I was pleased to receive the VKFF Hunter Award for working 1,275 portable stations participating in the WWFF program. This is a national award and the last 100 or so stations were contacted from my noisy suburban location. I have become an RF junky, learning to ride the RF input control for the clearest signal. At Scott Creek, my previous location, it was set and forget! Working CW stations has also helped build my score. Thanks to all of the activators who make hunting such fun.
I was pleased to gain this certificate for the worked 1244 unique WWFF references.
I am very pleased to advise that I am on the air from our suburban home in Marion, South Australia. This was made possible by assistance from Grant (VK5GR) and Paul (VK5PH), two of my very long term amateur radio friends. My vertical is end fed wire, (51 feet long, yes US measurement), fed through a 9:1 balun and is supported from the very top of a large gum tree in our small back yard. The vertical was erected in April 2024 and I used it ‘back-yard’ portable on a few occasions. My shack is a combined music/radio room and I only have one HF transceiver on the desk (an Icom 7300). I have a VHF/UHF amateur transceiver as well and I am aiming for a dual band vertical antenna just above roof height – this will make my signal more authoritative (louder and stronger).
Hunter Award 175 CW contacts as VK5PF
I have successfully chased a few weak signal stations participating in the WWFF program and have recently obtained two awards for CW (morse code, hand keyed) contacts. I do have a higher level of background noise at this location compared to when we were located at Scott Creek, but it is manageable. I am tempted to try a headset and boom microphone. Any suggestions about suitable gear for the Icom 7300 will be appreciated.
Hunter Award 10 Murray River Parks CW mode, VK5PF
| Reference | DX Entity | Activator | My Callsign | Date | Band | Mode | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | VKFF-0372 | OC / VK (VK-SA) | VK3PF | VK5PF | 2023-10-27 | 40m | CW |
| 2 | VKFF-0373 | OC / VK (VK-VIC) | VK5LA | VK5PF | 2022-07-29 | 40m | CW |
| 3 | VKFF-0767 | OC / VK (VK-VIC) | VK3BYD | VK5PF | 2016-06-25 | 40m | CW |
| 4 | VKFF-0831 | OC / VK (VK-SA) | VK2IO/P | VK5PF | 2023-10-30 | 40m | CW |
| 5 | VKFF-0911 | OC / VK (VK-SA) | VK2IO/P | VK5PF | 2023-11-01 | 40m | CW |
| 6 | VKFF-0929 | OC / VK (VK-SA) | VK5CZ | VK5PF | 2023-10-29 | 40m | CW |
| 7 | VKFF-0980 | OC / VK (VK-VIC) | VK2IO/P | VK5PF | 2023-03-31 | 40m | CW |
| 8 | VKFF-1174 | OC / VK (VK-NSW) | VK2IO/P | VK5PF | 2023-10-25 | 40m | CW |
| 9 | VKFF-1723 | OC / VK (VK-SA) | VK2IO/P | VK5PF | 2023-10-30 | 40m | CW |
| 10 | VKFF-1729 | OC / VK (VK-SA) | VK5LA | VK5PF | 2023-05-13 | 40m | CW |
My VK5PF log for 40m CW
I have enjoyed chasing the activators shown in the log for the Murray River Parks and thanks to them and all the other activators, who visit our parks, set up their stations and call CQ. The last year has been tough with the move, fighting Parkinson’s Disease and too many medical appointments. My next milestone is December 2026 which is the 50th anniversary of becoming an amateur radio operator. I describe my CW sending as hand keyed – but strictly speaking I do not use a hand key. I use a Bencher dual paddle and a Begali single paddle key. I can manage this style of sending as compared with using a traditional hand key (with up and down movements).
Well it has been a while!
Since my last activation, we have moved house from the Adelaide Hills (Scott Creek) to Marion. We are ‘suburbanites’ and have begun to develop a life style around our new surroundings. My daily walks are now on flat land and I am attending a strength and balance class at a local gym. There have also been quite a few medical appointments.
I am yet to re-establish my station although I have an HF antenna installed and have operated from our back-yard. The delay in setting up in a ‘final’ location (shack) was making a decision about how each room will be used in our house.
World Ranger Day
World Ranger Day alerts governments, organisations and individuals to the work of Park Rangers and the need to commit to preserving the broader environment as well as parks for the generations to come.
Belair National Park, VKFF-0022
I chose to activate Belair National Park, VKFF -0022. Belair National Park is the second oldest national park in Australia. The oldest is Royal National Park in NSW, which was created in 1879, and located just south of Sydney. Belair National Park was proclaimed in 1891, second in Australia and tenth in the world.
Map – courtesy of SA National Park Service from Belair page.
My location was Long Gully picnic area. It was quiet – just a few walkers, joggers and bike riders traveling past. Long Gully picnic area is visible on the map just below the railway line where is travels through a tunnel marked with white background on map.
I have ‘played radio’ many times in this park. Here is a link to my most recent activation. Click on Belair National Park in the index. I have also participated in World Ranger Day at Mylor Conservation Park on the 31 July 2019. Click Mylor Conservation Park in the index. for this activation I used my Icom 705 portable radio, 10 watts output and my home brew 20/40 metre linked dipole. I did mess about with a vertical unsuccessfully and this delayed the start of my operation.
