Providing a voice for responsible scanner users in Western Australia
https://warsug.info/
1meg wrote: 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...
Save your bucks to pay for the gilt-edged "choose your own callsign" serviceFastlane wrote: I was considering joining.. the $75/year might be better off in my pocket however.
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.vk6jrc wrote: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.
Exactly the same here...DohZebedee wrote: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.
I did it through the WIA Website (http://www.wia.org.au/joinwia/wia/contactwia/) to the WIA President.Blinky wrote: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.
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/vk6jrc wrote: 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.
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)Blinky wrote:Wonder if it will ever come down to having to be a member to take the exam in the first place.