History

THE BRIEF HISTORY OF WARO AS OF JUNE 2017, THE YEAR OF THE 55TH REUNION.

Before WARO, 2 Otago YL operators had been operating in the 1920s, Brenda Bell being the first recognized operator station in 1926, and Nellie Kennedy in 1928 when she picked up a microphone to keep in contact with her husband who was working in the Ellice Islands. Neither however were licenced although Nellie did get one in 1932. The distinction of being the first licenced YL was left to Myrtle Earland ZL4GR in Greymouth on 6th Feb 1930, followed by Thelma Souper ZL2JO in Wellington on the 5th March 1931. Both these ladies are remembered, with the 2 major YL trophies today named after them.

But for the vast number of women before the 2nd World War, their association with Amateur Radio was not as operators but as the stereotyped long suffering wife. In the 1987 Conference who can forget the address given by Val Fretter entitled 'Being a Ham's Wife.' Her quote 'Yes I married him people, but it would have been a damn sight more honest if he'd stood up at the altar with a reel of coax under one arm and his linear amplifier under the other. A girl might have known what she was getting!'

Many women who became licensed amateurs did so through their husband's involvement. Myrtle Earland was typical of the early female amateurs who married into the hobby. The one-time fashion model later recalled how her interest began in the late 1920s when she was courting Fred Earland. To quote her 'He wasn't interested in girls at all. He was interested in his blessed radio. So I thought, well the only way to get in with him was to learn the Morse and get my ticket and get my man. So that is what I did.'

Thelma Souper was an exception. Although hubby Noel was a radio engineer she was the first licenced, passing her exam the day before they were married. After nearly 30 years of marriage Noel eventually became licenced in the 1950s.

After the 2nd World War the number of YL operators grew and a formal organisation considered. Thelma Souper was the driving force. Her early experience in Amateur Radio had included being prevented from joining a Wellington radio club in which women were not welcome. She was determined that the new generation of female recruits would gain greater acceptance than she had experienced in what was still a male dominated hobby.

At the NZART Conference in Hamilton in 1961, Thelma found herself in the unusual position of being one of five female amateurs in attendance. She was joined by Celia Reed ZL1ALK, Vicki Shaw ZL1OC, Florence Voss ZL1AXP, and Elsie Whitely ZL??. They had a gathering and decided to hold a monthly net. Thelma wrote to all 22 known female operators in NZ, 13 replied and the first net was held on Tues the 7th July 1961. They were joined by Judith Holland ZL1AWM, Sylvia Kirkland ZL2LS and Mollie Blake ZL3AO for the two hour chat!!! Thelma was adamant from the start that the on-air talk would be of a general nature. They wouldn't allow themselves to be labelled as gossipy females who prattled on about recipes and knitting patterns! As more joined the nets Thelma suggested they form a club, so during the monthly net in October 1961 Florence Voss was elected President, and Thelma Souper Secretary, of the nameless group. The first formal meeting was held in the Souper's room at the Brentwood Hotel in Rotorua on the 10th March 1962 to formulate rules and name the new organisation. It was Thelma who suggested the New Zealand Women Amateur Radio Operators. WARO. Florence Voss was elected first President, Mollie Blake, Vice President in her absence, and Thelma Souper took on the Treasurer's role to add to the one of Secretary. There were 7 attendees at that meeting; 6 licenced YLs and one aspiring Amateur. Janette Barker ZL1ANA, Vicki Shaw, Thelma Souper, Celia Reed, Enid Rosan, Florence Voss, and Judith Holland. Other YLs unable to attend but joined them, were Eve Rimmer ZL1AIO, Rae Braddock ZL1FI, Ruth Lobb ZL3PL, Zelda Garlick ZL3AAB, and Winifred Scheffer ZL2AOA. WARO then became the first organisation to affiliate with NZART and the 3rd national women's radio organisation in the world, following the United States and South Africa.

