooked.

I did it through the WIA Website (http://www.wia.org.au/joinwia/wia/contactwia/) to the WIA President.

[Blinky]

My last e-mail on the topic to the WIA President a few weeks ago seems to have been ignored - Hopefully my Registered Post won't be! I might also send it to AR Magazine to test Editorial Independence.

which is why I suggested a Cc: to all directors,especially the new VK6 director, and VP. This might be a better page to look at.http://www.wia.org.au/joinwia/wia/board/

Not knowing the geography of VK3 but it is possible the president has been otherwise occupied in the past couple of weeks what with the fires over there.


Wonder if it will ever come down to having to be a member to take the exam in the first place.

[Fastlane]

Wonder if it will ever come down to having to be a member to take the exam in the first place.

I think you'll find any rule like that would be illegal and in breach of several acts... (and is probably covered in the secret squirrel contract between WIA and ACMA)

[VK6DF]

yeah but i wouldnt put it past them still.

So can anyone tell me what the WIA actually does??? does anyone know?

[VK6LD]

I think $75.00/year for WIA membership, which includes 10 (or 11) magazines posted to you is pretty good value. There are other services such as the QSL bureau, paying the licences of the WIA broadcast repeaters, that I personally don't make any use of, but I am happy to contribute to.

Certainly much better value than $67.00 (plus event fee, room hire or postage) for a single exam!

[Zebedee]

Yeah - not disputing that the membership fee is used for some good things, but I can't in all good conscience support the ridiculous hike in fees for people wanting to join the hobby.

I think we've managed to price ourselves out of the market, so to speak. I just feel that it's a big leap backwards.

[Tyranus]

Yeah I'm kind of seeing less of an incentive to get my standard or Advanced call at the moment...might look at going straight to the advanced call so that I can "do whatever I want" within the limits of the LCD.