2014 Summer Field Day

[VK3YFL]

Hi All,

I plan to operate from my traditional field day location in Kinglake National Park (QF22PL) with 50, 144, 432, 1296 & 10368MHz as detailled in VK3YFL/P profle for the first 6 hours or so.

Looks like ideal weather and so hopefully some good propagation.

Bryon
VK3YFL

[VK3QI]

VK3ER/p is all set up and ready to go from QF22DM15.

Conditions are excellent already, (10 p.m. Friday) with many beacons at unusually high signal levels.

Let's hope conditions remain as good for the next 36 hours.

Good luck to all participants.

Peter VK3QI (VK3ER/p)

[VK2BCC]

VK2BCC/P will be operating from Hat Hill, 4km NE from Blackheath on the Saturday afternoon. As this is a walk in activity operation will be low power, FT817 and 6 el beam.

73

Colin
de vk2bcc

[VK3BA]

Here's some pics from the VK3ALB/P Mt Gellibrand site with VK3FJEN, VK3FMIC and VK3BA

The toll thus far, one of the IC-202's, one of the FT-817's, a Lee Kernaghan CD, a 4 Crownies, 1 Church Block & 1 Robertson's Well.... but because one of the 202's died, we gained a 9v batt from that beeper to fix the uWave intercom system...

Waste of time bringing the mower this time... not much grass around now, but the sheep here are fat!

It was about 35degC late yesterday arvo, nice balmy evening until midnight, then a cold wet start this morning, but is now a very nice 19degC at 1130hrs this morning.

Cheers,

[VK3BQ]

We were in the clouds this morning. Vk3er/p

[VK4CLG]

Just a couple of pix's of the Sunshine Coast ARC operating from Howells Knob Lookout in the hinterlands near Maleny. (QG63JF) We had a great time up there and the weather was just nice.
Will be back in the same location for the John Moyle Field Day in March.

Cheers
Robert
VK4LHD

[VK4GHZ]

The toll thus far... a Lee Kernaghan CD...

No great loss?

Two questions:
1) What on Earth is Jenni looking up at? (or was that the booze?)
2) What's going on with the figurine of the Stig?

Great pictures from all, so far.
Always nice to see how others do things.

[VK3ALB]

Adam,

Jenni was looking up at the ceiling fan in our annex. The Sparky who installed it had just left and she was cross checking against the paperwork that the correct number of bungee cords (two) had been installed.

The Stig is our field day mascot. He comes with us on all events and the more astute observers will note that he has even made an appearance with Jenni in an AR magazine article. At his feet the Stig has a some sage advice for any field day operators - "Harden Up". Meaning this is field day, whatever troubles or hardships you might be experiencing just suck it up and get on with it. You wanted to go out in the field so just deal with it.

[VK2ZRH]

Jenni was looking up at the ceiling fan in our annex.

I just took it that she was praying to the propagation gods to look upon you guys favourably.

[VK3YFL]

Despite being enveloped in fog at my portable location at Kinglake NP, which meant it was impossible to use the usual line of site to Eureka tower in the Melbourne CBD to calibrate the 10GHz dish, I had plenty of contacts during my 6 hour operation. Perfect weather meant I didn't need to erect the weather shelter, but I'll keep in mind the VK3ALB overhead fan mod for future operations!



Bryon
VK3YFL

[VK3BQ]

More vk3er pics



I let the smoke out quick swap at 10pm Saturday night



The team



Trying 47GHz with 3uhf



In the clouds this morning



Jack mediating



Building the BBQ hot plate



The hill



2m array



Sunset Friday night.

more pics and videos at the clubs facebook page https://www.facebook.com/VK3ER

Weather was good. Bands were great. Thanks all (a more detailed blog post will go up soon)

[VK2AVR]

VK2MB (Manly Warringah Radio Society) operated portable from the oval near our clubhouse this morning for the 9am-12pm shift. Inverted V on 6m and Yagis on 2m,70cm,23cm. 23cm seemed to only work on receive, the equipment is somewhat 'elderly' and will soon be upgraded

However, we got some fantastic E's today and made 4 contacts into VK5, 1 contact into VK4 and 1 contact into ZL (ZM90DX, special event callsign). In fact, 6m was almost our highest scoring band

Good fun!

