New Zealand Association of Radio Transmitters

Lore & Background

NZART formed on 16 August 1926, and in the same year Gordon Smithson (Z1AF) made the first NZART broadcast. The first issue of its journal, Break-In, appeared in 1928. In 1929 the association joined the International Amateur Radio Union and successfully lobbied the New Zealand government for a reduction in compulsory licensing fees. It became an incorporated society in 1934 and reached a membership high of 4,397 in 1982. NZART registered as a charity in 2017.

The association is governed by the NZART Council, which includes seven executives: the President, Vice-President, Immediate Past President (if required), and six regional councillors—two from the North Island, two from the South Island, and two from anywhere in New Zealand. The Council works with an appointed Business Manager and an Office Assistant, both employed 30 hours per week, who handle day-to-day operations from an office in Upper Hutt. Additional officers reporting to Council include the CEO of Amateur Radio Emergency Communications, the Engineering Licensing Group, and the Administration Liaison Officer, who liaises with the Radio Spectrum Management Group of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.

Membership is voluntary, with an estimated 35% of New Zealand's licensed amateur radio operators belonging. Members are represented by Councillors, and local branches—generally radio clubs—are encouraged. Branches facilitate representation at the national level through the NZART National Conference. Many branches have experienced membership decline and some have been reduced to a status of 'recess' for several years.

Reader's Guide

NZART has performed an advocacy function, commenting on government policy and planning initiatives regarding radio licences, spectrum allocations for broadband wireless, and the future of digital communication. It contributed to the creation of EMF exposure standards as a member of the NZ RF Standard Committee. In 2006, the association assisted the Ministry of Economic Development's Radio Spectrum Management division and the Coastguard Boating Education Service in updating the Spectrum Management and Registration Technology (SMART) system, which allowed online searches for radio operator information including callsigns. In 2008, discrepancies were noted between the SMART system and the callsign book produced by NZART.

The official journal, Break-In, is published bimonthly and is a requirement of the NZART Constitution. It contains technical and general articles, columns on AREC, contests, digital modes, DX, satellites, SOTA, and youth reports, as well as association news, AGM remits, and annual accounts. The annual Call Book provides an index of licensed amateurs by callsign, addresses for QSL contact, and repeater/beacon maps. It is included free with membership, bundled with the November–December issue of Break-In. The association also published a history of amateur radio in New Zealand, Ham Shacks, Brass Pounders and Rag Chewers, in 1997, and collaborated on a basic radio training manual in 1980. NZART provides educational services, including demonstrative lectures on electromagnetic wave theory, and supplies trained personnel and radio communications systems to Amateur Radio Emergency Communications, which liaises with the New Zealand Police and Civil Defense services in emergencies.

Did You Know?

• NZART is a founding member of the International Amateur Radio Union.
• The first issue of its journal Break-In was published in January 1928.
• Membership reached a high of 4,397 in 1982.
• The association assisted in updating the SMART system in 2006, enabling online searches for callsigns.