Uncle Toby’s silo VK-UNS3

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Our first activation for Wednesday 29th day of November 2023, was the Uncle Toby’s silo VK-UNS3 for the Silos On The Air (SiOTA) program.

The silos are located at the site of the old Uncle Tobys factory on Sunshine Road, West Footscray.

Uncle Tobys is an Australian food manufacturing company that was established in 1861. It specialises in breakfast oat products. It is currently operated as a wholly owned subsidiary of Nestlé, with its main factory being located in Wahgunyah, Victoria. (Leth 2019)

During the 1850s gold rush in Victoria, brothers Leonard Frederick Parsons (b. 1846. d. 1917) and George Sidney Parsons (b. 1844. d. 1886) left England and commenced manufacturing John Bull Oats in Melbourne. In 1861 they established Parsons Brothers which later became Uncle Tobys. (Uncle Tobys 2024)

Above:- Article from The Sydney Morning Herald, Wed 18 July 1917. Image c/o Trove.

Marija and I parked in Hansen Reserve in the activation zone and operated from the 4WD for this activation. We ran the Icom Ic-7000, 100 watts and the Codan 9350 with the 1/5 metre stainless steel whip. Surprisingly the noise floor was only strength 3 on the 40m band.

Above:- the activation zone at the Uncle Toby’s silo. Image c/o SiOTA website.

Marija worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

  1. VK3PF
  2. VK3CLD
  3. VK3UAO
  4. VK2EXA

I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

  1. VK3PF
  2. VK3CLD
  3. VK3UAO
  4. VK2EXA
  5. VK5HS
  6. VK7ZA

I worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-

  1. VK2IO
  2. VK3UAO

References.

  1. Leth, Melinda (2019). “Sustainable Oat Production in Australia”
  2. Uncle Toby’s (2023). Our story. [online] Uncle Tobys. Available at: https://www.uncletobys.com.au/our-story. [viewed 1st May 2024]‌

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