I was pleased to have this certificate turn up in my in-box overnight. To qualify for the award I had contacts with three VI25AREG operators; my three modes were AM, SSB and CW. My certificate is number 15 – very pleased with that! While operating at Wooribinda Bushland Reserves, I had two stations request an AM contact, so I suspect that more certificates will be awarded. Thanks to all of the operators who gave me a contact.
Mark, VK5QI and Will, VK5AHV preparing balloon and checking the payload
The helium gas cylinders, payload and flight crew
Will demonstrating for me the figure eight knots used to secure the payload
Harmless Science Experiment, Project Horus, device on 145.100 Mhz
Mark, VK5QI, securing neck of balloon and gas
Balloon just about ready for launch
A final check prior to launch
Up, up and away (1)
Up, up and away – to a location near Tailem Bend
All photos by VK5BJE, unless otherwise acknowledged
I decided I would visit and support the special Horus 60 balloon flight from Mount Barker. This flight was part of the anniversary celebrations marking 25 years of AREG. When I arrived at the launch place, at the school oval, the flight crew were all at work preparing the flight payload and the balloon. I made this event a photographic outing with the possibility of a blog post eventually. I have been to a few Project Horus flights, the last at the Wireless Institute of Australia’s Annual General Meeting in Adelaide in 2017. On that occasion I joined the queue who used the dual band on board repeater. It was fun – similar to working through a terrestrial repeater and a satellite and I was surprised at the rapid attenuation of the signal as the balloon climbed higher. I did not do any tracking at this event, but rather concentrated on taking a photographic record.
The crew were, Mark, VK5QI; Drew, VK5CLD; Will, VK5AHV; Michaela, VK3FUR; Geordie, VK5CLR and Liam, VK5ALG. I was impressed: they were so focussed on the task at hand, they were young and energetic and contrasted with the older, three visitors, including me, that were present. I thought that the amateur service is in good hands and there may be a future, after my generation moves on to the great ham shack in the sky. I was surprised that there were so few visitors, AREG two, our new President and myself and AHARS one. May be the weather deterred some! It was raining lightly when I left home but by the time I arrived at Mount Barker the sky was clearing and the cloud breaking up.
I had a really good chance to see how the system works, the payload established and attached to the balloon with appropriate distances between each item. For those who are wanting to know more about the payload and the purpose of each device please visit the AREG webpages and search for Project Horus 60.
After the balloon was launched the crew became the recovery team and chased the balloon about 80 kilometres to a farm near Tailem Bend.
The photo above was taken from the AREG web pages and is a typical view from high in the atmosphere. On the AREG site there are many more images as well as a link to a splendid video of the flight.
The Amateur Radio Experimenters Group celebrated its 25th anniversary during July and August 2023. The club had a number of interesting events planned and also obtained the special callsign, VI25AREG.
I chose to use this call for an “atno” activation of Woorabinda Bushland Reserves. This park is owned by the Adelaide Hills Council and is protected by a State Government Heritage Agreement. (see page called Radio Language for definition of ‘atno’).
It is an interesting park comprising a number of blocks that appear to join at one point. The standard gauge railway to Melbourne leaves Adelaide and climbs through the Adelaide Hills until it reaches Murray Bridge. The track not only travels through Belair National Park but traverses Woorabinda on the far side of the lake across the hills face.
The track is not visible in the photo above but when trains go by they are clearly observable and the noise of the train echoes through the hills. I had to stop transmitting on each occasion a train passed.
Click to expand map
Here is a map of the Woorabinda Bushland Reserves at Stirling. Milan Terrace, the main road on the right hand side of the map will take you to Stirling and the reserve is very close to Mark Oliphant Conservation Park.
Contacts
All contacts have been uploaded to WWFF as VI25AREG (operator VK5BJE) and also uploaded to Club Log under AREG. ADIF file from Fast Log Entry.
click to expand Log
Unfortunately I was unable to complete the activation as VI25AREG before the end of August 2023 when the callsign expired. However, I will return to the Park and aim for 44 contacts, both voice and CW.
