EDIT: 01/01/2026

There appears to be some confusion as to whether these changes are permanent, a “proposal for trial and experience” or something else. In any case, the advice given is to contact the Contest Manager(s) & I’d recommend the WIA Board with your own personal feedback. Details may be found below:

https://www.wia.org.au/joinwia/wia/volunteers

https://www.wia.org.au/joinwia/wia/board

Contests are a popular aspect of the amateur radio scene. Contesting gives you an opportunity to practice and develop your operating techniques, and to see how well your station is performing. All contests have one main purpose — to get plenty of stations on the air and to increase the opportunities for making contacts.

That quote comes directly from the Wireless Institute of Australia (WIA) Contest website.

So, if that statement is genuinely the guiding principle behind contesting in Australia, I have a simple question:

Why are bands and categories being removed from contests?

Background

In 2022, I was honoured to receive the 2nd Michael J. Owen Distinction Medal from the WIA, awarded in recognition of services to the amateur radio community and the WIA. Because of that, I feel a responsibility to speak up when I believe decisions are being made that actively work against participation and engagement.

I generally avoid being negative. My goal has always been to inspire, promote, and educate amateur radio operators—especially newcomers to the hobby. The WIA is the only organisation equipped to represent the best interests of Australian amateurs both domestically and internationally. It is run by volunteers, most of whom juggle full-time jobs, and I fully acknowledge that things take time and that not everyone will agree.

But this isn’t about personalities or effort.

This is about process, consultation, and direction.

Silent Changes, No Consultation

What follows are my thoughts on several recent changes to WIA contests—changes that were announced only in the loosest sense of the word.

By “announced”, I mean they were quietly published on the WIA website (which many would agree is not exactly intuitive to navigate), and eventually someone noticed. To date, I have seen no consultation, no request for feedback, and no open discussion around these changes.

This stands in stark contrast to the recent WIA bandplan consultation, which was clearly advertised with an excellent process and left open for months for amateur to provide their thoughts.

VHF/UHF Field Day Changes

I raised several concerns directly with the Contest Manager, which I’ll reproduce here for transparency.

(Excerpt from my email)

I’m writing to provide a couple of points of feedback regarding the recent updates to the VHF/UHF Field Day structure, in the interest of clarity and ensuring the events remain as accessible and successful as possible.

Firstly, in the 2025 Spring VHF/UHF Field Day Rules, the Transmission Modes section now lists CW, SSB and DIGI only. I wanted to clarify whether FM, AM and other phone modes are still permitted.

If they are, I think some revision or additional wording may be helpful—at present, the rules may unintentionally imply they’ve been removed, which could lead to confusion for operators and clubs.

Secondly, I was hoping to better understand the rationale behind shifting the Summer and Spring Field Day dates.

I can see the consistency in aligning dates with solstices and equinoxes in the long-term calendar to 2030. However, I’m not convinced this approach always aligns with on-air practicality for VHF and UHF activity.

September (Spring Field Day): Historically poor for 6 m Sporadic-E compared to late November, and less favourable for tropo enhancement in the southern states.

January (Summer Field Day): First weekend of January clashes with peak holidays, travel, camping, and New Year commitments—likely reducing participation.

I appreciate the balancing act involved. I simply believe these points are worth highlighting to ensure we’re positioning Field Days for the strongest possible participation and conditions.

The Response (and the Ongoing Problem)

I did receive a personalised email response, and much of that was repeated in the explanation later detailed in Amateur Radio Issue 6, 2025.

The voice mode confusion was clarified, and the rules were subsequently updated—which is good.

However, as of the date of this article, there are still no published rules for the 2026 Summer Field Day, which happens to be three days away.

The Bigger Issue: Participation vs. Removal

My larger concern is that it seems participants were never consulted.

I’ve since heard that “lack of participation” was cited as justification for removing certain categories—including the Rover category.

I personally know at least one operator who invested significant time, money, and effort into building a rover station specifically for Field Day. Following these changes, he has decided not to participate at all.

Frankly, I don’t blame him.

I ran a quick informal poll among local amateurs asking who intended to operate in the Summer Field Day this weekend—traditionally one of the best-supported events of the year. The results, and accompanying comments, were telling….

What Is the Point of Field Day?

Let’s revisit the stated aims of the VHF/UHF Field Day:

The overriding aim is to get away for the weekend and have fun!

– to encourage more activity on VHF, UHF, and microwave bands
– to encourage people to work greater distances than usual by operating portable
– to provide opportunities for people to activate or work into new grid squares

That last point is directly tied to the Rover category. Removing it has actively undermined the stated purpose of the contest.

John Moyle Field Day: Another Quiet Cut

The next silent change appeared in the John Moyle Field Day (JMFD) rules for 2026 onward: the removal of bands above 70 cm.

These microwave bands are critical for experimentation, progression, and retention—particularly at a time when commercial pressure on spectrum is only increasing.

With equipment like the Icom IC-9700, Icom IC-905, and SG Lab transverters now readily available, getting on these bands has never been easier. In VK7, we’ve seen a clear uptick in 23 cm and above activity, despite challenging terrain. Other states share this same enthusiasm.

So why remove these bands? “Lack of participation” doesn’t hold water.

In the 2025 JMFD:

• Total contacts on 6 m and above: 1085
• Contacts above 70 cm: 343

That’s 31.6%—nearly a third of all contacts. Hardly grounds for elimination. So what is the reason?

There has been no explanation. The only place that I found this was being discussed was on – of all places – on a private Facebook group.

The JMFD was one of only two remaining “all-band” contests (the other being the RD Contest—and there have already been murmurs about removing higher bands from that as well!).

The Core Problem

Everything circles back to one issue: Participation.

If you remove categories, remove bands, and make significant rule changes without consultation, interest will wane. Participation numbers will follow. Especially from those who have historically supported these events and built up stations to participate.

That outcome runs directly counter to the WIA’s own stated objective:

All contests have one main purpose — to get plenty of stations on the air and to increase the opportunities for making contacts.

Where This Leaves Me

Personally, it’s very unlikely I’ll be participating in the Summer VHF/UHF Field Day this weekend. Others have told me the same. Some have used the word boycott. I won’t argue with that description. The John Moyle Field Day may well follow the same path. I had intended to invest in my next band – 10 GHz to improve my portable contesting station, I doubt that will happen now too.

Where to from here?

WIA Board. WIA Contest Committee.

If participation matters, consult the people who participate.

Right now, the direction of travel suggests the opposite.

Over to you.