2016 Winter VHF/UHF Field Day
Re: 2016 Winter VHF/UHF Field Day
I had been working on my mobile yagi mount (for my Bunnings Special) over the last couple of weekends , interrupted by 400mmm of rain.
It seems it may be all in vain as another East Coast low is due to spin up on Sunday with a further 150mm forecast.
So as a fall back I'll use the home station and try some data contacts.
I'd like to ask a newby question , what is the structure of a valid contact using JT65, as the rules state callsign plus square locator, " plus two further digits that cannot be predicted the the other station "
I'm not clear the structure of a valid contact in that mode.
Thanks
Brian
VK2XTC
It seems it may be all in vain as another East Coast low is due to spin up on Sunday with a further 150mm forecast.
So as a fall back I'll use the home station and try some data contacts.
I'd like to ask a newby question , what is the structure of a valid contact using JT65, as the rules state callsign plus square locator, " plus two further digits that cannot be predicted the the other station "
I'm not clear the structure of a valid contact in that mode.
Thanks
Brian
VK2XTC
Re: 2016 Winter VHF/UHF Field Day
I will be operating from my normal spot at Clear Mountain on Saturday afternoon provided the weather is Ok
6m, 2m, 432,1296 and 10 GHz.
Geoff VK4KJJ
6m, 2m, 432,1296 and 10 GHz.
Geoff VK4KJJ
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Re: 2016 Winter VHF/UHF Field Day
Not looking too good for being /P in SE VK4 on Sunday. Other east coast sites probably no better.
Re: 2016 Winter VHF/UHF Field Day
That's a great idea Brian, I'll put that one in the memory bank.VK2XTC wrote:I had been working on my mobile yagi mount (for my Bunnings Special) over the last couple of weekends , interrupted by 400mmm of rain.
VK2XTC
Now at QF33FW.
Listening; 144.100, 432.100, 1296.100.
Listening; 144.100, 432.100, 1296.100.
Re: 2016 Winter VHF/UHF Field Day
I'll be trying a bit of roving without the caravan of courage weather permitting.
Don't forget to let everyone know your intentions via contest radar.
Don't forget to let everyone know your intentions via contest radar.
Lou - VK3ALB
Being right doesn't excuse bad behaviour
Being right doesn't excuse bad behaviour
Re: 2016 Winter VHF/UHF Field Day
Lou,
I will operating from home this weekend, but I note that you are likely to be on Tower Road (QF21HV70), so there is a good chance that we can get through on the higher bands from that location.
I have 6 metres through to 24 Ghz setup ready to go.
Hope to work you sometime.
Peter VK3QI
I will operating from home this weekend, but I note that you are likely to be on Tower Road (QF21HV70), so there is a good chance that we can get through on the higher bands from that location.
I have 6 metres through to 24 Ghz setup ready to go.
Hope to work you sometime.
Peter VK3QI
Re: 2016 Winter VHF/UHF Field Day
Hi Peter,
Yes the outlook in your direction is very good indeed and (weather permitting) we'll be ready to go at zero hour from that location. We'll have 2m through 10GHz.
Yes the outlook in your direction is very good indeed and (weather permitting) we'll be ready to go at zero hour from that location. We'll have 2m through 10GHz.
Lou - VK3ALB
Being right doesn't excuse bad behaviour
Being right doesn't excuse bad behaviour
Re: 2016 Winter VHF/UHF Field Day
Lou (and others),
Are we agreed to all use 3398.150 instead of 3400.150 as the operating frequency for this weekend?
I am not sure whether any NBN cells have actually been implemented yet in the Melbourne and surrounding area.
Cheers
Peter VK3QI
Are we agreed to all use 3398.150 instead of 3400.150 as the operating frequency for this weekend?
I am not sure whether any NBN cells have actually been implemented yet in the Melbourne and surrounding area.
Cheers
Peter VK3QI
Re: 2016 Winter VHF/UHF Field Day
Am planning to be out this afternoon on 2m SSB/CW/FM only from a good location near Frankston.
The plot from the site shows a good 270 degree coverage to most places from Geelong. Gippsland,
traditionally a weak area for me but essential for grid squares, should be workable.
The plot from the site shows a good 270 degree coverage to most places from Geelong. Gippsland,
traditionally a weak area for me but essential for grid squares, should be workable.
Last edited by VK3YE on Sat Jun 18, 2016 9:27 am, edited 1 time in total.
-------------------------
Peter VK3YE http://www.vk3ye.com
NEW FOR 2019! Illustrated International Ham Radio Dictionary. 200 page Kindle ebook. $AU $5.99. Get yours at http://home.alphalink.com.au/~parkerp/dictionary.htm
Peter VK3YE http://www.vk3ye.com
NEW FOR 2019! Illustrated International Ham Radio Dictionary. 200 page Kindle ebook. $AU $5.99. Get yours at http://home.alphalink.com.au/~parkerp/dictionary.htm
- VK3ZAZ
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Re: 2016 Winter VHF/UHF Field Day
VK4CZ wrote:Not looking too good for being /P in SE VK4 on Sunday. Other east coast sites probably no better.
