At about 0906 UTC on the 11th day of May 2024, I tuned in to the Bureau of Meteorology’s marine weather HF radio service VMW broadcasting from Wiluna, Western Australia on 4149 kHz.
VMW broadcasts for broadcasts for the High Seas for the Northern, Western and Southern high seas areas, and Coastal Waters areas off South Australia, Western Australia and Northern Territory.
More information can be found at…….http://www.bom.gov.au/marine/radio-sat/marine-weather-hf-radio.shtml
Received in the mail my plaque for the 2023 Oceania DX Contest – 1st place in Australia.
Thank you to everyone who called me during the contest.
And a big thank you to the Oceania DX Contest Committee and to Martin VK7GN, the sponsor of the plaque.
Received in the mail. First place certificate for the 2024 John Moyle Memorial Field Day.
Thanks to all who called and thanks to the organisers of the event.
Very pleased to have come 1st in Australia and 5th in Oceania in the 2024 CQ World Wide WPX Contest.
Thank you to everybody who called and thank you to the contest organisers.
Between the evening of Sunday 23rd June 2024 and Wednesday 3rd July 2024, I was allocated the special callsign of VI60IOTA to use on SSB. The callsign is to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Islands On The Air (IOTA) program.
Paul VK2HV was allocated the caIl over the same period for data, while I had the call for SSB.
I made a total of 2,122 QSOs, with 70 DXCC worked. I worked 41 out of 50 USA States and 24 out of 40 Zones worked.
The map below shows my QSOs.
Above:- My contacts whilst using VI60IOTA.
The Top 10 countries worked were as follows:-
The majority of my QSOs were on the 20m band
20m long path to Europe/UK during the afternoon was excellent. There was also an excellent opening on 15m long path into Europe one afternoon. The map below shows my European/UK contacts.
Above:- Map showing my European/UK QSOs.
The short path to North America on 20m during the evening was very disappointing. There were no big openings like I experienced whilst on Flinders Island back in February. even a few weeks prior I was working North America during our evening with very strong signals, but that was not to be this time. I did however work some USA & Canada during the evening, however, North American signals on 20m were stronger during our afternoon.
The map below shows my North American QSOs.
Above:- Map of my North American QSOs.
The majority of VK & ZL stations were worked on 40m & 80m.
Above:- Map showing my VK & ZL QSOs.
Thanks to Grant VK5GR for giving me the opportunity to use the call, and thank you to everyone who called me.
On Saturday morning, 20th April 2024, Chris VK5FR and I headed out again to do some park activations whilst on Flinders Island. I dropped off Chris VK5FR at the Heritage Agreement VKFF-4307 and I drove down onto Gem Beach to activate the Investigator Marine Park VKFF-1717.
I was hoping to get a few more FT8 contacts in the log.
I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-
I worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-
I worked the following station on 20m FT8:-
On the morning of Thursday 18th April 2024, Chris VK5FR and I headed out to activate the Investigator Marine Park VKFF-1717. I had activated the park a few days previous, but I wanted to try to get some FT8 contacts for the very first time from a park for me.
Chris I headed down to the eastern side of the island.
Chris set up at the 4WD and I walked about 50 metres away and set up on the rocks close to the ocean. I ran the Yaesu FT857 and the 20/40/80m linked dipole. I ran 40 watts on SSB and just 5 watts on FT8. My FT8 program was WSJTX on the laptop.
I logged a total of 34 stations including 8 FT8 contacts on 20m and 5 FT8 contacts on 40m.
I worked the following stations on 20m FT8:-
I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-
I worked the following stations on 40m FT8:-
I worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-
After our activation of the Investigator Marine Park, Adam VK2YK and I headed back to the homestead on Flinders Island and had some lunch. We then jumped into the operator chairs of VK5FIL.
Later that afternoon Adam and I headed out to activate Heritage Agreement VKFF-4307 located on the northwestern side of Flinders Island.
Above:- Map showing the location of Flinders Island. Map c/o Google Maps.
