From: richardm@runx.oz.au (Richard Murnane)
Newsgroups: aus.radio
Subject: Re: VMA broadcasting on amateur bands
Date: 3 Oct 92 21:24:16 GMT
Distribution: aus
Organization: RUNX Un*x Timeshare.  Sydney, Australia.

[My apologies if you see this a second time. Runx told me the spool directory
was full, but managed to get it "on the news" locally, but wouldn't let
me cancel it. So I doubt it actually left the site - RM]

In article <9746@kralizec.zeta.org.au> craig@kralizec.zeta.org.au (Craig Dewick) writes:
>
>While reading the latest copy of ARA yesterday, it struck me as rather strange
>that the WIA should get so pig-headed about VMA broadcasting on the amateur
>bands to say farewell to those who have supported the station in the early
>days.
Craig, the station was operating on the bands without a license or a valid
amateur callsign, without the permission of DoTC to do so. They were
conducting a broadcast (in this case a continuously running message).
Only the WIA and ANARTS has permission to conduct broadcasts on the
Australian amateur bands. If they had any
right to be there, do you think DoTC would have closed them down? 
ARA's editor doesn't appear to have asked a few basic questions about
the matter, but then, why let a few facts get in the way of an opportunity
to bash the WIA?
 
>I was rather shocked to see the transcript that was printed on page 16 of the
I don't know if you're referring to the extract from the VK2 broadcast (which
*I* wrote), but examine carefully the words ARA uses to describe the item:
"boasting a hollow victory". Boasting in what way? It is a function
of the WIA to help keep non amateurs from operating illegally on our bands;
sometimes you have to show "visible" results, otherwise the members don't
always see where their money is going (there's an awful lot amateurs take
for granted as it is). And what does Chris mean by "hollow victory"? The
WIA had a job to do, and it did it. No big deal - I'm sure Bill Roper wasn't
laughing at the Army, though Chris might have you believe it to be so.

>current issue (September 1992, issue 15, # 5). How can it be said that a
>military station is 'pirating' on the amateur bands, when the military is
>controlled by the same government that regulates the use of the EM spectrum in
>Australia?
By this logic, they should be allowed to use any frequency anywhere - how
would you feel if they started broadcasting over your favourite music
adio station, or on top of your cellular phone conversation. This is
Australia, not some third world backwater where the Army can do what it likes.
Also by your logic, it should be perfectly permissible for amateurs to operate
on VMA's frequencies (or anyone else's, since we're all "regulated" by the
same government). Perhaps you could explain this one.

> 
>The people at the WIA who complained so bitterly were obviously unaware of the
It was members who complained to the WIA. WIA responded. Those amateurs who
have no organisation to represent them (i.e. non-members) could only sit
and swear about it. Did you expect the WIA to say to its members: "go away,
it's the army - we mustn't rock the boat"?

>significance of amateurs when the station was set up. An uncle of mine worked
>at Digger's Rest for a time, and he was quite disapproving of the action taken
>against VMA.
Frankly, this is bullshit. If the Army wanted to 'thank' amateurs as ARA
would have us believe, it could have done a number of things besides pirate
themselves on the band. For example, they could:

   1) Open the station to the public, invite local amateur clubs to visit
      and operate the station, using a special callsign such as VI3VMA.

   2) *Tell* the amateur community that they intended to do farewell
      broadcasts; to my knowledge, VMA dis not bother to inform the WIA
      of the proposed activity, so that amateurs around the country could
      listen out.

   3) They could have conducted their broadcast ON THEIR OWN FREQUENCIES
      and invited reports.

   4) Donate decommissioned equipment to the WIA, clubs, museums etc. I have
      heard no plans that they intend to do this.

> 
>I guess the WIA thinks it is it's duty to 'purify' the amateur bands of piracy,
Yes, it is. Better one uninformed whinger, then thousand of members with
a legitimate gripe that the WIA wasn't responding to their concerns. Pity that
the one whinger happens to edit a magazine...

>which is fair enough when it's genuine, but in the case of VMA, the piracy
>claims were quite inappropriate.
I disagree - VMA has (or had) to play by the same rules as anyone else.
Remember, it was DoTC that put them off air - the WIA simply alerted them
to the illegal use of the band.

Craig, I get the impression you're new to Amateur Radio in Australia. After
a while, you'll start to realise who ARA speaks for: (in my opinion) not
amateurs, not its readers (it's only in the latest issue that ARA has
started printing letters again - one from DoTC, and one from a 'name
withheld' whinger. Oh, and a dozen or joke letters that Chris thought
would amuse us.). ARA speaks for its *advertisers* (which is reasonable
enough, considering it is a commercial magazine). You need only count
the number of news items which make direct reference to ARA advertisers,
the predominance of "advertorial" items (with the resultant dearth of
technical meat). This too is okay, I guess, but not when he pontificates
about the WIA.

If you read ARA more critically, and compare it with other magazines,
you'll see what I mean.

Hopefully, one day, you'll also learn to recognise propaganda when you
see it.


>-- 
>Craig Dewick               | Railway Preservation Industries - Working to
>craig@kralizec.zeta.org.au | Advance the Preservation of Australian Railways
                              ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
No doubt in the past, the railways have been of immense benefit to the
armed forces, and perhaps they'd like to 'thank' the railways some day...
I presume you have no objection to the military driving their vehicles
all over the railway lines, regardless of whether any trains might
be using them at the time. :-)

Regards,
Richard.


-- 
Richard P. Murnane                     "Making it up? Making it up? Why should
Internet: richardm@runx.oz.au          I want to make anything up? Life's bad
UUCP:     uunet!runx.oz.au!richardm    enough without inventing more of it."
Packet:   VK2SKY @ VK2RWI.NSW.AUS.OC   - Marvin the Paranoid Android
Newsgroups: aus.radio