Additional general news items can be found on the General News page.

The next Foundation Licence Training/Assessment Weekend is scheduled for September 20th and 21st.

If you are interested in becoming an Amateur Radio Operator, you can download the Licence Training and Assessment Information and Application document.

June 22nd, 2008 - Need some easy to follow, not-overly-technical reference information on simple antennas? You may care to download the FREE online antenna "Book" donated by N4JA "Understanding Antennas for the Non-technical Ham". You will find it down the centre of the page before quite a lot of other useful antenna design information.
February 26th, 2008 - A Foundation Licence training session was conducted in Bendigo on Saturday, March 25th with a follow-up assessment on Sunday, March 26th. Four candidates, three female and one male, participated and were rewarded with a successful assessment. They have already applied for their licences and are now eagerly awaiting their formal issue. Four more local amateurs added to the ranks.

If you are interested in joining the expanding realm of amateur radio operators, why not take the first step using the Contact link on the left and start today.
February 18th, 2005 - The Midland Amateur Radio Club will be conducting Saturday training sessions for the Foundation license providing there are at least 6 candidates. Assessments may be conducted the following day or at a later date.

Please contact the club using the Contact link on the left if you are interested in attending or if you are just seeking assessment.
February 18th - Central Goldfields Amateur Radio Club recently had 7 candidates successfully pass their Foundation License Training and Assessment course. Assessors from the Midland Amateur Radio Club have passed another 6 from the Bendigo area.
February 8th - A 7 year-old girl has now qualified for her Foundation Licence and is set to become Australia's youngest radio amateur.

Michelle Ampt of Melbourne was inspired when her 9-year old sister Janice VK3FIRE recently gained her licence. At the age of 7-years and 4-months, Michelle is among the world's youngest to qualify for a ham ticket, with at least two six-year olds overseas.

The first 300 will have qualified for their Foundation Licence by the end of next week
February 5th - The WIA Broadcast - 147.250MHz, 11 am local Sundays - announces Foundation licences to be allowed transmitter power of 10 watts all permitted modes.

Robert Broomhead, WIA Director, says - As the new amateur licence structure, including the Foundation licence, came into effect on 19 October 2005, WIA President Michael Owen, VK3KI, said that our only regret is that we believe that the power limit of 3 watts for AM, FM and CW for the Foundation licence, while perfectly logical, is unrealistic given the output power of commercially available equipment, particularly older equipment, and that the power limit should be 10 watts. Michael had already advised ACMA that the WIA believed that a power output limit of 10 watts would not result in any difficulties but would enable the use of many older transmitters, particularly VHF transmitters, that would be attractive to the Foundation licensees.

The WIA has now been advised by ACMA , Following reconsideration of the issues involved, it is agreed, under the Foundation licence, to permit a transmitter output power of 10 Watts pX (PEP) on all permitted emission modes instead of the present 10 Watts pX for J3E emissions and 3 Watts pY (Average Power) for all other permitted emissions. The change will formally come into effect with the other amendments to the Amateur LCD into force in some months time.

The WIA President said that the WIA welcomed ACMA's decision, which should assist many Foundation licensees, and was grateful that the regulator was prepared to make an early announcement.

Created 2005 by Kevin Crockett. Comments and suggestions may be e-mailed to