On Sunday morning, 29th May 2016 I was tied up in a 3 and 1/2 hour long Post AGM meeting with the other WIA Directors.  So Marija headed off to the Norfolk Island markets with Heath VK3TWO and his wife Monique VK6FMON.    The market is held every Sunday between 8.00 a.m.-11.00 a.m. and features seasonal fresh fruit and vegetables, cut flowers, home cooking, craft and souvenir items.  Trent Christian was singing there as well.

During the Board Meeting is was voted that Phil VK2ASD would remain as WIA President and Fred VK3DAC would remain as WIA Vice President (both unopposed).

At the conclusion of the meeting Marija and I had some lunch at the Paradise Hotel and chatted to other amateurs.  We then headed off down to Kingston, as I was hoping to have a look at the Sirius Museum.  I wasn’t even aware until visiting Norfolk Island, that the HMS Sirius (the flagship of the First Fleet) had been wrecked on the reef off the coast off Norfolk adjacent to Kingston way  back in March 1790.  Sadly that museum was closed, but we did visit another one of the museums at Kingston which was extremely interesting.  It was the Pier Store which contains a great collection including objects from the Bounty (a cannon, kettle and ironstone platter).  The collection is contained within the Pier Store, which was originally known as The Beach Store and was built in 1825 as Commissariat at the end of Kingston Pier.

Whilst at Kingston we had a look at the former Parliament building which has been taken up by Norfolk Island residents protesting against changes to the island’s governance.

We then had a look at ‘Bloody Bridge’.  The name is believed to be based on the story of the death of a convict work-gang overseer.  During the construction of the bridge, a work gang of convicts murdered their overseer and walled him up in the bridge.  The next day the replacement overseer saw blood oozing from the mortar of the bridge.

Marija and I then headed for Anson Bay Reserve in the north western corner of the island, for my final play on air on Norfolk Island.  Anson Bay is reputed to be Norfolk’s most spectacular beach, being nestled in to the bottom of one of Norfolk’s many steep cliff faces.  This makes the beach less accessible and more secluded than other beaches on Norfolk Island.  The reserve is 5,54 hectares in size and was dedicated in February 1937 for cable landing, shipping and recreation purposes.  The cliffs here rise about 80 metres above sea level.

Above:- Map showing the location of Anson Bay on Norfolk Island.

During summer, Wedge tailed shearwaters (also called Ghostbirds) form large groups offshore and, at dusk come in to land in their burrows along the cliff edges at Anson Bay.  These are the largest of the tropical shearwaters.  Other birds that frequent the area are White Terns, Little Shearwaters, Red- Tailed Tropicbirds, Scarlet Robins, Golden Whistlers, Norfolk Island Green Parrot, and Norfolk Island Boobook Owl.

Above:- Wedge tailed shearwater.  Image courtesy of nzbirdsonline.org

The Pacific Cable Board station at Anson Bay provided the first telegraphic contact between Norfolk Island and the outside world by cable linking Australia and New Zealand to Fiji and North America from 1902.  The Anson Bay cable station at Anson Bay cost over $6,000,000.  Two observation posts were also located in the reserve during the Second World War, to defend against possible lands by enemy forces.

I ran the Yaesu FT-857d, 25-30 watts, and the 20m/40m linked dipole for this activation.  The antenna was supported on the 6m telescopic squid pole.  I started off calling CQ on 14.205 and this was immediately answered by Jim VK9PC on Norfolk Island, followed by my good mate John VK5BJE back home in the Adelaide Hills.  Next up was Eric KC7ES in Arizona with a beautiful strong 5/9 signal (5/8 received).  The 20m band was in very good shape and a pile up soon ensued with callers from Australia, USA, Serbia, New Zealand, Croatia, Hawaii, and Canada.

I was very pleased to be able to get at least two Europeans in the log….Branko YU4DX in Serbia and Dragan 9A6W in Croatia.  Both were only a 5/5 to me on Norfolk.  Not the normal very strong 5/9 long path signals that I am used to back on the Australian mainland.  I was also able to make contact with Tony VK3XV who was portable in Leaghur State Park VKFF-0762 in Victoria.  Tony had a beautiful 5/9 signal coming in to Norfolk from his portable station in central Victoria.

