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If you would like to add a comment to this "Have Your Say" Section, please Email your response by clicking the post box (below), anonymously if you wish.  I will post anything that is constructive and wont put me in the joint.  NOTHING you post will be edited in any way.  Suggested Topics, the New National WIA, Amateur Gear "Tips and Tricks", ANYTHING AR related.

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GIVE ME A BREAK! - The new National WIA DISASTER, or is it?.

 

12\8\2004

Have we gone from a catastrophe to Armageddon for AR? In the 13 August Edition of the WIA National News, the WIA National President asked .... "What do you want us to do".  If they don't know by now, where in real trouble. After all, they now get all the money from sub's.

 

I wait patiently each week to hear the WIA National News .... LITERALLY... and where lucky to get any.  Not - what are the responsibilities of the new WIA, what they intend to do, just NOTHING.  They put across an attitude that now their is a National body every Amateur is going to run and be a member.  Well I have NEWS for them .... until the WIA actually does some work and truly represents the important interest's of Amateurs they will only head for dooms day ... and unfortunately, that's exactly where I think the WIA is heading, FAST.

 

Further, it seems as they think all they have to do is balance the cheque book as they often refer to the clubs being vitally important.  In other words they want the clubs to do all the work. As an example, they MUST support the many, esp. country repeaters that don't have the members to keep them going financially or they will disappear along with the country AR activity. The Clubs just cant do all the work.  IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN ... Clubs and Individuals are doing more than their fair share now.  I ask you ... what does the WIA do???? ... well, they seem to be representing us to the ACA, but that's about all.  Have they ever saved a chunk of Spectrum from going missing??

 

Now that they have rushed in to this National WIA with different deals with different States, many Amateurs now have to pay sub's to their State Branch and the Federal WIA ... that's a move forward isn't it!!!  How are they going to coordinate anything Nation Wide with this situation???

 

Look around, 95% of anything important that is being done for AR is done by individuals or groups and clubs .... WHY ... because the WIA wouldn't or couldn't do it!  Wherever these people come from and wherever their ideologies come from, they have to realise that they need to start using a Private Enterprise Ideology to get this hobby organised, respected and utilised to A LEVEL IT DESERVES for the benefit of Amateurs and Society generally.

 

Here are just a few things they MUST DO for the survival of our great hobby.

  1. Be FULLY Democratic ... if they are capable.  Have full, open and informed voting systems where you know who and what your voting for.

  2. Aggressively coordinate a National campaign to obtain Gov. Grants for the numerous obvious projects and benefits to AR.

  3. Stop opting out on their responsibilities.  The WIA needs helpers in every State so they are able to coordinate Aust. wide campaigns and projects and get local feed back.  THIS IS NOT A JOB FOR THE CLUBS! ... their already doing more than their fair share.

  4. Start telling us EVERY WEEK exactly what their doing in EVERY area AND IN DETAIL.  (This is what the National News main function is ... isn't it?)

  5. Aggressively represent us to the ACA re Spectrum, BPL ect.  Consider a full time payed expert.

  6. Create a 1800 number that's available 24\7 where interested persons can talk to an Amateur without delay, get sent a comprehensive promotional kit, organise a Shack Demo for them and be put in contact with several nearest AR Clubs\Groups.

  7. Create and coordinate a Nation wide Shack Demo. system for people interested in AR.

  8. Coordinate a National campaign to promote our hobby and inform EVERY Australian about it's existence.

  9. Create Kits for Amateurs wanting to do school demonstrations and for the Head Masters\Mistress and teachers for the different age groups.

  10. Organise an EFFICIENT and accessible exam and marking system Nation wide and country wide.

  11. Start supporting the individuals and clubs that do GREAT THINGS AND MOST OF THE WORK for AR, with financial assistance and support!  ... and GET RID OF THIS DESTRUCTIVE AND CHILDISH ATTITUDE OF .. "well its not the WIA's, so we cant be associated with it" STUPIDITY.  START WORKING TOGETHER! for AR, and stop destroying it. GROW UP!

  12. Get National Presidents\Directors on the 9500 reflector for 2 hours every week to answer questions along with a separate session with the WIA National State "helpers". Be accountable and learn from this, at present non existent interaction with the Amateurs they purport to represent!

I could write 10 pages of what the WIA needs to do, couldn't you??? yet they NEVER seem to have any idea and spend all their time in secret meetings.  It looks BAD, I'm giving them another month and if any group comes along that sounds remotely like they know how to represent AR and are willing to work for this amazing hobby to a level it deserves, well IM WITH THEM!

 

SUBMITTED BY ... Rob ... VK5MM  a long time ago!

 

 

In Reply to Post of 12\8\2004

 

20\4\2006

Hello Rob,

 

I admire the work you do to promote amateur radio. However, I regret  that you found it necessary to publicise the letter by 'anonamouse',  or should I say 'mouse like squeaks'! It is so easy to criticise. It  is much harder to get in and do some work. The WIA is a society of  volunteers who carve out of their leisure, family and work  responsibilties time to put something back into the hobby. As a  member (since 1974) and supporter of the WIA and, someone who  appreciates the work done on our behalf by the directors (all  volunteers) and the officers (all volunteers, with the exception of  the office staff member), I regret the uninformed rubbish proffered  by 'anonamouse'. Perhaps she/he is simply only stirring which might  explain the lack of courage in appending a name.

 

 I am happy for you to publish my comments with my name.

 

 Keep up the good work.   Best wishes and 73

 

 John Dawes    VK5BJE

 

 

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This Page was Last Updated on Monday, 01 May 2006   

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