WIA Director stresses importance of clubs promoting ham radio

WIA Director Peter Clee VK8ZZ looks at the difference between the number of newcomers joining the hobby in Australia compared to the UK

WIA News reports:

As we come out of these Covid lockdowns and lockouts we reflect on how it has impacted our Amateur Radio service.

Reports out of the UK shows a significant increase in the number of amateurs sitting exams and becoming licensed. Similar reports are coming out of the US. Unfortunately the same is not true for Australia.

Why is this so!

I cannot for one see why this should be the case. Australia has an extensive club network who can promote Amateur Radio in the community. Sitting examinations should not be difficult, and the procedure for obtaining a callsign and license are well documented and not overly burdensome. So why have we not experienced a notable increase in licensed amateur radio operators? Im not sure!

What can we do about this?

Well firstly it is important for clubs to promote AR.

The club has just appointed a new Club Liaison Officer and he is keen to work with clubs to get the latest contact information onto the WIA web site. A quick look at the number of people accessing the WIA web site is enlightening. There are a large volume of clicks, but if the information is incorrect or outdated it does not lead to any contact, and the candidate probably loses interest. The Board of the WIA encourages clubs to update the club listings to ensure the latest information is available to the public. I also encourage clubs to list activities on the WIA calendar.

If you cannot access your club web site please contact the National Office of the WIA by email for assistance

This has been WIA Director Peter VK8ZZ

Source WIA News
https://www.wia.org.au/members/broadcast/wianews/display.php?file_id=wianews-2021-12-05