License Issue Timescales

[VK3BA]

For those of you that have recently received your new F-Call license, how long did it take to be registered once your exam papers were submitted to the WIA office? It used to be that new licensees went to the top of the queue and usually went live after approx four to five days. Is this still the case now?

Cheers,

[VK3BA]

Is this still the case now?

It now seems not to be the case anymore.

21 calendar days and still waiting for three newbies to go through...

Cheers,

[VK4TI]

Is this still the case now?

It now seems not to be the case anymore.

21 calendar days and still waiting for three newbies to go through...

Cheers,

There were rumours of one day a month being issue day , unless the person was away , didn't feel like it or what ever happens to delay . Same ol' same ol'

[ZL3MH]

In ZL I think it's instant! As soon as you pass, as soon as you get a calll sign.

I thinks NZART do it ! Not Sure ?

Murray ZL3MH

[VK2FIFA]

Hi Guys

Sat exam for F-call, on air 9 working days later.

Sat exam for A-call, three weeks ago and been advised not to expect the upgrade for another 3~4 weeks.
Thanks - Waiting In Anticipation

George VK2FIFA

[VK5ZD]

Sat exam for A-call, three weeks ago and been advised not to expect the upgrade for another 3~4 weeks.

Been advised by who??

[VK2FIFA]

Was advised by the WIA.

[VK5HP]

ACMA have 10 days to process you're application, But that's when they have received it from the WIA.

Below is part of a email sent to me when I emailed them about my licence upgrade....


I have your application and we received it on the 23/10/2012 from the WIA, and it will be processed in date order, we have a maximum of 10 working days to complete it.

73 Paul

[VK2FIFA]

ACMA have 10 days to process you're application, But that's when they have received it from the WIA.

Below is part of a email sent to me when I emailed them about my licence upgrade....


I have your application and we received it on the 23/10/2012 from the WIA, and it will be processed in date order, we have a maximum of 10 working days to complete it.

73 Paul

My application has not yet been processed and forwarded to the ACMA by the WIA.

[VK5HP]

Both times the WIA sent my certificate and forward my application to ACMA in around 7 days.

Have you tried emailing WIA to see how long it might take.

Have you checked to see if the call sign you asked for has been removed from the list?

http://www.wia.org.au/licenses/licensing/publiclist/

That's off course if you paid the extra for one that you wanted and not the lucky dip option

[VK3PF]

Hi all,

This begs a couple of questions, related to the entire process.

Remember that the process is:
Assessment event is held and the Assessor sends off the paperwork to the WIA via Australia Post.
Once received by WIA, it is processed in order of date received, with a 10 day processing time allowed. BUT what if there is an error in the paperwork from the Assessor? - Simple, it is sent back to the Assesser for clarification of details, again via Australia Post. It may take a few days for delivery & for the Assessor to sort out the details, then send the paperwork before sending back to WIA via Australia Post. Why all by AussiePost - audit requirements insist upon hard copy for all steps.
Back to WIA for processing - I am not sure, but suspect that this resets the 10 day clock for processing. Dianne does her best to keep on top of it all, but it is only one person dealing with all this paperwork.
WIA (Dianne) sends out paperwork to candidate plus, if the appropriate paperwork was completed at the assessment event, copies to ACMA. Otherwise, the candidate has to complete paperwork & send on to ACMA.
ACMA processes paperwork in their own timeframe. No WIA involvement after the notifications are sent from the WIA office.

Yes, it is a more complicated system than that operating in ZL, but it is the system with which we must work.

If in doubt, contact the WIA office to determine progress through the office, but remember that this will cost staff time to answer the inquiry and thus slow processing!

What does it all mean - please be patient!

Regards,

Peter VK3PF Assessor 3-007

[VK2AXL]

Apart from the occassional "lost in post" moment, I am quite impressed it can be done so quickly.

I decided to stop messing about in mid December 1992. I picked up to the phone to get an examination organised as soon as possible, regardless of cost or distance traveled.

I recieved my callsign in late August 93.

But we thought that was normal back then

[VK3BA]

G'day Peter 3PF,

Thanks for your explanation on how the process works. Whilst I was aware of most of it, you've filled in a few more gaps.

So what's changed since 2008? Maybe the time allowed under section 8.1 of the ACMA-WIA contract has taken the pressure away from processing applications? Is the quantity of applications to be processed these days more than that of 2008? Has there been a procedural change over the past year or so?

If the turnaround time is to be longer these days compared to 2008, then that's fine. I accept that the WIA procedures have changed, perhaps in pursuit of an improved audit trail and procedural fairness. For the better? Each to their own.

I'll ensure these new expectations are communicated to our prospective applicants in future.

See you at Gippstech

Cheers,

[VK3PF]

Hi Nik,

As far as I am aware, the timescale and processes at WIA HQ have not changed significantly - basically WIA has one staff member who looks after all things related to assessments.

As far as I can see, the variables are before & after WIA processing:
Assessors not ensuring all the paperwork is correct & it needing to be sent back;
Possible delay with successful candidate who did not complete all the forms, so WIA sends the form to the candidate to complete and forward on to ACMA;
Processing by ACMA - seems to be fairly variable. I do not know if the agreement commits ACMA to a maximum timeframe......

I look forward to catching up.

Regards,

Peter VK3PF

[VK2FIFA]

Hi Nik,

As far as I am aware, the timescale and processes at WIA HQ have not changed significantly - basically WIA has one staff member who looks after all things related to assessments.