Wednesday sky blue
Thursday CAT Angel Flight to Bairnsdale cancelled
Friday even crapier Fog at YHML 20C at Bairnsdale could not depart
Jane Bunn says Pacific Low gunna drop 150mm again all way down to Bass Strait.
http://www.bom.gov.au/australia/charts/4day_col.shtml
Good luck guys staying home here
Tread your own path
Re: 2016 Winter VHF/UHF Field Day
Best wishes to those hardy souls venturing forth on the Field Day this weekend.
Never mind the pessimists.
Weather in the west is to be fine and cool.
Remember - it's about having fun in the great outdoors.
Don't drive through any floodwaters.
Never mind the pessimists.
Weather in the west is to be fine and cool.
Remember - it's about having fun in the great outdoors.
Don't drive through any floodwaters.
73, Roger Harrison VK2ZRH
Re: 2016 Winter VHF/UHF Field Day
Hi Peter, yes we'll use 3398 this weekendVK3QI wrote:Lou (and others),
Are we agreed to all use 3398.150 instead of 3400.150 as the operating frequency for this weekend?
I am not sure whether any NBN cells have actually been implemented yet in the Melbourne and surrounding area.
Cheers
Peter VK3QI
Lou - VK3ALB
Being right doesn't excuse bad behaviour
Being right doesn't excuse bad behaviour
Re: 2016 Winter VHF/UHF Field Day
I don't see any rules around permitted liaison.
Can you use spotters, loggers or even repeaters to liaise with others?
Hilary
VK2IUW
--
Can you use spotters, loggers or even repeaters to liaise with others?
Hilary
VK2IUW
--
Hilary - VK2AZ
Glenmore Park NSW
QF56IF31
Glenmore Park NSW
QF56IF31
Re: 2016 Winter VHF/UHF Field Day
http://www.wia.org.au/members/contests/generalrules/VK2IUW wrote:I don't see any rules around permitted liaison.
Can you use spotters, loggers or even repeaters to liaise with others?
Despite that, there has been a demonstrated lack of interest (I don't dare use the 'a' word) in using VK Logger during VHF Field days over the years, and Contest Radar took over the role of proximity awareness anyway.
Apparently it was too hard to create/update a Logger profile to indicate where you would be and what bands you would be active on.
(The real value was being able to generate distance & TN bearing information, but so few embraced this.)
I would just use Contest Radar instead, and forget about VK Logger.
Leading horses to water since 2005.
Re: 2016 Winter VHF/UHF Field Day
The video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jOIEGuPa4E
Good activity locally from local home stations, but not many portables out. Apart from VK7JG no stations over 150km were heard.
Good activity locally from local home stations, but not many portables out. Apart from VK7JG no stations over 150km were heard.
-------------------------
Peter VK3YE http://www.vk3ye.com
NEW FOR 2019! Illustrated International Ham Radio Dictionary. 200 page Kindle ebook. $AU $5.99. Get yours at http://home.alphalink.com.au/~parkerp/dictionary.htm
Peter VK3YE http://www.vk3ye.com
NEW FOR 2019! Illustrated International Ham Radio Dictionary. 200 page Kindle ebook. $AU $5.99. Get yours at http://home.alphalink.com.au/~parkerp/dictionary.htm
Re: 2016 Winter VHF/UHF Field Day
I didn't go portable yesterday due to a number of considerations, including the weather forecast here in SE Qld, but the outcome had I gone to the effort would have possibly driven me to give up participation in these events completely. I worked a total of 11 callsigns in 41 contacts over 8 hours from the relative comfort of the home QTH - a very disappointing participation level from my point of view. The 2 hour re-work period was the only saving grace.
Historically, I know that the Winter FD is activity always lower than the Spring or Summer events but this strikes me as just too low and whether to bother next year.
Historically, I know that the Winter FD is activity always lower than the Spring or Summer events but this strikes me as just too low and whether to bother next year.
Doug VK4ADC, QG62lg51
http://www.vk4adc.com
http://www.vk4adc.com
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Re: 2016 Winter VHF/UHF Field Day
I hear you Doug... I had started to plan an activation for this weekend a little over a month or so back (the required timeline to work in with the family diary), and it became very evident that activity levels in SE VK4 were going to be very poor when I looked at this thread (you did originally say you weren't operating), and then this was further reinforced through conversations with a couple of the 'regular' FD stations who also advised that they had prior commitments that had to take precedence. So I stopped planning.
