Amateur radio

Some Reflections on Shack Sloth eligibility, 22nd June 2014

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I qualified for the Shack Sloth award on Sunday afternoon after my contact with Rhett, VK3WE/3, who was portable in East Gippsland on VK3/VG 027, Mt Baldhead. I began chasing SOTA operators in March 2013 contacting VK5NIG/P5, Nigel at Mt Crawford, or Mr Mount Crawford as he is called by VK5PAS, Paul, and 15 months later I reached my goal. It has been a great journey! All contacts have been on 40 and 20 metres and mainly SSB with an occasional CW contact as well. I want to improve my CW skills after a long lay off, especially sending in the first instance, with a hand key.

Once again I am reminded of Dante’s Divine Comedy where the climbers are rewarded and the lazy ones…well?

‘Behold for here are mysteries:

The laziness of this one could afford

Comparison with Sloth, as if she were

His energetic sister’

The Divine Comedy, Book 2, Canto 4, Purgatory, Dante, translated by Clive James, Picador, London, 2013

What is this all about? Well Dante (the author) and his companion Virgil are making their way through hell, purgatory and on to heaven. They are in purgatory. They are climbing a peak, yes it is pre-SOTA, and see a narrow gap! You know the feeling, it is cold but you are sweating, you keep wondering how far it is to go to the summit, you wish you had not packed so many batteries and had left a couple of antennas behind. You feel like you are in hell, but suddenly you think you see the summit, then another twist in the track (purgatory) and then finally the summit. (I am not referring to the easy summits which can be approached by car and a short walk). You can sit down and you think this is heaven! Now I can set up my radio, you think. You think you see a chaser sitting near a rock (or think of her/him in the shack) – ‘sloth’ you think, or as one translator says, ‘laziness’.  But you, oh activators you know well, your efforts would be in vain but for the Chasers. Dante Alighieri  wrote his famous trilogy, ‘The Divine Comedy’ in the 13th century. I am a fan and have four translations of this work, not written in Latin, but the vernacular language of Florence, the language we now call Italian. It is an epic poem and I commend it to you. My apologies to Dante for my radio-influenced existential interpretation!

An early reward from Paul, VK5PAS

An early reward from Paul, VK5PAS

Thanks Paul for this splendid certificate. It adds a lot of colour to my blog. I will apply for the SOTA ‘Shack Sloth’ Certificate and Trophy as well and I am very pleased to join this small South Australian group.

Belair National Park, VKFF – 022, 1st June 2014

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After most, but not all, of the new-comers had successfully activated Mount Lofty Summit within Cleland Conservation Park, we moved to Belair National Park. I guided the little group of hopefuls to one of my favourite spots in the park where there is plenty of room for a squid pole and wire antennas and not too many people going by. This was my third activation of Belair National Park. I had previously activated the Park on the 26th January 2014 and on 1st  August 2013 making a total of 33 contacts.

There was some interest in alternative power technology so I set up my FT897 and a LiFePO4 battery to show the participants the power and weight advantages of Lithium chemistry batteries compared with Lead Acid batteries. I had just one contact, with VI50CONV, operator John, VK5DJ, the special event station for the South East Radio Group for their forthcoming convention to be held during the June long weekend. So I was pretty pleased with that but then it was time to encourage the newcomers.

Map showing Mount Lofty Summit, Belair NP & other CPs. (Adelaide & Environs free map)

Map showing Mount Lofty Summit, Belair NP & other CPs. (Adelaide & Environs free map)

We also compared the recovered audio from the FT897 with Paul’s FT450. I thought the two radios sounded good with audio that was easily copied in an outside environment, but to my ears the FT450 had the edge. Paul’s view was he thought that the FT897 was better. Not a scientific experiment but an interesting subjective experience.

After VK5PAS, Paul, VK5GW, Graham, VK4FR/P5, Chris and I had lunch (high quality and low calories!) then Chris and I adjourned to my QTH to explore and try out our new ten amp chargers on our LiFePO4 larger capacity batteries.

Paul, VK5PAS, has a much more detailed account of the day on his blog at http://vk5pas.wordpress.com

Mount Lofty, VK5 SE 005 & Cleland Conservation Park, 1st June 2014

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Today on the first day on Winter, when the heavens threatened rain and it was cold, VK5PAS Paul and I, with twelve budding SOTA and Parks activators, travelled to Mount Lofty and then, later in the morning to Belair National Park, to encourage these new comers to pick up the microphone and call CQ SOTA or CQ Parks. It wasn’t the day for Paul and I to activate the Parks, but, when I was invited to operate I did and was delighted to work four stations on Paul’s FT817 on 20 metres: VK5ZAR, Arno; VK2IO, Gerard; VK2KTT, Paul and VK5YX, Hans.