As far as I can see, the variables are before & after WIA processing:
Assessors not ensuring all the paperwork is correct & it needing to be sent back;
Possible delay with successful candidate who did not complete all the forms, so WIA sends the form to the candidate to complete and forward on to ACMA;
Processing by ACMA - seems to be fairly variable. I do not know if the agreement commits ACMA to a maximum timeframe......

I look forward to catching up.

Regards,

Peter VK3PF

Hi Again to all

Peter,
It appears you understand some of the inner workings of the WIA.

Very happy to take informed counsel on this topic.

The "variables are before & after WIA processing" - this statement implies 100% compliance by the WIA to "their part of the bargain", if this is the case congrats to the WIA, but if not what is the non-compliance number and total number of applications processed, for say the last calendar year.
As a WIA member I am very interested in receiving this information.
If extra assistance is required in this area, happy to assist.

As a natural process of continuous improvement procedure (AS 9001) and associated QA programmes, I am assuming the WIA does operate it's licencing processing and arrangements with the ACMA under AS 9001, are you able to advise?

Yes, the ACMA is committed to process an application (amateur radio related only cited) within 10 working days.

Regards to all - George VK2FIFA

[VK3PF]

Hi George,

The WIA undergoes a regular audit by ACMA to check its performance against the contract. From memory, the last one was done in the second half of last year, but I cannot be sure about the date. As far as I am aware, the audit was all OK. I have not seen, and have not requested to see, statistics concerning the processing, so cannot make further comment. Given that the performance is related to a contract between WIA & ACMA, the details may not be available to everyone.

I am aware of the processes because I am an Assessor (3-007), plus I am also Editor of AR. As Editor, I am fairly regular contact with the office and am thus aware of some of the "current issues" in the office, but not all of the issues.

Regards,

Peter VK3PF

[VK7HH]

Bit of an update....

There is no update......

I have yet to receive confirmation from the WIA that they have sent my application to the ACMA. They have removed $40 from my credit card account (for two callsigns) and have removed them from their database - but yet they refuse to reply to my emails - and I am not talking one person, this is two or three people associated with this debacle.

Ironic that amateur radio is all about communication yet that is the thing that lacks the most in this situation. Hey it takes 5 minutes to type or give a call and say "hey I'm sorry it has been so long, but this is where it is at"......

I have been checking the ACMA database daily and there is no indication they have my revisions.
VK7RMD recently had some changes done to their licence. They had theirs approved and through ACMA on the 20th of May, and they submitted the application well after I did.

I have contacted the RABC, the office staff, the manager and the President, all whom say they don't know what is going on and have given me as little as possible detail. Again a one line email that says "can you fill out this, or "will let you know" is not sufficient!!!!! Do I need to go out, build myself a G5RV, get on 80m and give a call out on there to get a response from these people??? Do they read their emails?? Or is it all deliberately ignoring me now?

I hope that others don't go through the same rubbish as this.
My 6M application had to be removed because my proposed repeater was "too close" to the "service area" of the ONLY 6M repeater in Hobart and would quote "speed things along with the application"....yeah right. It is exactly 30kms away - and if they knew the terrain of Tasmania, they would know that it is not anywhere near the service area. The Hobart 6M repeater is 150m ASL, runs horizontal antennas to my knowledge.... I'm sure there are plenty of VK2 and VK3 repeaters within 30km of each other....


As a side note - the only person who understands this problem "within" the WIA is Richard, and I appreciate your help and prompt replies.

[VK3MIX]

15th of June - Myself & a friend passed our Standard exam
17th of June - Paper work was sent off to WIA
24th of June - Got my certificate / information pack from the WIA
27th of June - ACMA processed our licenses today into the database

I think that is a pretty good turn around time.

[VK2GOM]

Congratulations Andrew on the upgrade and new call

73 - Rob VK2GOM / GW0MOH

[VK4DU]

Bit of an update....

There is no update......

I have yet to receive confirmation from the WIA that they have sent my application to the ACMA. They have removed $40 from my credit card account (for two callsigns) and have removed them from their database - but yet they refuse to reply to my emails - and I am not talking one person, this is two or three people associated with this debacle.

Ironic that amateur radio is all about communication yet that is the thing that lacks the most in this situation. Hey it takes 5 minutes to type or give a call and say "hey I'm sorry it has been so long, but this is where it is at"......

I have been checking the ACMA database daily and there is no indication they have my revisions.
VK7RMD recently had some changes done to their licence. They had theirs approved and through ACMA on the 20th of May, and they submitted the application well after I did.

I have contacted the RABC, the office staff, the manager and the President, all whom say they don't know what is going on and have given me as little as possible detail. Again a one line email that says "can you fill out this, or "will let you know" is not sufficient!!!!! Do I need to go out, build myself a G5RV, get on 80m and give a call out on there to get a response from these people??? Do they read their emails?? Or is it all deliberately ignoring me now?

I hope that others don't go through the same rubbish as this.
My 6M application had to be removed because my proposed repeater was "too close" to the "service area" of the ONLY 6M repeater in Hobart and would quote "speed things along with the application"....yeah right. It is exactly 30kms away - and if they knew the terrain of Tasmania, they would know that it is not anywhere near the service area. The Hobart 6M repeater is 150m ASL, runs horizontal antennas to my knowledge.... I'm sure there are plenty of VK2 and VK3 repeaters within 30km of each other....


As a side note - the only person who understands this problem "within" the WIA is Richard, and I appreciate your help and prompt replies.

Hopeless. Just hopeless.

Do none of the directors or president read this forum?

If I was (still) a director, I would sort this out for you.

A phone call.....some emails.....not hard in 2013.

(shakes head, slowly...)