To access the park we headed northwest on one of the dirt tracks on the island. We soon reached a gate that had a ‘Heritage Area’ sign. We followed that 4WD track down to Gem Beach.
The Heritage Agreement extends from Gem Point to Pont Malcom.
Above:- An aerial view showing the Heritage Agreement. Image c/o Google Earth.
The park is about 280 hectares in size and was established on the 29th day of August 1995. (CAPAD 2022)
I ran the Yaesu FT857, 40 watts and the 20/40/80m linked dipole for this activation.
I logged a total of 152 stations on 20m SSB & 40m SSB. This included a large amount of DX on 20m.
I worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-
I worked the following QSOs on 40m SSB:-
References.
We had now spent 2 nights on Flinders Island in the Great Australian Bight, and it was Tuesday 16th April 2024. Adam VK2YK and I decided to head out to activate the Investigator Marine Park VKFF-1717.
Above:- The Investigator Marine Park. Image c/o Parks SA.
The park is about 1,185 square kilometres in size and was established on the 29th day of January 2009. The park consists of four parts. The first section extends along the coastland of the Eyre Peninsula from Point Dummond to just south of Elliston. The second part surrounds Flinders Island the the Topgallant Islands. The third and fourth parts respectively surround the Ward Islands and the Pearson Isles. (Wikipedia 2024)
The park takes its name from the HMS Investigator which was under the command of Captain Matthew Flinders (b. 1774. d. 1814). He led the first inshore circumnavigation of mainland Australia. (Wikipedia 2024)
Above:- Captain Matthew Flinders. Image c/o Wikipedia.
The HMS Investigator commenced her life as the mercantile Fram. She was built in Sunderland, England and was launched in 1795. In 1798 the British Royal Navy purchased the Fram and renamed her HMS Xenophon. In 1801 the name was changed to HMS Investigator. She as the first ship to circumnavigate Australia in 1802. The HMS Investigator was sold in 1810 and she returned to mercantile service under the name Xenophon. It is believed the ship was broken up c. 1872. (Wikipedia 2024)
Above:- The HMS Investigator. Image c/o Wikipedia.
Below is an excellent video on the life of Captain Matthew Flinders.
Adam and I drove south from our accommodation and set up on the eastern side of Flinders Island. It was a beautiful sunny day and we enjoyed some absolutely magnificent views during our activation.
Adam set up his station and I set up my station which comprised my Yaesu FT857, 40 watts, and the 20/40/80m linked dipoel.
I logged a total of 105 QSOs on 20 & 40m SSB.
I worked the following stations on 40m SSB before the UTC rollover:-
I worked the following stations on 40m SSB after the UTC rollover:-
I worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-
References.
My final activation for Saturday the 13th day of April 2024 was the Point Labatt Conservation Park VKFF-1081.
The park is located about 47 km south of Streaky Bay on the far west coast of South Australia.
Above:- Map showing the location of the Point Labatt Conservation Park. Map c/o Google Maps.
The park is named in honour of John Bagot Labatt, a former Deputy Chairman of the South Australian Harbour’s Board. He was born on the 9th day of January 1861 in North Adelaide, South Australia. Labatt was educated at St Peter’s College where he specialised in science. In August 1877 he commenced work in the dockyard at Glanville where he carried out practical engineering work. He was then transferred to the Engineer-in-Chief’s office and commenced work in harbour surveys. In March 1906 he was appointed Assistant Engineer for Harbours. When the Harbours Board was established in APril 1914 he was appointed one of the three Commissioners and was given the title of Deputy Chairman. He held that position until his retirement in 1927. His hobbies included gardening, carpentry and reading. He died on the 12th day of May 1928 in North Adelaide, South Australia, aged 68 years. (ancestry.com.au) (DEATH OF MR. J. B. LABATT., 1928)
Above:- Members of the South Australian Harbor’s Board sitting around a conference table, 1914. J.B. Labatt is second from the left. Image c/o State Library South Australia.
