Proposed changes to amateur licence conditions

[VK5ZD]

I don't see anything about getting rid of the four-letter suffix which is going stop the use of digital modes anyway.

The LCD (or the Act) doesn't specify the format for call signs, so that could still be changed by ACMA.

[VK2KRR]

Wayne, A lot can be done with 10 watts, an efficient antenna, low loss feed line and the right Ionospheric or Tropospheric conditions.

I've been running about 90mW (milli watts) on 6m WSPR during the week days and have been heard in VK4, from my 5/8 wave omni vertical.

My most distant tropospheric signal is from AIS marine tracking 162 MHz only 12 Watts from an omni at 2938 km.

2664 km to and from VK6DZ on 432 MHz WSPR with 10 Watts each end.

I dont think 10 watts should be classes as 'ridiculous' personally.

[VK4WDM]

Wayne, A lot can be done with 10 watts, an efficient antenna, low loss feed line and the right Ionospheric or Tropospheric conditions.

I've been running about 90mW (milli watts) on 6m WSPR during the week days and have been heard in VK4, from my 5/8 wave omni vertical.

My most distant tropospheric signal is from AIS marine tracking 162 MHz only 12 Watts from an omni at 2938 km.

2664 km to and from VK6DZ on 432 MHz WSPR with 10 Watts each end.

I dont think 10 watts should be classes as 'ridiculous' personally.

Yes, 10w is fine for digital weak signal work, especially on VHF, but most hams with a FL use SSB and will continue to use it when digi modes are available to them because they like to chat.

Ever tried using 10w of SSB on a crowded 40m or 80m band especially under the current propagation conditions? It results in total frustration for both the F call and those who are trying to work them.

Wayne VK4WDM

[VK3RX]

I had a Novice licence for a year, at the bottom of a sunspot cycle. Power for that licence was 10w AM and 30w PEP SSB, and limited to only 80, 15 & 10m.

I did OK locally and DX-wise SSB only, and I recall I had something like 80 countries for the DXCC without chasing very hard.

Antennas were dipoles and a vertical.

So it is doable with low power, not always easy, but it was motivation to upgrade, which is one of the reasons for the power level