From reports and the activity I've seen this morning, it looks like what was the reality.
But the good news is that for those in SE VK4 the upcoming 23-on-23 + MAD is just over 4 weeks away and you should start planning for it as there is already a number of stations that have advised they'll be active... and the more the merrier!
http://www.vklogger.com/forum/viewtopic ... 495#p61495
From reports and the activity I've seen this morning, it looks like what was the reality.
But the good news is that for those in SE VK4 the upcoming 23-on-23 + MAD is just over 4 weeks away and you should start planning for it as there is already a number of stations that have advised they'll be active... and the more the merrier!
http://www.vklogger.com/forum/viewtopic ... 495#p61495
Re: 2016 Winter VHF/UHF Field Day
I didn't hear many Melbourne stations but gave a few numbers on 2 and 70 to 3KQ in Blackwood forest at 250km away. I'm too far for anyone on 1296 but had it running all weekend nonetheless.
Swung the beams to Canberra and made a few contacts, plus Wagga Wagga. Not a boo from Albury.
Swung the beams to Canberra and made a few contacts, plus Wagga Wagga. Not a boo from Albury.
Now at QF33FW.
Listening; 144.100, 432.100, 1296.100.
Listening; 144.100, 432.100, 1296.100.
Re: 2016 Winter VHF/UHF Field Day
I have to agree with you Adam. We tried very hard to steer away from making CR (Contest Radar) a copy of VKlogger. Whilst we've had requests for higher resolution on the contest radar map the point of CR was always to be a really simple tool to see who is out there and roughly where they are - no more than that. CR was born of the fact that many ops do not keep their Op Info up to date in the logger so it was difficult to plan field day events. As you have already pointed out, Doug VK4ADC spent a lot of time trying to make an easy to use tool for the field day operators but it still relied on a small effort from each of us to keep our VKlogger OpInfo details up to date.ADMIN wrote:
Despite that, there has been a demonstrated lack of interest (I don't dare use the 'a' word) in using VK Logger during VHF Field days over the years, and Contest Radar took over the role of proximity awareness anyway.
Apparently it was too hard to create/update a Logger profile to indicate where you would be and what bands you would be active on.
(The real value was being able to generate distance & TN bearing information, but so few embraced this.)
I would encourage people to maintain their logger OpInfo (it only takes a couple of minutes every year or perhaps every field day). In the end these things all help us to make contacts and to make us known to others with similar interests.
The other thing to remember is the VKlogger Mapping tool is a very powerful and sophisticated thing. You can find other operators (if their OpInfo is correct and up to date) you can evaluate field locations before you step away from the computer. CR is not a patch on the VKlogger Mapping tool and I would recommend the serious field operator should try to get to know how the tools of the VKlogger can be used to help their planning for field day events.
A great place to start is in the Help section of the VKlogger forum - Just click the Board Index link at the top of this page and look for Help - VKlogger.
Last edited by VK3ALB on Sun Jun 19, 2016 1:10 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Lou - VK3ALB
Being right doesn't excuse bad behaviour
Being right doesn't excuse bad behaviour
Re: 2016 Winter VHF/UHF Field Day
This weekend wasn't going to happen for me due to the weather and a pending exam for which I should be preparing for rather than trolling through the forumVK3ALB wrote:I have to agree with you Adam. We tried very hard to steer away from making CR (Contest Radar) a copy of VKlogger. Whilst we've had requests for higher resolution on the contest radar map the point of CR was always to be a really simple tool to see who is out there and roughly where they are - no more than that. CR was born of the fact that many ops do not keep their Op Info up to date in the logger so it was difficult to plan field day events. As you have already pointed out, Doug VK4ADC spent a lot of time trying to make an easy to use tool for the field day operators but it still relied on a small effort from each of us to keep our VKlogger OpInfoADMIN wrote:
Despite that, there has been a demonstrated lack of interest (I don't dare use the 'a' word) in using VK Logger during VHF Field days over the years, and Contest Radar took over the role of proximity awareness anyway.
Apparently it was too hard to create/update a Logger profile to indicate where you would be and what bands you would be active on.
(The real value was being able to generate distance & TN bearing information, but so few embraced this.)
I would just use Contest Radar instead, and forget about VK Logger.
Personally I try and use theVKLogger mapping facility as much as possible while out and about. It gives me a good idea of headings which is oh so important at 10/24/47Ghz. Whilst I can see the benefit of Contest Radar, Lou is quite correct it's not a patch on the functionality provided by VKLogger (thank you Adam for the effort).
To counter the 'a' factor, I always encourage operators that are known to be participating to update their /P profile. In this time of the all pervasive things and devices, I not sure why there is resistance to do so. Portable Internet connectivity is easy and cheap these days.............
Cheers,
Peter
VK4EA
Peter
VK4EA