WIA POLL NUMBER 1: FOUNDATION CALLSIGN STRUCTURE

[VK4ADC]

From text edition for  : http://www.wia.org.au/members/broadcast/wianews/

Also in MP3 edition of news available at: http://www.wia-files.com/podcast/wianews-2020-04-05.mp3

BY WIA DIRECTOR VK4JJW JOHN WILLIAMS

You may have heard about, or seen some information that was published this week about the ACMA having made a final decision about the Amateur Radio Foundation Callsigns issue.
THAT WAS INCORRECT.

To set the record straight and avoid any more confusion, I'm going to read, word for word, a statement issued last Tuesday from the Manager, Spectrum Licensing Policy, Australian Communications and Media Authority, and with his authorisation.

I quote:
"ACMA staff have been considering submissions on call sign policy from both the WIA and R.A.S.A, chiefly to facilitate access to digital modes by foundation licensees. This follows the ACMA making the enabling regulatory changes to the amateur LCD in 2019. The Australian Maritime College (AMC) administers aspects of amateur radio on behalf of the ACMA, and the ACMA will seek the views of the AMC before making a decision on call sign policy. The ACMA will notify amateur radio stakeholders, and will update its website, when it makes a final decision on this matter."
Unquote.

I'd just add here that breaking ACMA confidentiality by releasing prematurely, unconfirmed privileged information is inappropriate, and the WIA will not breach the ACMA's trust and as such, wont release ACMA information until ratified to do so.
I'm John VK4JJW

[VK4ADC]

Next step in the saga....   From RASA....  https://vkradioamateurs.org/3-letter-cal...what-next/

3-LETTER CALLSIGNS FOR FL – SECTOR DYSFUNCTION – WHAT NEXT?

04/04/2020  rasaorg

RASA notes the somewhat colourful piece from WIA Director VK4JJW on the news broadcast this weekend regarding the recent ACMA decision on three letter callsign suffixes. 
This matter is of significant importance, and one would have thought the WIA President, to whom the ACMA communicated, would be front and centre… where is he?
The facts of the matter are:

• in an email to both Presidents of 30th March, ACMA advised that they had reached a decision on three letter callsigns for Foundation Licensees;
  
  
• the information was not embargoed; and
  
  
• the RASA press release noted that the arrangements would be discussed with AMC, and that implementation could take some time.
  

What this is really about is that the ACMA made it plain in their email that they were unhappy with the current conflicting representations by the WIA and RASA…and that this situation could not continue.
The ACMA are, in fact, representing the views of the sector – every amateur we speak to is sick and tired of the politics that beset Amateur Radio in VK.
RASA have advised ACMA that, on numerous occasions, we have sought cooperation with WIA management. 
On 20th March we received correspondence from Mr Peter Clee, the WIA Secretary stating, “Please cease and desist sending unwanted emails to me.”  This is hardly helpful…
The inability of the WIA and RASA to cooperate over the three letter callsign issue has effectively wasted five months.  Five months in which FLs could have fully utilised their new privileges. 
FLs are the future of our hobby, and yet they are effectively pawns in a pointless battle between the two sector bodies….
The current enmity between RASA and the WIA is seriously disadvantaging all amateurs and impeding progress of our hobby. 
It has reached farcical proportions. 
It has to stop.
It isn’t all doom and gloom, however.  We are pleased to report that on 31st March, the Presidents of the WIA and RASA had a productive 30-minute telephone call to discuss how the current situation could be resolved.
From our perspective, it often seems like we are dealing with two separate WIA management structures…
We do not engage in futile and divisive debates on social media and we encourage others to do the same.  RASA will continue our work in supporting the hobby, representing amateurs to the ACMA and helping newcomers.
More updates as they come to hand.

[VK4ADC]

I have occasionally been checking the WIA, AMC and RASA web sites and nothing has been forthcoming about the revised callsign opportunities. over a month on from the last post about it.

Has anyone heard/read something - anything - that is concrete proof that this is proceeding ?? Please advise.

The AMC web site area showing available callsigns has not been altered - it still shows Foundation still only having access to the F-series callsigns - so it hasn't been implemented there as yet.