I worked a total of 90 stations, at around which time, Luke VK3HJ/9 rolled up on his bicycle.  I booked in to the ANZA DX Net at this stage and worked a total of 7 stations there from VK and USA.  Luke also said g’day to a few stations whilst I took the opportunity of enjoying some cake provided by Marija.  The Over the Horizon Radar had kicked on at 20m by this stage, but didn’t cause any signficant grief.

After having a bit of a chat to Luke, he cycled off back to the QTH of VK9NT.  I moved to 14.210 and called CQ and this was answered by Brian VK3UCD, followed by Ivan VK5HS, then Simon VK3SIM, and then Ian VE7SCC in Canada.  I worked a total of 38 stations on 14.210 from VK, Canada, Japan, Russia, and Italy.  It was good to get Max IK1GPG in the log,  Max is a regular WWFF hunter and although not strong (5/3) was very readable.  I was also pleased to work Mark VK4XW who advised that I was his first contact into Norfolk Island.

When things slowed down I tuned across the band and found VI9ANZAC on 14.244 being operated by Chris VK3QB/9 at Puppies Point.  We had a Fish fry planned at Puppies Point that evening at 5.30 p.m. and that was rapidly approaching.  But the band was in very good shape and it was very difficult to go QRT.  After working Chris I went back to 14.310 and worked a further 10 stations in VK and Japan.  This included QSOs with Nigel VK5NIG/p and Stuart VK5STU/p, who were both portable on SOTA peak Mount Gawler VK5/ SE-013 (5/6 sent and 5/7 received).

Time was marching on, so I decided to try 40m for a short time and then head off to the Fish Fry.  That never occurred.  I was swamped with a big pile up on 7.144 from Australia, New Zealand and the Canary Islands, and I could not get away.  Marija drove up to Puppies Point and socialised for a while and kindly brought me back a meal which I tried to consume whilst working the pile up.

I eventually decided to hit the switch.  It was now 7.00 p.m. and the mosquitos were biting.  I had a total of 216 contacts in the log.

The following stations were worked on 20m SSB:-

1. VK9PC (Norfolk Island)
2. VK5BJE
3. KC7ES
4. VK5HCF
5. VK2HEW
6. VK5SFA
7. VK5TRM
8. VK3ANL
9. VK7VJ
10. VK3TWO/9 (Norfolk Island)
11. VK6JON/5
12. VK3SQ
13. YU4DX
14. VK3EKA
15. VK2MI
16. VK7BC
17. VK2YW
18. VK3BNJ
19. ZL2TZE
20. K5FG
21. VK2BOB
22. VK3ARH
23. VK3MRG
24. VK2HDX
25. 9A6W
26. VK2YK
27. VK2NSS
28. VK3KYF
29. VK4TD
30. VK5AV
31. VK6WE
32. VK4WJW
33. VE3VEE
34. VK3NCC mobile
35. VK3YE
36. VK6IA
37. VK3MBW
38. VK2RD
39. VK2MOR
40. K6DDX
41. VK2HV
42. K7ABV
43. VK7ROY
44. VK3TCT
45. KH6UEA
46. VK2LAD
47. VK5XY
48. VK6NU
49. VK7KJL
50. VK3JLS
51. VK7LCW
52. VK2WJD
53. VK4HG
54. VK4ATH
55. WI6Q
56. W7QHZ
57. VK3XV/p (VKFF-0762)
58. WD8JQN
59. VK3SC
60. VK4DV
61. N9RJM
62. VK5NRG
63. VK3FI
64. VK2HTM
65. VK3BMO
66. VK3BY
67. VK3DQ
68. VK3VG
69. VK5KDK
70. VK5STU
71. W4RP
72. VK2BIT mobile
73. VK2HOT
74. VK7QP
75. VK5FG
76. VK2ND
77. VK4HMR
78. VK5TW
79. JH1FTL
80. VK4CC
81. VK3RH
82. VK4XCS
83. VK4SWE
84. K5FG
85. VK5NJ
86. K4JP
87. VK3UCD
88. VK5HS
89. VK3SIM
90. VE7SCC
91. VK5JN
92. VK4SMA
93. VE7CV
94. VK3TKK
95. VK4HNS
96. VK4JAA
97. VK3BF
98. VK2ZHE
99. VK2QN
100. VK6WC
101. VK1OO
102. JH5PXJ
103. VK3MNZ
104. VK2CPC
105. JH1DRF
106. UA0ZC
107. VK7NWT
108. IK1GPG
109. JH1AJT
110. JF2TOG
111. JI2FBG
112. VK2BTC
113. JA1DCK
114. VK2SOL
115. VK5KBJ/4
116. JH4CPC
117. JH1XYB
118. JO1ALS
119. JH3IMR
120. JR1WJM
121. VK3GJM
122. VK4MWG
123. VK2DON
124. VK5HEL
125. JH1VPB
126. VK4XW
127. VK2EJP
128. VK3BFR
129. VI9ANZAC (Norfolk Island)
130. VK2GKA
131. VK2AAH
132. VK4YS
133. JH7WER
134. VK4MKB
135. JA1CGB
136. VK3MCK
137. VK5NIG/p (SOTA VK5/ SE-013)
138. VK5STU/p (SOTA VK5/ SE-013)
139. VK4NJB

