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<H1>VK licence figures show strength</H1>
<P><FONT face=Tahoma>Up <STRONG>until 2005</STRONG> Australia was, like very
many other countries, experiencing a continuing decline in the number of amateur
radio licences.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Tahoma>In that year at <STRONG>30 June there were 14,041
licences</STRONG>, down from 15,017 in 2001, as a combined result of silent
keys, others just losing interest in amateur radio and fewer new entrants into
the hobby.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Tahoma>In late 2005 the VK licence system was restructured
including the introduction of the new entry level Foundation Licence. The
abolition of the mandatory Morse code proficiency licence requirement for bands
below 30MHz occurred on 1 January 2004.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Tahoma>Total licence numbers have grown each year since 2005 even
though the departures from amateur radio continue to occur due to mainly to
death or age-related impairment and the inability to continue the activity in
retirement or aged care accommodation.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Tahoma>The Wireless Institute of Australia’s annual <STRONG>report
last month had 15,670 amateur licences as at 1 April 2010</STRONG>,
<STRONG>continuing the trend of year-on-year growth since
2005</STRONG>.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Tahoma>That was made up of 11,120 Advanced, 2,042 Standard and
2,054 Foundation.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Tahoma>There were also 454 repeater and beacon
licences.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Tahoma>In the past 12 months the number of Foundation Licence
candidates has reduced, while there is a reasonable level of upgrading from the
Foundation to the Standard and Advanced licences, and direct entry candidates
mostly from technical backgrounds to the higher licence grades.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Tahoma>Earlier this year the WIA, as part of its Centenary
celebrations planning, decided to take the opportunity to step up its efforts
and provide resources to radio clubs so they can seek quality publicity about
the activity of amateur radio.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Tahoma>Club generated reports about the WIA’s centenary are
starting to appear in the news media around the nation. Many more are expected
as clubs conduct their rostered use of the special callsign
<STRONG>VK100WIA</STRONG>, often in association with a public event.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Tahoma> </FONT></P>
<P><STRONG><EM><FONT face=Tahoma>Jim Linton
VK3PC</FONT></EM></STRONG></P></DIV></BODY></HTML>