Services
                    that may interest our members

In a hurry !!, then just click on the following headings to jump to that information
Alternate email address                       QSL Bureau                          Intruder Watch

Purchase and Sale of Deceased Estate and Disposals equipment (a service to members) DETAILS

Alternate email address - "yourcall@wia.org.au "

       Our web site does not currently have an email server so we can't help you with yourcall@arnsw.org.au as an alternate email address. However the WIA (National) web site does have this facility. We have had a look at a few alternatives but I don't think we can currently provide a better service than that which the WIA(National) now provides.
       So long as you are a WIA (National) member you can avail yourself of this service. What ! you don't get AR magazine, you'll never ever know what you are missing, join up now ! www.wia.org.au for details.
      Having an email address which includes your Ham callsign is a great way to communicate with other Hams and suppliers, they know straightaway who they are dealing with, instead of whtsamajig@funnyname.net.wherever which does not tell them anything.
      Even overseas suppliers respond to an email address showing your callsign and great for QSL's as if you change your ISP and get a new email address, you simply change your redirection and yourcall@wia... follows you. In fact I was chatting to a Ham in the UK just recently and he QSL's via email to his ozcontact@wia.or..  by default on the off chance that his contact has the redirection in place and only rarely does it bounce back to him un-answered.

WIA (National) Email Service
       This  WIA email service is only available for WIA (National) members. This service is an email redirection, where yourcall@wia.org.au  is redirected to your current private email address, which can be updated and changed on-line at the WIA site, whenever you change ISPs.

So jump to http://www.wia.org.au/email/index.php and apply for this FREE ! redirection service (to WIA members). Use the same page to change or update your details.

QSL Bureau - NSW

       I guess the first thing to decide is if you are going to actually exchange cards or take care of the QSL by email or some such. Many Hams and SWLs enjoy receiving and sending cards, some have huge collections reminding them of enjoyable, difficult or valued contacts. Lets assume you are going to exchange cards.
       For NSW Amateur Radio operators there are a couple of ways to deal with your QSL cards both incoming and outgoing.
       Firstly you could arrange to send or receive them via surface or airmail (depending on whether in Australia or overseas) between yourself and the Ham you contacted. A variation on this theme is to send / receive them from the QSL Bureau in the state or country of contact. This works OK but is costly and if between individuals, cards can go astray.
       Secondly you can bundle all your cards off to your local QSL Bureau and likewise get your contacts to send theirs to you via their own QSL Bureau to your local Bureau. This can often take longer than personal posting of cards but is usually a much cheaper way of doing it, especially if you send or receive a fair number of cards. It is also good in that you can standardize your return path i.e. to your local QSL Bureau, you only need to keep your local Bureau up to date with your own address and all the cards will find you, even if you move. Same the other end if your contact does the same with their Bureau.
       Again a variation of this is where a Ham will designate another Ham or person to be their QSL Manager, with the message to "send all QSLs to .........", this has the same benefits as using a QSL Bureau.

      The reason sending your cards via a QSL Bureau is slower is that they take advantage of bulk posting rates. They hold onto your cards for a short while when sorted into destination district or country and then sending them in bulk to that district or country. Cards on their way to you from your local Bureau will arrive in a bundle, again to save postage.

       In NSW we have long had a QSL Bureau, essentially run by members of the Westlakes ARC and funded by the then WIA(NSW Division). Recently its management and financing were handed over to the WIA(National) as part of the "Agreement" between them and what is now the ARNSW, as has happened with the QSL Bureaux in most parts of Australia..

      Currently in NSW this service is FREE to financial members of the WIA(National). Members of other clubs, organizations and even Westlakes ARC must join WIA(National) to avail themselves of this service. There are no arrangements to use the QSL Bureau service by itself, you must join the WIA.
      However as part of the 'Agreement" between WIA(National) and ARNSW our members who were financial at the time of the signing can access this service for a short period from that time. I understand this only applies to the NSW QSL Bureau and before sending cards you should check with the Bureau on the expiry date of this arrangement.

Mailing address is :

       In the case of the NSW QSL Bureau, I understand that incoming non member's cards are usually stored, unsorted, for a period, and if not picked up by the non members, they are then sent to the WIA(National) office and held for a period of time. I would expect the same thing happening to cards returned to the Bureau by the Postal service as "address unknown".

Other States and Territories of Australia

        Similar arrangements are usually available to Hams and SWLs in other states and territories of Australia in that there are QSL Bureaux organized by the WIA(National) in that area. Check the WIA web site for details HERE

Intruder Watch

    The WIA Intruder Watch service is an agreed mechanism between the ACMA and the National WIA to identify and investigate (compliance) action to remove non-amateur intruders which are causing substantial interference to Australian amateurs in amateur HF frequency bands which are designated by the ACMA for exclusive use by amateurs.
    The ACMA interprets substantial interference as that level of interference which degrades reception by a considerable degree. Also the ACMA is obliged under the Intruder Watch mechanism to investigate and a much as practical resolve intrusions into amateur HF bands in which Australian amateurs have Primary status.

It should be noted that :
     - The Intruder Watch resolution mechanism cannot be applied to localized electrical noise
     - The Intruder Watch service is NOT designed to deal with amateur-amateur issues. This remains a
        matter between the amateurs involved and the ACMA.

      This is it in a nutshell, go to either the ACMA web site (Licencing and Interferance FAQ page) HERE or to the WIA (National) Intruder Watch page HERE for further and more complete information on the actual procedures.    Together they have developed a standard Intruder Watch reporting form, which is available as an Excel spreadsheet or a Word document  which may be downloaded from the WIA (National) Intruder Watch page.

        If you don't have access to Excel or Word, please send your reports as a plain text email, listing the following details:
             - Date
             - Time start (UTC)
             - Duration
             - Frequency
             - Emission
             - Bandwidth (KHz)
             - Signal Strength
             - Estimated Location / Bearing
             - Your Location
             - Comments
       Completed Intruder Watch report forms or reports should be emailed to intruders@wia.org.au . Any questions on the Intruder Watch service should also be sent to this address. Alternatively, you could FAX completed reports to 07 4054 4783.

G.C. Dunstan VK4DU, National Intruder Watch Coordinator

Webmaster -
The information above is a excerpt from the National WIA "Intruder Watch" page on http://www.wia.org.au  with additional website information.