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VK7AX > WIA 30.11.24 12:21z 78 Lines 4378 Bytes #39 (0) @ WW
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Subj: The future of The Commonwealth Contest
Path: SR1BSZ<EA2RCF<CX2SA<VK7AX
Sent: 241130/1219Z @:VK7AX.#ULV.TAS.AUS.OC #:670 [Ulverstone] $:670_VK7AX
From: VK7AX@VK7AX.#ULV.TAS.AUS.OC
To : WIA@WW
The future of The Commonwealth Contest
Date : 26 / 11 / 2024
Author : Peter Clee - VK8ZZ
Commonwealth Contest
The Commonwealth Contest has been run each year, excluding wartime, from 1931 to date.
The Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB) have been the custodians and administrators for the contest for the whole period,
although the original suggestion came from New Zealand.
The Commonwealth Contest participants in 2024 have been asked their preferences for the future of the event and they
overwhelmingly said that ‘we should engage with Commonwealth Country National Radio Societies to negotiate “shared ownershipö
of the contest - with the Commonwealth Contest being included on the contest calendar for each society.
Responsibility for the contest would be shared by Commonwealth countries.’
On that basis, as representatives of the contest participants, the RSGB are asking Commonwealth National Radio Societies to
consider joining a group to share equal ownership of the contest.
The Commonwealth Contest is held for 24 hours in March each year using CW. It is held over the weekend nearest to Commonwealth Day.
It was still very popular in 2024, with over 240 entrants and 15 Commonwealth Headquarters stations active.
One of the unique characteristics of the contest is that it celebrates the Commonwealth and facilitates contacts between
Commonwealth residents over significant distances, without many of the very loud international contest stations outside the
Commonwealth monopolising the contest bands.
The RSGB have approached the National Societies in Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, and the UK to establish a committee.
Proposal for the future
The proposal is that the contest will no longer be called the “RSGBö Commonwealth Contest, but that responsibility would be shared.
Governance would be between a group of National Societies by agreement.
Each Commonwealth National Amateur Radio Society who wishes to take part would nominate representative(s) to form a committee
to govern the contest and to determine future strategy.
In the case of voting on any issue, a simple majority based of one vote per member society will be applied.
Rule changes will be subject to consultation among contest participants.
The committee will elect a chair and secretary who will be responsible for calling meetings and recording discussion points.
We would anticipate that this will be a committee that meets infrequently, and that dialogue will be electronic due to the
variety of time-zones that the Commonwealth enjoys.
On behalf of and under the scrutiny of the Committee, RSGB will publish the contest rules, gather logs from entrants,
adjudicate the contest and publish the results as it has done to date. This is to reuse resources that have already been
developed and not to impose an administrative burden on the other National Societies.
The Committee would manage the awards which could include the introduction of awards for the members of each National Society.
Each society would include the Commonwealth Contest in their contest calendar and will promote the contest in an equivalent
manner to those which they have organised previously, for example through their journals, websites, and social media.
Joint efforts will also be made to encourage participation from Commonwealth countries which have small amateur populations
and less representation.
The RSGB would aim for the new Commonwealth Contest Committee to take responsibility as soon as is practical.
The Wireless Institute of Australia has agreed to continue to participate and support the Commonwealth Contest in 2025
and beyond and have indicated support for this proposal to “share ownershipö of the Commonwealth Contest.
The WIA are seeking expressions of interest of Interest from members who would like to be considered for appointment to the
Commonwealth Contest committee. Please send your expressions of interest to the WIA Secretary for consideration.
We trust that together we can enjoy this historic contest for many years to come.
Peter Clee VK8ZZ
WIA Director and secretary
(Sourced from https://www.wia.org.au/newsevents/news/2024/20241126-1/index.php)
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(Posted to the packet network courtesy Tony VK7AX)
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