On the 2nd July 2023 the kookaburra’s song was heard coming from my phone. It is an alert. A quick look at Parksnpeaks indicated that Adam, VK2YK was activating Mark Oliphant Conservation Park, VKFF-0782, a mere three kilometres away from home by road and much less as the Little Raven flies. At 05:56 UTC, I worked Adam on 14.320 Mhz SSB followed by a contact on 146.5 Mhz FM. Needless to say signals were five and nine on both bands. Adam indicated he was moving to Mylor Conservation Park, VKFF-0785. I decided I would go for a walk in the Park and say hello to Adam. I saw Adam near the gate and we had a few words and an inspection of his excellent station. Then I began my slow climb up the track and had contacts with Adam on 2 metres and 70 centimetres FM using my hand held. It was great to catch up with him and three quarters of an hour later when I arrived back at the main gate he was still working stations. Eye-ball qsos are a great amateur radio tradition and a lot of fun.
I have been a WWFF hunter and activator for ten years. It has been a lot of fun over that time, improving my gear, which is an everlasting quest, developing my operating skills, also a life long learning task and increasing the number of CW (morse contacts) in my overall tallies. But I have been a park activator (in all mainland states and Tasmania), for a much longer time, back in the ‘bad’ old days, when portable contacts were made according to a schedule or net. The adventure programs of WWFF and SOTA, and the much newer spin-offs, have increased the activity on our bands, and encouraged experimentation, which is to the great benefit to amateur radio and collectively sharpened amateurs’ operating skills.
Once again a most sincere thanks to the activators, especially the hardy ones, who pretend there is no such season as winter!
I was delighted to gain this award for 125 unique parks using different frequency bands but just relying on telegraphy, that is, sending and receiving in morse code or CW, in radio language. WWFF Logsearch credits the award to VK5BJE, my primary call, but nearly all the contacts were made using VK5PF, my secondary call. One hundred and twenty five contacts represents about ten per cent of my WWFF activity, presently standing at about 1109 contacts. Thanks to all of the activators and for the morse code enthusiasts.
I enjoyed getting this award as well as the 1050 award. I want to thank Gerard, VK2IO/P for his recent activations in VK3 as well as VK2 – by chasing Gerard using SSB and CW I was able to push my hunter total in the right direction. Thanks also to the other activators from all mainland call areas, (including VK7) especially Jeff, VK8DNT.
The weekend beginning 13th May produced some really splendid Autumn days in Adelaide. I decided on Sunday that I would return to Mount George Conservation Park and try to complete my activation with 44 contacts thus qualifying the park for WWFF.
I had a most enjoyable activation with some action on 20 metres although no DX. I would need to stay on later in the afternoon to work Europeans and maybe US stations. My time endurance is limited by a medical condition! I am not growling, but just have to work within my limitations.
The weather has now changed back to cold and wet late Autumn and activation days will become less frequent.
I have reproduced my log below (Fast Log Entry) and appreciate all of the calls, including two park to park contacts with VK3YE/P and VK3PF/P. I appreciate the contacts from all who chased me and those who worked me on two bands, and especially VK5PAS and VK5MAZ who contacted me while mobile, from a mill at Strathalbyn and from their home as well as on 40m and 20m.
Click on log to expand
The park adjoins the South Eastern Freeway and every time I visit the vehicle noise from the freeway is almost overwhelming. It is loud! But it soon disappears and fades into the background. No, this is not some new doppler-like effect! I am sure it is a result of my intense concentration on matters radio. I will return to the park as I want to activate the Mount Lofty parks near my home with cw mode contacts. I need the discipline of leaving the microphone at home!
I was pleased to receive this certificate for working 1,050 unique parks. It has been an interesting journey and it is always rewarding to have a qso with a park operator working from a park I have visited. Thanks to all the activators who made getting these contacts possible.
A second visit to this beautiful park was undertaken to try and bring my contact score towards 44 – the magic number to qualify the park. I did not reach 44 but gained an additional 15 qsos.
00:54
VK5IS
VK5KAA
VK5TN
VK3MCK
VK5PAS
VI10VKFF p2p VKFF-2000
VK3PF/P p2p VKFF-3582
VK3ACU
VK5NHG
VK3CA
VK1DI/P p2p 3593
VK5MAZ
VK3TKK/P p2p VKFF-3603
VK5FANA
01:50 UTC
VK5GY p2p 3189
Thanks to all who anwered my CQs.
vk5bje 