The following stations were worked on 40m SSB:-

1. VK5FUZZ
2. VK5BC
3. VK4YS
4. VK4ME
5. VK2HOT
6. VK5LDM
7. VK3FIRM
8. VK4GSF
9. VK4SMA
10. VK2NWB
11. VK4NJB
12. VK3HSR
13. VK5SFA
14. VK4RF
15. VK4HA
16. VK7DX
17. VK3SIM
18. VK3ANL
19. VK4XW
20. VK2JAZ
21. VK3TKK
22. VK7FVDN
23. VK2NN
24. VK3BY
25. VK3FI
26. VK2KTT
27. ZL3WPK
28. VK3FPSR
29. VK3ZMD
30. VK3UCD
31. VK4NKL
32. VK7NAL/4
33. VK2TTP
34. VK2BTC
35. ZL3ADT
36. EA8CER
37. VK3BSG
38. VK2FQSL
39. VK2ABT
40. VK4XAC
41. VK4FAAS
42. VK3SOT
43. VK5FANA
44. VK3MCK
45. VK5FVSV
46. VK3FADM
47. VK3DJ
48. VK2FWAY
49. VK3ZD
50. VK7MHZ
51. VK2QN
52. VK4BRT
53. VK2AJG
54. VK4PQ
55. VK5FDEC
56. VK4JPA
57. VK4AJB
58. VK3RV
59. VK3WQ
60. ZL1ANZ
61. VK4QS
62. VK4YLU
63. VK1HW
64. VK4OK
65. VK2FOUZ
66. VK2YK
67. VK5MAS
68. VK3KN
69. ZL2TZE
70. VK3FSPG
71. VK7MBD
72. VK2SI mobile
73. VK2AAF
74. VK2SR
75. VK5UR
76. VK4FSCC
77. VK2FINE

Here is a short video of some of my contacts from Anson Bay…….

After packing up we headed down to Puppies Point and caught up with all the stragglers, including Trent Christian, Heath VK3TWO, and some of the VK9NT crew before heading back to the Paradise Hotel.

Above:- with Trent Christian (ex VK9 Norfolk Island and VP6 Pitcairn Island)

Here is a video put together by Nigel VK5NIG and Stuart VK5STU of our contact whilst they were on Mount Gawler summit for SOTA.

References.

Edgecombe; J, 1999, ‘Norfolk Island-South PAcific.  Island of history and many delights’.

Norfolk Island Parks & Foretsy Service, 2003, Plan of Management Anson Bay

Wikipedia, 2016, <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wedge-tailed_shearwater&gt;, viewed 3rd June 2016