This was my second activation of Mount Lofty and it was an enjoyable day. Paul and I previously activated this summit from the same spot on 6th November 2013. Both Paul and I hope that some of the newcomers, including two brand new amateurs with Foundation Calls, will continue with their endeavours and become regular chasers and perhaps even activators.

Baudin Conservation Park, 15th May 2014

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Baudin Conservation Park, like Scott Creek Conservation Park in the Adelaide Hills, had an earlier life. It was a farm from 1861 to 2001. The farming family was called Bates and there are some preserved areas in the Park that commemorate their lives. The Ironstone Hill hike takes walkers past the various relics of the past related to the family.

We wanted to visit this park because it is a home to the endangered Glossy Black Cockatoo, called the Glossies, but we did not see any! There are estimated to be about 300 birds left on the Island.  The land was created a Park to give the Glossies a greater chance of survival as their Sheoak trees grow there. They must have been visiting elsewhere! The Park is just two kilometres from Penneshaw. For an amateur who wants to visit the Island and activate the park there is a market day on the first Sunday of the month (from 0900 to 1300 hours). You leave your car on the mainland and catch the ferry to Penneshaw. Just a two kilometre (hilly) walk and you can be on the air! The cost is just $40. What a great training ground for a potential SOTA activation!

The Park is named after Nicolas Baudin (17th February 1754 to 16th September 1803). He died in 1803, at 49 years of age,  of tuberculosis, often referred to in literature by its older name of consumption. In 1802 Matthew Flinders met Nicolas Baudin at Encounter Bay near the modern day Victor Harbor. Many French names are used on Kangaroo Island because of Baudin’s exploration of that area.

Eight contacts were enjoyed: VK5GJ, Greg; VK3AMB, Bernard; VK5KGP, Graham; VK5GI, Norm; VK3UT, Greg; VK3BHR, Phil; VK3PF, Peter and, finally, VK5ZGY, Greg.

Today I finished digitising my log and uploading 119 contacts from Kangaroo Island to Logbook of the World. Thanks to all those amateurs who shared something of this wonderful island with me as we travelled around the various parks.

Dudley Conservation Park, 15th May 2014

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Dudley Conservation Park

Dudley Conservation Park

Dudley Conservation Park is on the Dudley Peninsula. The Park was created by notice in 1970 and it conserves the Kangaroo Island Narrow Leaf Mallee. The Parks brochure indicates that there is a track around the park which can be used by walkers. We took the main East – West Road which passes through the Park and found a track to an old road which makes up part of the walking trail. It was not far off the main road and was a great place to set up.

Sixteen contacts were made from Dudley Conservation Park: at 03:01 VK5ZAR, Arno; VK5GJ, Greg; VK3AMB, Bernard; VK5FPAC, Bob at 03:25 5 and 7 and 3 and 4; and at 03:25 VK5FPAC, Bob with 5 and 7 both ways, a much better result; VK5LG, Greg; VK5GJ, Greg; VK3PF, Peter; VK3BHR, Phil; VK5NFB, Don at Williamstown; VK5HCF, Col; VK5HS, Ivan; VK3LY, Bill; VK5HCF, Col now at the SERG club-rooms with less noise at his end; VK5XGY, Greg and VK5DJ, John.

Pelican Lagoon Conservation Park, 15th May 2014

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Pelican Lagoon Conservation Park

Greg's signal (VK5ZGY) at Pelican Point Conservation Park

Greg’s signal (VK5ZGY) at Pelican Point Conservation Park

We visited this Park as a field trip on Sunday and enjoyed a wonderful presentation on research involving Echidnas, Rosenberg’s Goannas and Tiger Snakes: all species studied at a nearby research centre. It has been a conservation park since 1967.

Eleven contacts were made from Pelican Lagoon. Beginning at 00:28 UTC, VK3UP, Terry; VK5GJ, Greg; VK5LY/P3, Larry in Hattah-Kulkyne National Park; VK5WG, Nev; VK5HS, Ivan; VK3FQSO, Amanda; VK5KGP, Graham; VK5ZGY, Greg; VK5ZAR, Arno; VK5HS/M5, Ivan and VK7VDL, Ron near Dodge’s Ferry. After working 11 stations on 40 metres I changed over to 20m and heard a number of loud stations. I gave a few calls but it was probably too late in the morning, especially for five watts!

