14-11-2017, 10:20 PM
Greetings to all readers.
I am proposing to 'do' this event in the same manner as I have for many recent FD contests, weather permitting, of course.
That will have me on Mt Gravatt, QG62MK, in Brisbane from about 6:30 p.m. on the Saturday evening, and in the Border Ranges National Park in Northern VK2, QG61NP, on the Sunday morning, starting there about 7:00 a.m.
As usual, I propose to have available all bands from 50 MHz to 24 GHz, and possibly 47 GHz depending on other protagonists. For liaison/talk back I generally rely on SSB on one of the 'lower' bands, but for much of the time I keep 146.5 and/or 439 simplex channels open for other folk to make contact. But on the Sunday morning, there are many amateurs in Northern VK2 who like to use 146.5 MHz FM simplex as a 'local' chat channel. This is fair enough but during the contest it leads to the volume control on my radio often being turned down or the radio set to 146.55 MHz simplex.
My mobile 'phone number is 0428 191066 but it'll only be possible to use it on the Saturday evening - the BRNP location 'sees' so many strong base signals that mobile phones don't work there unless a directional antenna is used to select a base down near Kyogle.
Here's hoping again for good weather and enthusiastic station operators!
Cheers and 73,
Doug Friend, VK4OE.
I am proposing to 'do' this event in the same manner as I have for many recent FD contests, weather permitting, of course.
That will have me on Mt Gravatt, QG62MK, in Brisbane from about 6:30 p.m. on the Saturday evening, and in the Border Ranges National Park in Northern VK2, QG61NP, on the Sunday morning, starting there about 7:00 a.m.
As usual, I propose to have available all bands from 50 MHz to 24 GHz, and possibly 47 GHz depending on other protagonists. For liaison/talk back I generally rely on SSB on one of the 'lower' bands, but for much of the time I keep 146.5 and/or 439 simplex channels open for other folk to make contact. But on the Sunday morning, there are many amateurs in Northern VK2 who like to use 146.5 MHz FM simplex as a 'local' chat channel. This is fair enough but during the contest it leads to the volume control on my radio often being turned down or the radio set to 146.55 MHz simplex.
My mobile 'phone number is 0428 191066 but it'll only be possible to use it on the Saturday evening - the BRNP location 'sees' so many strong base signals that mobile phones don't work there unless a directional antenna is used to select a base down near Kyogle.
Here's hoping again for good weather and enthusiastic station operators!
Cheers and 73,
Doug Friend, VK4OE.