By the time the Silver Jubilee came in 1987, WARO then boasted 121 transmitting members, 37 Associate, and 60 0verseas members who had either joined directly or were sponsored in by WARO members. International bonds were being connected with the sponsorship programme and visits between countries for various events so that we could meet face to face were developing. Our own WARO awards were developed, the original one in 1969 with a certificate featuring Pania of the Reef to accompany this award. Pania of the Reef had been adopted by WARO as its emblem but the figure was too complicated to use as a badge design. The more symmetrical South Island alpine buttercup was chosen instead for both the badge and the name of an award with the idea and design coming from Dunedin Amateur Brenda Shore who had retired as an associate professor of botany at Otago University.

When Mrytle Earland died in 1986 her OM Noel donated the Mrytle Earland Memorial Rose Bowl which was presented to the WARO Amateur of the Year, later to be the WARO Achievement Award. Earlier both Mrytle and Thelma had been made WARO's first honorary life members.

WARO had provided a much-needed support network for female operators through its regular on air and face to face contacts, during conferences, get-togethers, monthly BI columns and its own quarterly WARO Bulletin. By the 1980s though attitudes to YL operators was changing from the time that Thelma was first excluded from that Wellington Branch meeting. Some Male operators had treated WARO as a joke in the early days but the situation had changed. From the late 1970s women were playing an increasing role in amateur radio administration. 3 Otago ladies had held National Office before the 2nd World War. Brenda Bell was one of the Vice Presidents in 1926, and the Kirby sisters Kath and Peg were both members of the locally appointed executive committee when Dunedin ran the national headquarters. In 1933 Peg Kirby became the Association's, and to this day only, YL secretary.

At full national level though women were invisible for nearly 3 decades. It was not until 1972 that Marion Lister ZL1BKL became the first YL Councillor and this began an unbroken period of female representation on the council until very recent years. Karen Wilson ZL2AQO of Napier was elected in 1974, and when she stood down was replaced by Cathy Purdie ZL2ADK in 1985, In 1991 she was joined by Anne McMaster ZL3VR and when Cathy stood down in 1995 she was replaced by Carol Gaudin ZL2VQ and Jeanne Gilchrist ZL4JG. Anne and Jeanne stood down in 1997 and Cathy returned for another term that year to serve with Carol. Our Friend of WARO Jim Meachen ZL2BHF was President at that time, and at the Friday NZART Executive meeting there were 2 retiring YLs and 2 YLs staying on. We planned as YLs to make a statement and in the square set up for the Councillors meeting we sat one in each corner, just quietly. On Jims arrival to chair the meeting, he sat down, looked around, and with a wry smile said 'Well gentlemen, we are now surrounded.' Carol Gaudin went on to be WARO's 2nd NZART Vice President but then for a little while the YL representation ceased until later in 2000 Ann ZL3TNT was elected. She stood down after a while and was followed by onto Council by Topsy Scott ZL2LS. Now Ann ZL3TNT has been reappointed as from this conference to represent the ZL2's and will be our sole YL representative again.

To us though, our biggest highlight has to be YL 2000 held in Hamilton. An International YL gathering that is held every 4 years. After lots of hard work and planning we had the most amazing gathering of YLs from around the world. I am not sure of the numbers but as I understand it there were approximately 99 YLs and some with their partners from all parts of the world, along with 60 ZLs. It was one of the biggest International meetings held and lifelong friendships were formed.

Where is WARO's place now? We see it now as certainly no longer a sort of light pressure group, to be accepted as an equal in what was once a very male service. We see it as more of an interest group. Such as the VHF groups, AMSAT, the Old Timers Club and so on. As we take our place in all aspects of the hobby it is nice to meet socially too, have a common interest and gather for the friendship and little bit of fun.

Thank you all.

Extracts taken from an address given at the 2017 reunion of WARO in Rotorua June 2017 by Cathy Purdie ZL2ADK.