CLUB: Australian DXing Federation

[Bob Padula <BPadula@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

---------------------------------------------------------------------
This is a message from Bob Padula <BPadula@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
to hard-core-dx@xxxxxxxxxx list. To unsubscribe the list, send
"unsubscribe hard-core-dx" in mail body to majordomo@xxxxxxxxxxx
Categories: ADMIN, BULLETIN, CONDITION, CONTEST, EQUIPMENT, FM, INTERNET,
LIST, LOG, MEETING, NEWS, PIRATE, PUBLICATION, SCHEDULE, QSL, QUESTION.
For more information, please check http://www.iki.fi/rko/hard-core-dx/
or email Risto Kotalampi, rko@xxxxxxx
---------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                M E D I A 
R E L E A S E
                                                                       15
August 1997

The  Australian DXing Federation has been established (ADXF), consisting of
the following Clubs and Group:

The Australian Radio DX Club Incorporated (ARDXC) 
The South Pacific Union of DXers Incorporated (SPUD)
International Correspondence DX Group (ICDX)

The Federation was formed on 10 August 1997, at a meeting in Melbourne,
attended by the following Club representatives:

ARDXC: Allen Fountain, Keith Wilson;
SPUD: Lucio Coceani, Dieter Habicht;
ICDX: Robert Copeman, Chris Hambly;
Convenor: Bob Padula.

The Steering Committee is to meet within a month and draw up a provisional
set of Rules, for consideration and adoption as an initial  Working
Document. Matters to be considered by the Steering Commitee include:

* Form, frequency, and distribution methods of information
* Funding arrangements
* Eligibiity requirements
* Overall scope, charter and objectives
* Management and administration
* Statutory requirements

In establishing the Conference, the Clubs acknowledged the following trends
in the hobby movement in Australia:

(a) Declining interest by younger people
(b) Competing interests - computers  and satellite technology
(c) Poor editorial support by members
(d) Radio media decreasing generally as a result of changing community
standards
(e) No collective "voice" or focus for the Australian Clubs
(f) Unwarranted duplication of voluntary, scarce editorial effort across
all Clubs, with many people being members of two or more Clubs
(g) No common hobby standards exist, for competitions or achievement
recognition
(h) Social activities require rationalization, such as meetings, technical
site visits, conventions,  and excursions.
(i) Overall membership is not increasing, many members stay for a year or
two and leave, to be replaced by others
(j) Clubs competing against each other for new members in the same
geographical areas
(k) No coordinated or centralised approach to promotion, marketing,
contests or sales of publications and services
(l) Total membership of all Australian Clubs estimated to be about 500 -
this does not take into account the multiple memberships of some Clubs by
many hobbyists - the actual numbers of people enrolled could be as low as
300.
(m) No common linkages to equipment manufacturers, broadcasters, frequency
planners, Government bodies, or program producers

Other outcomes of the Conference were:  

(a) ADXF Clubs would immediately arrange hard-copy exchange of their
newsletters
(b) Worldwide Web sites to be cross-linked between all ADXF Clubs 
(c) Provisional details of ADXF to be forwarded for  inclusion in the 1998
World Radio TV Handbook 
(d) ADXF to invite cooperation from other relevant Federations and
"umbrella" groups
(e) A common announcement be given in the next editions of the Club
newsletters about ADXF
(f) An ADXF Web Site is proposed
(g) Early contact to be  be made with the Southern Cross DX Club Inc. and
DXers' Calling Inc to advise those Clubs about  ADXF and to invite their
cooperation and support
 
The ADXF has adopted the slogan "The Voice of Australian DXers" 

A further Media Release will be issued in due course, via the Electronic DX
Press distribution network. Federations and Club Associations are invited
to contact EDXP without delay to indicate their interest in cooperation
with ADXF. 



Bob Padula,
Convenor,
Australian DXing Conference 1997.
15 August 1997

404 Mont Albert Road,
Surrey Hills,
Victoria 3127,
Australia.
Tel/FAX: +61 3 9898 2906.\