Point Labatt is located in the locality of Sceale Bay on the west side of the Calca Peninsula, also known as Freeman Peninsula. The name Calca is derived from an aboriginal word meaning stars. Its variant, the Freeman Peninsula, takes its name from the Freeman family who held land on the peninsula until the early 1980s. (Wikipedia 2024)
Above:- An aerial view of Point Labatt. Image c/o Google Earth.
The Point Labatt Conservation Park is about 51 hectares (130 acres) in size and was established on the 12th day of July 1973. It was established to protect the ‘largest colony of Australian sea lions on mainland Australia. The land was donated in 1972 by Ron, Myra, and Ellen Freeman who was concerned about illegal shooting. (Management Plan 1995)
Other than the Australian Sea Lion population, the park is also home to Southern Right Whales, Western Grey kangaroos, and numerous bird species including Cormorants, Terns, Gulls, Ospreys and Kestrels. (Management Plan 1995)
I ran the Yaesu FT857, 40 watts, and the 20/40/80m linked dipole for this activation.
I worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-
I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-
At the conclusion of the activation, I commenced to make my way back to Elliston, about 129 km to the south.
Along the way, I stopped briefly at the monument on the Flinders Highway to commemorate the township of Colton.
The town was named in honour of Sir John Blackler Colton (b. 1823. d. 1902). He was an Australian politician, the Premier of South Australia, and a philanthropist.
Above:- Sir John Blackler Colton. Image c/o Wikipedia.
Michael Stephen White Kenny was born in 1811 in County Clare, Ireland. In 1842 he emigrated to Australia aboard the Braken Moor with his sister and her husband. They arrived in Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania) with Kenny later moving to South Australia. In 1848 he married Brigid Purtle at Morphett Vale, South Australia. He initially owned land at Shea-oak Log. By the 1870s he had moved to the Yorke Peninsula where he secured farms for his sons. In 1876 he boarded the Selector and sailed from Oyster Bay (Stansbury) to Port Lincoln. He then trekked overland to the Hundred of Colton where he established ‘Balla McKenny’ a property of about 9,000 acres. He died in May 1892 at Colton. (ancestry.com.au) (Place Names 2012)
Above:- Michael Kenny. Image c/o ancestry.com.au
On the 21st day of December 1880, Michael’s eldest son Daniel Thomas Kenny (b. 1849. d. 1934), entered into an agreement with the Department of Lands and purchased 371 acres of land in the Hundred of Colton. This included land that adjoined a junction of five roads and this was an ideal position for a hotel which opened in 1884. A school was opened in 1885 and closed in 1956. The town also had a general store, churches, and a blacksmith shop. (Place Names 2012)
Above:- Kenny’s Hotel at Colton. Image c/o ancestry.com.au
Nearby is the George North Walkway in honour of George Tramountanas, the first Greek settler in South Australia. He changed his name to George North during the 1840s. He initially lived in Adelaide before moving to the Eyre Peninsula. His son, George Henry North, who was born at Port Lincoln, was the first South Australian born Greek.
Once arriving in Elliston I headed to the local hotel where I caught up with the rest of the VK5FIL Flinders Island Team: Grant VK5GR, Andy VK5LA, Chris VK5FR, Ivan VK5HS, and Adam VK2YK.
We enjoyed some great laughs, a nice meal and of course a few beverages.
References.
Amateur Radio, Short Wave Listening, travel and history
Amateur radio experiences with VK1DA
Brisbane - Australia
german amateur radio station
Summits On The Air
SOTA on the peaks, wilderness QRP and some bushwalking
A fine WordPress.com site
Amateur Radio Adventures
Summits on the Ai
Amateur radio station from Belgium
Radio craft, homebrew, QRP/SOTA, AM
Ego loqui ad viros super montes
My adventures with Amateur Radio and Geocaching!
The rantings of VK2GAZ on his SOTA experiences in Australia
A survivor, with minor cuts and abrasions.
The Art and Craft of Blogging
The latest news on WordPress.com and the WordPress community.
Blog of Justin Giles-Clark VK7TW's SOTA and amateur radio adventures.
Occasional SOTA & Microwave operation
VK5PAS 