Here is my log of contacts: all VKs.
Thanks to all who gave me a call and especially Marija, VK5MAZ, who posted my presence in the park a number of times.
At Scott Creek I had a reasonable station: not a ‘big gun’ but not a ‘little pistol’ either! We generated our power from the sun and storage, particularly in winter, could be challenging after two or three heavily overcast days. I did operate with 400 watts pep, when necessary, especially on 80 metres, when conditions were tough, as well as on the higher bands when chasing DX using ssb.
Over the 21 years we lived at Scott Creek I operated on all bands from 80 metres to 23 centimeters and had lots of fun.
My writing in this post focuses on the present, which has been nearly all consuming, but not quite as ideas about the future break through from time to time.
If you look at the photograph of me with the Amateur Radio Experimenters Group (AREG) in my November post you will see I look tired, almost ‘zombie-like’ and ‘worn out’. On the day before dismantling day I was told by a specialist physician that I have Parkinson’s disease. I have thought deeply about making this revelation public and was encouraged (indirectly) by two amateurs I know, the first, the President of AHARS, who shared his experiences with cancer with the club and second, an amateur friend of mine from the Riverland, remembering and commemorating his son’s life. Making such revelations in the past, even the recent past, was thought to be inappropriate behavior for males but common for women.
The diagnosis followed an awareness by me of some symptoms: a noticeable tremor in my right arm; loss of appetite and energy and some falls (even while in a park operating portable – see my post for January 2021 at Scott Creek Conservation Park). Attending a strength and balance class at Pilates was great but challenging.
A neurologist made the diagnosis after watching me walk, undertaking some motor skills tests which are highly indicative and an MRI scan. A second MRI scan is booked for October.
So I now join a world-wide group of people with this condition; Sir Billy Connolly, the Polish Pope, Pope John Paul II, people of status and ordinary folk. I was surprised how many well known people showed in the list I created from the internet. Parkinson’s Disease is a degenerative condition of the brain and nervous system. Muscles are affected. Speech can also be affected. I have started a medical regime and some of my symptoms have been dampened down. I am thankful my condition is late onset. I was 81 when the diagnosis was made. Many of the people on the list discussed their symptoms and factors leading to a diagnosis, and for Billy Connolly, a mate, a medical doctor, noticed his gait and suggested he get it checked out.
The photo above shows two ‘naked’ towers. The larger tower on the left of the picture is a Nally tower. I purchased this tower in the late 1970s and brought it to Adelaide in June 1982 and during a relatively short stay in a unit we purchased a house in Somerton Park, where we lived for about 20 years. I sought and gained approval from the local council to erect the tower. After searching and not finding riggers, I decided I would keep it but try and find something smaller and lighter which I could manage with assistance from some amateur friends (more on that later).
This photo shows the Nally tower in ‘full bloom’.
The vertical is for 2metres and 70 centimetres FM and other digital modes, eg C4FM and Dstar. To the left in the photo is a helicopter with the water hose showing on the left hand side as you view the machine. The next antenna is a 12 element Cushcraft yagi, horizontally polarised, and used for weak signal work. I was never able to work a Northern Territory station on 2m ssb or cw, but I worked the NT on 6 metres ssb. I worked VKs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 on two metres ssb. The three element high frequency beam is a TET 3 – 3, from Mark, in WA. Mark’s antennas are splendid and tough and he sells spare parts.
The smaller tower adjacent is a Varcoe windmill from Mount Gambier – see photo 1 above.
This photo shows the Nally tower stripped of antennas ready for dismantling. On the right is my windmill tower also stripped ready for dismantling.
From left to right, Paul, VK5PH, Grant, VK5GR, Oly, VK5XDX, Steve, VK5SFA, Hank, VK5XB and John, VK5BJE. Paul’s Nally gin pole is visible on the ground in the foreground.
Getting ready to take the top or high section of the tower out from the bottom section. The gin pole was then used to lower the bottom part of the tower and the last job was to grind off the steel post.
All of the work was conducted professionally and with concern to observe all safety requirements.
I wish to record my thanks to the amateurs (photos above) who helped me dismantle my antenna farm. Some of you I have known for nearly 40 years. The best way I can express my appreciation is to cite Julia Baird (2023, p. 1). ‘Grace is like the sun: it warms us, fuels us and unerringly brings light’. The time gifted to me and the physical effort is a gift of grace. Thank you all.
Julia Baird, 2023, Bright shining how grace changes every thing. Fourth Estate, Australia.
Julia Baird is a co-host of the ABC’s The Drum, a writer and historian and I am a fan.
I was pleased to receive these two awards as a prelude to a break from being on air from my home station, working WWFF stations and other stations for just over 20 years from the Adelaide Hills. It has been radio paradise! Most of the time there is no noise and I could work stations where the signal strength meter needle/graphical display was still on the stop. For the last two months I was still active using an end fed antenna, matched through a 9 : 1 unun. However, I have now dismantled my station as we pepare for living in suburbia again. I am sure I am going to learn much about noise reduction techniques!
It has been fun and thanks to all those overseas and local stations who have contacted me as VK5BJE and VK5PF.
I intend to maintain my interest in WWFF and I hope to work many more stations using CW (morse code).
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.
vk5bje 