VK4KC Marty’s Ham Radio Adventures

Heading west on wide bay hwy and prior to Kilkivan turn left and head towards Kilkivan bush camp.  I was surprised at just how many caravans there were at this bush camp. Hundreds! It’s like everyone has gone bush during COVID. A few kilometres past the bush camp the road turns to gravel. Almost to the end of the road the National park borders the road and that is where I parked. The terrain was hilly with plenty of trees. I was low down in a valley so I hiked westward for about 30 minutes and ended up on top of a hill with some nice trees to hang the fan dipole from. Glad I had plenty of water with me. I had no reception on Optus or Telstra so I was not able to self spot. After setting up I found a log to sit on and commenced calling CQ on 7.144MHz. It was a bit slow going at first but after a few contacts VK4FDJL Deryck spotted me and then the contacts came flowing. Contacts 40 metres: VK3PT Perrin VK2FBRU Michael VK3KQT  VK4FDJL Deryck VK2LX Grant VK3PF Peter VK2IO Gerard VK2USA/P D

Only 10 minutes from Hervey Bay and only a couple of minutes from the main road this is a easy park to access and the dirt road to enter the park is just adequate for a standard car.  I setup around 100 metres into the park and there are plenty of large suitable trees so I used the golf ball and fishing line to raise the fan dipole and the 10 metre wire vertical. Contacts (prior to 00:00 UTC) 40 metres: VK4CZ Scott VK2IO Gerard Contacts (post 00:00 UTC) 40 metres: VK2IO Gerard VK4CZ Scott VK3PF Peter VK4MJC Matt VK4CAN Robert VK4XD Jamie VK3SQ Geoff VK2VK Russell 20 Metres: VK3SQ Geoff VK3KTT Steve VK2YK/5 Adam VK5GA Adam VK2IO Gerard VK4CZ Scott VK4FDJL Deryck

After work at Bundaberg I drove north of to this park that has never been activated before. The drive there is surrounded by sugar cain farms and there was a lot of smoke around due to the cain being burnt off. The maps here show the location I setup which was in the park by just a few metres but I was able to get access using a fire break trail between a cain farm and the park.   This next photo is of the fire break trail at the location Close to where I set up. Antennas were the 20/40 fan dipole and the 10 metre vertical wire with a base loading coil for 80 metres. Contacts (40 metres): VK4FDJL Deryck VK3PF Peter VK2IO Gerard VK3YV Tony VK5HAA John VK4CZ Scott VK3FIMD Ian VK2DG Cameron VK4HNS Neil VK2LX Grant VK2HDT Allen VK4JPA John VK2FJJM Jim VK2LEE Lee VK2YK/5 Adam VK5GA Adam VK1DI Ian VK5FANA Adrian 20 metres: VK3PF Peter VK3SG Leigh VK3ARH Allen VK2LX Grant ZL3MR John VK3SQ Geoff VK3YV Tony VK3TNL Tony ZL1TM Andrei VK5KLV Les 80 Metres: VK4CZ Scott VK2LEE Lee VK4PHD Peter VK4AB

1st Activation, 18 June 2020 (2nd activation 27 August 2020 see below) What a fantastic morning playing radio on the beach.  Plenty of Paddle boarders out and about. Made four contacts, one of which was Val KN7D in Kaysville Utah. This conservation park is only 20 minutes drive from Bundaberg. I will be back to make more contacts.  Boardwalk from the car park to the beach. Sun rise over the Pacific Ocean. My setup about 30 metres from the waters edge. Plenty of paddle boarders out. My operating position with antenna behind me. How’s the serenity! View of the back of me behind the squid pole 20 metre quarter wave wire vertical. 2nd Activation I returned to this site on 27th August 2020 for a quick one hour activation. I love this sight, especially in the mornings with a very gentle breeze and setting up on the dunes is a nice change from the Aussie bush land.  Contacts made (total 19): Prior to 00:00 UTC, 40 metres VK3PF Peter VK2IO Gerard VK4FDJL Deryck VK2FLAT Murray VK2STG Steven VK3

A quick activation Friday morning at Darwin before heading to the airport to take a flight back home to Brisbane. From the entry gates driving to the main car park I passed many munition depots that we’re used in the 2nd world war.  One of them is open as a WW2 display but due to lack of time that will need to wait till my next visit to Darwin.  At the entry there was a sign warning the public to cover up due to small biting insects. I didn’t think much of this at the time but it certainly was a problem when I was setting up. From the car park there is a large grassed area with picnic tables and permanent gazebo shelters.  I noticed a lookout platform where I took a couple of photos, one showing Darwin in the distance. To the north of the lookout there was a gazebo with a large tree right next to it which is were I hoisted the inverted V dipole with strong fishing line. From the time I got out of the car to the time I began setting up I was being bitten by very small sand flies. I was