QNEWS -NOVEMBER 12 2023 - VK4 ON AIR ------------ DID YOUR CLUB TELL ANYONE ABOUT AMATEUR RADIO THIS WEEK? IPSWICH AND DISTRICT AR CLUB DID.

As this bulletin goes to air in most locations on Sunday morning, Ipswich

WICEN group is again providing safety communications to runners taking part in the rescheduled Mount Glorious Trail event.

Following this event Ipswich WICEN will take a break until the next event next year being the Mount Glorious Trail on April 28, 2024.

We might have set a record for approving new memberships at the club's October business meeting. A total of five were endorsed as new members.

Welcome to the club, Paul VK4PMC, Brett VK4DSN, Alan VK4AJG, Mike VK4MAQ and Christopher VK4CAP.

John VK4MUD will open the clubhouse on Saturday November 18 at 1400 hours for anyone who would be interested in using and working the club’s HF transceiver and beam, and possibly working some local stations and DX stations as well. If you're new to amateur radio, call in and see what you can work.

In other news from Ipswich – the Christmas BBQ will again be held at Kholo Gardens picnic area from 10 am on November 25. Members, friends and visiting amateurs are very welcome to attend. BBQs are available and it’s BYO food, drinks and chairs.

Reporting from Ipswich this is Allan, VK4HIT.

Hello, I’m Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I’ve been thinking.

To re-use the old TV program title, well “That Was The Week That Was”. If you want to upset many amateurs you turn off the bands and when the CME-induced flare hit the HF Bands were placed in recess.

I wonder how many of us have considered the benefits of incentives. I mean not only the awards, and contest places for those who are fondly known as paper hangers but to the average amateur whose interests lie in other areas of this wide cluster of pursuits. I know that we have a series of awards given out by the WIA but what about local recognition and providing an information stream to encourage people?

At times I think we can be too parochial and restrictive in what is made available to people and we need to recognise that there are many more amateur radio operators than there are club members or members of the WIA. It is well and good to provide ways for club members to get recognition within the club and even to read the honours lists and be able to say, “Hey, she’s one of us, she’s a ham” when we see they have been gonged. However is there a way that we can do this and include all the local amateur cohort in the recognition?

I think that being able to nominate others for recognition is important and being able to share with the community is of great benefit to our hobby as well.

When it is within the boundary of a small organisation it may be less effective if the majority aren’t embraced in the scheme.

Should we be able to set up a way of recognising people and potentially put their achievements out to the local media, even get pictures of them receiving a token such as a plaque or a certificate which can feature in the local media and perhaps Amateur Radio magazine?

Now I am not suggesting that this replace any methods of recognition that clubs give their members but can we do this as well? Many things can provide a sense of camaraderie and maybe a presentation of the Golden Sausage to the member who felt best supported the sausage sizzle fundraising is as worthy of praise as a President’s award and maybe it would get more involvement in social activities amongst members.

What I am trying to do is encourage the brainstorming that suits people locally and encourages participation in more facets of amateur radio. I think that is a good thing…. How about you?

I’m Geoff Emery VK4ZPP