[VK3YE]

Today was one of those times when all the planets lined up: good weather, excellent conditions and a prepared & tested portable station. Easily my best ever VHF Field Day with high activity.

Olivers Hill proved its worth for VK1, VK5 and western VK3. However it's not particularly good for eastern VK3. VK7 would also be a problem until I found the value of Mt Dandenong to bounce the signal off.

Many participants will hear themselves in this video:

[VK4ADC]

Guys

The weather was kind to me this time with just some light rain in mid-afternoon. At least it wasn't the storm that accompanied the 2013 Spring FD.
All in all, a good outing.

My major comment is that some of the operators need to speed up the exchanges process so that you can complete even with a short opening.
All you really need is the RSxxx and the grid square info, plus callsign of course. The rest is just icing.
I nearly didn't finish with the 3ER operator as he was waffling on and signals went down, the same happening up here on microwave with path fades.
Too many extraneous words and not enough action.

73
Doug

[VK5ZD]

Hi

My major comment is that some of the operators need to speed up the exchanges process so that you can complete even with a short opening.
All you really need is the RSxxx and the grid square info, plus callsign of course. The rest is just icing.
I nearly didn't finish with the 3ER operator as he was waffling on and signals went down, the same happening up here on microwave with path fades.
Too many extraneous words and not enough action.

I'll second that
A complete contest exchange should take no more than 15-20 seconds under good conditions.

[VK2HRX]

I'll second that
A complete contest exchange should take no more than 15-20 seconds under good conditions.

Agreed. But cut some slack to the guys who pop up to give some numbers out plus those who are part of club contest teams and are learning (which takes time). Not everyone is hard core nor in contest mode.

If you dont like they way ther are operating then dont initiate or respond to the call with them.

[VK2AVR]

to some, field days are more about getting out an operating, a 6m opening is something to be enjoyed by all. but i agree that a calling frequency should not have waffle on it. make your contact and move on

if you want to waffle, that's fine but qsy up the band a bit. calling frequency should be short, sharp contacts. if the calling frequency is busy then go up 5-10khz and call from there, people will still find you as they should be tuning for a free spot too.

[VK3BA]

G'day all,

As the main dish-bitch for the VK3ALB/P station, when I do get behind the mic, I'll happily admit to waffling on to many stations. I think I enjoy the DX uWave contacts as well as the ones I haven't spoken to for a while, more than the points sometimes, as I've yet to establish a home station since building a new house. I try to pick a balance between catching up with folks and moving on. But I don't often get that right. Perhaps the later we go into Saturday night, there's more waffle than take the number and move on. At the end of the day, we try to maintain the work/life balance at VK3ALB/P

And please allow me to make a final comment (flame suit on now)... despite the promotion of taking along a keyer or beeper of some sort, it's sometimes amazing the number of stations that run uWave gear that still don't. It's a lot easier to hear a keyer/beeper in amongst the keerapp than some of the other sometimes frustrating reference signals we hear. Take it or leave it, but if you've bothered to pack a keyer/beeper or two, I'll (my opinion only) happily spend all day trying to do that weak and difficult uWave contact exchange with you.

In addition to the great weather we had in western VK3, it was great to see a healthy number of stations, both portable and home, active this time

And how was the signal from the QRP station of Peter VK3YE - excellent effort!

Cheers,

[VK3LL]

Here is short video of how we setup our station VK3KQ, operated by Damian VK3KQ and myself Ralph VK3LL, in the hills at Marysville (Vic).



or use this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KjDC0sKUus

Cheers, and many thanks to all the stations we worked.

Ralph
VK3LL

[VK3BA]

Here is short video of how we setup our station VK3KQ, operated by Damian VK3KQ and myself Ralph VK3LL, in the hills at Marysville (Vic).



or use this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KjDC0sKUus

Cheers, and many thanks to all the stations we worked.

Ralph
VK3LL

Excellent work, lads!! A very entertaining flick

You've ticked all the boxes.... fire break construction (I assume you got the idea from our Spring FD mowing session), church choir, doof doof, late night mix and topped it off with the invoked mast length reduction experiment T'was great to work you both too (from VK3ALB/P). Excellent!Looking forward to your Winter FD flick

Cheers,