Cape Gantheaume Conservation Park, 14th May 2014

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The Parks brochure we had, from an earlier visit to Kangaroo Island, describes Cape Gantheaume Conservation Park as containing ‘vast areas of wilderness, a fresh water lagoon and Seal Bay, the home of the Australian Sea Lion’. However, if you look at a more recent map you will see that the Park is now in two sections, but by far the largest part of the land has been re-gazetted as the Cape Gantheaume Wilderness Protection Area. I was unable to find on the Department’s web site a definition of the various types of protected areas, but a Departmental Officer has promised to send the relevant definitions to me. On the face of it, it appears that a Wilderness Protection Area must contain substantial areas of pristine country. Similar processes have occurred elsewhere on the Island.

Cape Gantheaume Conservation Park - Murray Lagoon

Cape Gantheaume Conservation Park – Murray Lagoon

I was able to have seven contacts from this Park before making the trip back to American River, our base for the last four days of our visit to Kangaroo Island. Beginning at 06:12 UTC, contacts were with VK3BHR, Phil; VK5GI, Norm; VK5KGP, Graham; VK5ZAR, Arno; VK5KLV, Les; VK5GJ, Greg and VK5HS, Ivan.

Nepean Bay Conservation Park, 14th May 2014

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While at the Friends of Parks Inc. Forum I heard Parks staff refer to small Parks as ‘Pocket Parks’. Nepean Bay Conservation Park is clearly a pocket park: it is a mere 30 hectares and conserves typical Kangaroo Island coastal sand plains habitat. It was gazetted in 1974. We had a challenge in locating this park. We could not find any signs. But, we did find the boundary fence. I am a devotee of good maps and GPS technology! We travelled down a long, winding track, running parallel to the shore-line until we could go no further. There were too many trees were across the track as a result of strong winds and storms.

Pied Oyster Catchers at Nepean Bay CP: JCD photo

Pied Oyster Catchers at Nepean Bay CP: JCD photo

Eleven contacts were enjoyed from this Park beginning at 04:01 UTC. They were: VK5LY/M, Larry; VK5KGP, Graham; VK3PF, Peter; VK2JDS, Dave; VK5FD, Allan; VK3XNH, Neil; VK5ZAR, Arno; VK5AN, Graham; VK3AFW, Ron; VK5ZGY, Greg and VK5NFB, Don. My operating position was just a few metres away from the beach and partially shaded by coastal scrub. One could describe such a spot as idyllic!

Kelly Hill Conservation Park, 13th May 2014

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Kelly Hill Conservation Park, of 21,254 hectares, is known for its ‘extensive cave system, wilderness areas and beautiful coastal scenery’. We found a spot near Gate 1, no where near the main entrance to the caves, and were thus undisturbed except for some contractors leaving the Park in a minibus.

Kelly Hill Conservation Park

Kelly Hill Conservation Park – Grassdale

In the bush at Kelly Hill CP

In the bush at Kelly Hill CP

I had contacts beginning at 06:08 UTC beginning with: VK5KGP, Graham; VK5GJ, Greg; VK5WG, Nev; VK3AMB, Bernard; VK5TW, Trevor; VK5KLV, Les; VK5ZGY, Greg; VK5ZQP, David; VK5LY/P3, Larry in Murray-Sunset National Park; VK5ADL, David; VK3LY, Bill; VK5GI, Norm; VK5NAQ, Peter; VK5ZAR, Arno; VK3PF, Peter; VK5FO/M, Bob; VK3BHR, Phil; VK2NEO, Peter and VK5LY, Larry making 19 contacts in all.

SOTA summit VK5-SE-018, un-named summit, 13th May 2014

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The highest point on Kangaroo Island - 307 metres asl - just in the bush behind the car

The highest point on Kangaroo Island – 307 metres asl – just in the bush behind the car

If you have a look at a reasonable map of Kangaroo Island there is a dot indicating the highest point on the Island. The dot is on the corner of Playford Highway and Snug Cove Road. The summit is un-named. VK5PAS, Paul and VK5AKH, Andy activated this summit in August 2013 in weather which even the ducks would complain about! We were more fortunate with the weather. It was a warm day and a shirt without jacket was fine.

I was able to enjoy twelve contacts on 7.090 beginning at 04:22: VK5TW, Trevor; VK5ZGY, Greg; VK5GJ, Greg; VK5LI, Craig; VK5FD, Allan; VK3AMB, Bernard; VK5WG, Nev; VK5BC/M5, Brian; VK5KLV, Les; VK3BHR, Phil; VK5FAKV, Shawn and VK5PI, Mark. This is an easy summit, with the high point being just off the road, behind our vehicle, in the trees.