WIATAS

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A Short History of the Wireless Institute in Tasmania


       The Tasmanian Division of the Wireless Institute of Australia was 
       formed at a meeting in Hobart on the 21st February, 1923, 
       reportedly, the first president was T.W.Watkins, 7AA, and the 
       secretary W.L.Scanlon, but by the end of the year they had been 
       replaced by O.L.Olden and G.A.Collis.
       The Launceston Wireless Club was granted affiliation in October.

       A split occured amongst the Hobart members and the transmitting 
       experimenters formed the Hobart Radio Experimenters Club, which 
       later was renamed the Hobart Radio Research Club.
       The Tasmanian Division of the WIA was formally incorporated in 
       Launceston in 1925.
       By 1930, the headquarters of the Division was back in Hobart.

       The call 7WI, for the official station of the Division, was first 
       used in 1926 when relaying messages between states.

       The 5th Federal Convention of the WIA was held in Hobart in 1928 
       when the proceedings took 5 1/2 days.   The Convention was also 
       held in Hobart in 1935.

       In 1931 a news bulletin and QSL bureau started.   VK7 notes were first        published in Amateur Radio in Febrary 1934???

       Club callsigns listed in 1929-36 included 7DR, Devonport  Radio 
       Club, 7HR, Hobart Radio Research Club, 7PR Launceston Technical 
       College, 7SR Army Signals Radio Club and 7WI.

       During WW2, with many members absent and transmitting prohibited, 
       there were no meetings held.   After the war there was an 
       enthusiastic reforming of the club which soon had more than 100 
       members.

       The first Northern Notes were published in Amateur Radio in
       December 1934.

       The annual Remembrance Day contest was first held in 1948, but not 
       many VK7s entered due to late publicity, however they won it for 
       the next three years in a row and many times thereafter.

       The annual dinner of the Division was popular event and in 1956 
       was held in Bronte Park, a centrally located village built by the 
       Hydro Electric Commission and now dismantled.

       A state wide get together was held in Campell Town in 1935.       
       Campell Town field days continued until the 1960s.
       Since then, events variously named hamfests or conventions have on 
       occasion been held in Ulverstone, Launceston, Evandale and Hobart.
       In recent years the informal Central Highland Radio Club have held 
       a gathering at Penstock Lagoon each year.