Wellington VHF Group, Inc: Online.

From an announcement “Digital Divide Information Release”, by MED, 24 December 2009.

"The present analogue licences in the UHF band will cease at Digital Switch Over (DSO), and any required digital television licences will be provided in the VHF bands thereafter. Discussions will be held with amateurs to confirm the preferred approach to allowing television use in the 54 – 68 MHz band.

The following VHF band allocations will also come into effect after DSO:

* 50 – 51 MHz: radio amateur non-television use on an exclusive basis
* 51 – 54 MHz: radio amateur non-television use on a shared basis."

See this link to view the MED announcement

This is not the preferred outcome we have pitched for. Having our ATV allocation shifted to VHF was not an option we preferred.

This from ZL2HD...

Wellington City Council (WCC) have been looking into the issue of utilities and their impact on the community. As a response, they have drafted changes to the district plan section on utilities. The changes are contained in Change 74 (DPC 74) which has just closed for submissions.

The changes deal with towers, road side cabinets and earthworks, possibly mainly aimed at telcos.

Wellington VHF Group and Wellington Amateur Radio Club Branch 50 (WARC) made a joint submission, NZART made a submission (By Mike ZL1BNB; the NZART Local Government Liaison Officer (LGO)), as well as David ZL4TAC (President, Branch 50) and Bob ZL2GF (member of both branches).

The summary is on the WCC Site and is interesting reading.

We have to comment on the submission in early Dec 2009 and Bob ZL2GF has information that we will be presenting on our submission in Feb 2010. WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT.

A pro-forma for a submission to the WCC in support of submissions made by ZL2HD and two Wellington radio clubs on behalf of Wellington amateurs, is available from the NZART Website. Submissions Close at 5pm Friday 4 December!

Thanks to Mike, David and Bob for their good efforts and to others who have provided good input and experience to help us understand how to work with the WCC to get a "ham friendly" outcome. Particular thanks to Mike ZL1BNB for creating the useful pro-forma template, and guiding the submissions process.

At their meeting on 11 June 2009 the executive committee of Wellington VHF Group Inc commissioned a strategy for the development of digital ATV for the Group.

The strategy document has now been released. We thank the two authors who have contributed Ralph ZL2TV, and Doug ZL2TAR, for their efforts.

We are arranging to publish this in the next issue of Q-Bit Journal. In the meantime, anyone who wants can obtain a copy in portable document format (PDF) on request from the President. Email zl2wa@clear.net.nz, or use the Automatic Email Form on our website.

The MED have invited response to their discussion paper concerning the replanning of the 806-960MHz band to achieve greater spectrum efficiency.

Your committee commissioned committee members to research and produce a submission. This has now been finalised and submitted to RFS, MED.

The MED have invited response to their scoping paper concerning a future review of spectrum of interest to us. The decisions that will result from this process are seen as pivotal to the future of the amateur allocations of 50MHz-54MHz, and 614MHz-622MHz.

In it’s advocacy role, your committee consider this matter to be of vital importance, and we are concerned that every effort be made to secure the amateur position. Accordingly, we have commissioned committee members to research and produce a submission to respond to the MED. During preparation, this submission paper has been widely circulated and has undergone thorough scrutiny.

Our submission has now been finalised, and has been submitted to the MED RFS. Those with a particular interest in viewing this submission, can approach ZL2TGQ for a copy. The Ministry will publish the submissions in due course.

This from ZL2AMJ:

Information about two important new documents appears in the 9 April 2009 issue of "RSM Newsflash", an online release from Radio Spectrum Management (RSM):

For your interest and consideration!

Further information can be drawn from the Radio Spectrum Management Website.

An interesting point for consideration in Amateur circles; perhaps more in the HF space but definately a subject to be wary of.

George Boorer ZL3PN was recently featured in the Otago Daily Times commenting on his experiences with an energy saving lightbulb.

What do you think? Is Halogen the answer? Should incandescent bulbs be retained on sale (perhaps more expensively) as a useful alternative for some situations? Or do the energy savers need a complete rethink?

Mark Foster ZL1VMF is interested in your thoughts. Please use the Contact Us link to send him your feedback. Also vote on the Poll he has on his site and then keep an eye on it for what others think....

Yes, another year has come and gone. It is four years since the Limited and General Licences were amalgamated at 0000 NZST on Thursday the 17th of June 2004.

Please join Branch 74 in celebrating the anniversary, by checking in as above.

Thanks must go to Fred Johnson, the NZART ALO at the time and the current Advisor to the Wellington VHF Group, who brought this significant improvement in Amateur licence conditions.

The April meeting was our remit night, and all the remits were discussed and a position formed. Two delegates were nominated and the matter of expenses was covered. Due to conference being far away, we agreed to contribute to the costs of one delegate.

Bruce ZL2WP, NZART President also gave us some good input on the remits, and helped us to understand some of them.

Bruce and Brian ZL2BRF also presented a certificate from NZART to David ZL2SX for his outstanding service to NZART as a Councillor, FMTAG chairman and other jobs.