| |
VK3ZWI > WIAVIC 05.07.04 23:36l 124 Lines 5728 Bytes #999 (0) @ VKNET
BID : 17339_VK3DSE
Read: GUEST
Subj: Revisit the Linton-Harrison Paper
Path: ON0AR<ON0AR<7M3TJZ<ON4HU<LU6DTS<N1UAN<ZL2BAU<VK7AX<VK3AC<VK3AYM<
VK3DSE
Sent: 040705/1125Z @:VK3DSE.#MEL.VIC.AUS.OC #:17339 [Narre Warren] FBB7.00g25
From: VK3ZWI@VK3DSE.#MEL.VIC.AUS.OC
To : WIAVIC@VKNET
Revisit the Linton-Harrison Paper
---------------------------------
Compare what the ACA is proposing in its Outcomes Report for the future of
amateur radio, and the contents of the Linton-Harrison Paper.
Is amateur radio going to just survive, thrive or die? You decide and let the
ACA know your views in writing during July. The ACA email address is
amateurs@aca.gov.au
Your local member of federal parliament will also show interest in your
concerns about the ACA proposals and the future of amateur radio.
Following is a repeat of an original news item announcing the Linton-Harrison
Paper 2003, written well before the World Radiocommunications Conference in
July 2003 and the ACA’s Review of Amateur Service Regulation that began in
August 2003. It is provided in the interest of further discussion.
Amateur radio and the challenge of change
-----------------------------------------
A review of amateur radio, past, present and future by two long-time radio
amateurs has found that major changes are desperately needed to ensure the
hobby can survive.
The authors, Jim Linton VK3PC and Roger Harrison VK2ZRH, through their
research demonstrate that Amateur radio in Australia has been in decline for
the past five or six years, and propose a way forward to address this
serious situation.
Their paper, entitled "Amateur radio and the challenge of change" recommends
major changes to the Australian amateur radio examination and licensing
system. The theme of the paper is that the radio amateur community in
Australia needs sustainable growth.
It is important to encourage people into the hobby who retain their licence
and their interest in amateur radio. A hobby that continues to interest,
challenge or reward them.
The paper states that it is not only a matter of amateur licensee numbers,
but also the need to boost on-air activity by radio amateurs. With fewer
radio amateurs each year, and very few newcomers getting on the air at every
opportunity with their infectious enthusiasm, there is less activity.
Less activity results in existing radio amateurs finding amateur radio less
interesting, and their activity drops off too. It has in recent years led
some to leave the hobby and cancel their licence.
The Linton-Harrison Paper 2003 looks at Class-licensed Wireless Local Area
Network equipment that has sparked an amateur-type boom in non-commercial
wireless networking, throughout Australia.
Increasingly, the Wireless Local Area Network hobbyists are potential future
radio amateurs - if the licensing system can be made attractive to them.
The paper also touches on the declining interest in science and technology
and in technical education in Australia, and how amateur radio could help
boost the attractiveness science and engineering as a career option for young
people.
Linton-Harrison contend that the amateur licensing system and the examination
syllabuses have become irrelevant because they are well behind the times.
The whole licensing structure, the examination system and syllabuses need
a fundamental rethink.
It is essential that a new system of examination for amateur licences must
take into account our prevailing social conditions.
Australia must embrace the ITU Recommendation on amateur qualifications of
August 2001 - and reflect these in its licensing system as quickly as
possible.
Linton-Harrison propose:
An Unrestricted Licence, with all the licence conditions of the existing
AOCP; and An Entry Level Licence, with licence conditions appropriate to the
licensee's understanding of radio system technologies and operations, without
unduly restricting the opportunity to learn by experience
and experiment.
A new syllabus, and thus a new exam system, is needed for both. The authors
say the current AOCP and Novice syllabuses are bloated well beyond the
technical and operational basics needed to ensure essential understanding of
elementary electronics and radio communication systems.
The Linton-Harrison paper does not adopt the framework of the British
Foundation licence. They believe that Australia's new Entry Level Licence
should not be strictly an "operators' licence" - a simple permit to use a
type-approved transceiver.
Entry Level Licensees should be able to enjoy the thrill and satisfaction of
operating a radiocommunication system under as many circumstances and
conditions and on a wide variety of bands across the RF spectrum as they
wish to explore.
This should be in keeping with long-standing amateur radio tradition and in
line with the ITU definition, which says amateur radio exists for the
purpose of self-training, intercommunication and technical investigations.
Under the Linton-Harrison proposal the Unrestricted licence would continue to
enjoy the same licence conditions as the present (Unrestricted) AOCP.
The authors propose that the conditions of Entry Level licensees should
generally provide for access to most amateur bands from 1.8 MHz through to
5.65 GHz, all currently permitted transmission modes, and 100 watts
transmitter output power maximum. Long experience with the Novice Licence
has proved that there is little or no risk in them using 100 watts output
power.
The amateur radio community and the Wireless Institute of Australia must be
ready to take action to revitalise the amateur radio licensing system at the
earliest opportunity.
If action is not taken, the continued decline of amateur radio will lead to
its ultimate demise.
The Linton-Harrison Paper 2003 can be downloaded at
http://www.wiavic.org.au/lintonharrison/
wiavic@wiavic.org.au
www.wiavic.org.au
Read previous mail | Read next mail
| |
