Amateur Radio Expermnenters Group

Dismantling my station: my ‘shrinking world’ November 2023

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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.

HORUS 60, BALLOON LAUNCH, AREG SPECIAL EVENT, 25th August 2023, 25th anniversary of founding of Group

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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.

Woorabinda Bushland Reserves, VKFF-4064, 24th August 2023, 25th Anniversary station, VI25AREG.

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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.