The Michael Owen Plaque

IARU Region 3's highest scoring single operator at the IARU HF Championship in July will receive the Michael Owen Plaque.

In announcing the new plaque, the Wireless Institute of Australia aims to encourage excellence in IARU Region 3 contesting in memory of his vast work and dedication.

Michael Owen served both the IARU and the WIA over many years. He was involved with the Amateur Radio Service since the 1960s, starting in Victoria, moving to the Federal arena, and served as IARU Vice President from 1989-1999.

At the time of his death he was both the IARU Region 3 Chairman and WIA President. He passed away last September 22, aged 75.

The plaque in his memory is for any mode or bands and shall be awarded annually to the single operator scoring the most points in the IARU HF Championship, run for 24 hours on 13-14  July 2013.

Wireless Institute of Australia website - http://www.wia.org.au/

VK5 National and Conservation Parks Award

There is a new amateur radio award originating in South Australia.

The VK5 National and Conservation Parks Award sponsored by the Adelaide Hills Amateur Radio Society.

The aim of the Award is to encourage portable operation by amateur radio operators from within South Australia’s 21 National Parks and 262 Conservation Parks.

The Award is open to Activators, Hunters (those who work Activators) and Short Wave Listeners.

And the award is not limited to VK5 operators solely. Applications for the award are welcomed from interstate and overseas amateurs and Short Wave Listeners.

Contacts made after the 14th of April, 2013 are valid for the Award.

There are five levels of the Award: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum and Diamond, with a certain number of points being required for each level.

Separate certificates are available for all 5 levels and an optional glass etched trophy is also available for those attaining Diamond status.

More information can be found on the Adelaide Hills Amateur Radio Society website at http://www.ahars.com.au

And there is also a VK5 National & Conservation Parks Award Yahoo Group site which can be found at au.groups.yahoo.com/group/sanpcpa

Radio Ham wins AF Harvey Engineering Research Prize

Prof. Hugh Griffiths FREng, G4CNV, has been awarded the AF Harvey Engineering Research Prize.

The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) say Griffiths is one of the big names in radar research, specifically bistatic radar, and as one of its non-military uses is geophysical remote sensing, the globe serves as a reminder of the international importance of his work. The £300,000 cheque will enable him to continue his investigations in bistatic radar.

Bistatic radar is where the transmitter and receiver are located separately, rather than using a single antenna.

Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) article Taking radar to another level - http://www.theiet.org/membership/member-news/32/main-feature.cfm