(On WVHFG Letterhead, Addressed to the General Secretary of NZART, Dated 24 November 2010)
Doug has provided long and dedicated service to NZART and it’s members over a period of more than 30 years. The contribution he has made to the wellbeing and growth of Amateur Radio is both unique and significant. We recommend Doug for the honour of Life Membership of the Association in recognition of this meritorious service.
Doug first joined NZART, Branch 05 Christchurch, in 1959, whilst still at high school. After the family moved to Upper Hutt he joined Branch 63 Upper Hutt in 1961. He gained Callsign ZL2TAR in September 1963.
Some highlights of Doug’s service to fellow Amateurs are set out here;
• 1985 Appointed Frequency Management Working Group Technical Advisor
• 1966 to 1968, Assistant Editor of Break-In magazine
• 1987 – present, Frequency Management and Technical Advice Group Frequency Coordinator
• 1989 Awarded Life Member Wellington VHF Group Branch 74 in recognition of service
• 1991 to 1996 President, Wellington VHF Group Branch 74
• 1997 to 2002, President, Wellington VHF Group Branch 74
• 2000 – to the present, FMTAG Radio Licence Applicant
• 2004 – to the present, First ever MED-Approved Radio Certifier
• 2004 Awarded NZART Amateur Of The Year
As FMTAG Radio Licence Applicant, for 10 years from 2000 to the present, Doug has processed more than 200 licence applications on behalf of radio amateurs.
As the first ever MED-Approved Radio Certifier, for 6 years from 2004 to the present, Doug has saved NZART conservatively more than $40,000 in MED fees.
Doug was responsible for the re-design of the National System to overcome interference issues. He co-ordinated the re-engineering of all national system stations, bulk-buying frequency crystals and coordinating frequency change-overs. In recognition of this huge effort he was awarded NZART Amateur Of The Year in 2004.
Doug is a proflific writer of technical articles, which have appeared in both Break-In and Q-Bit journals. In all he is author of more than 200 technical articles in Professional and Amateur publications, explaining sometimes complex concepts in a very readable manner. In this way he has made a significant contribution to the amateur body of knowledge.
R J Prentice ZL2RJP
President