VK4KC Marty’s Ham Radio Adventures

A very e asy location to access with a few short walking tracks from the car park to Red beach.  The area known as Red Beach is a name carried over from the Second World War when Australian and American troops practiced beach landing craft training at various beaches around the island, given colour-coded names. Red beach was the only name that stuck after the War, being close to the settlement of Bongaree. I setup just inside the Conservation park area about 30 metres from the ocean.  I would have liked to have tested my home made linked dipole but the trees were really not high enough and too dense.  The vertical worked well which I’m sure being so close to the salt water helped with. It was a fine day but the winds became stronger and quite cool as the morning went on. I commenced operating around 9am and worked 20 and 40 metre bands. I finished operating at around 12:45 pm after making 51 contacts.    Contacts made (51 in total) Prior to UTC rollover - 20 metres  VK3ANL - Nick 40 me

I was presently surprised with this park. I was expecting just bushland joining this creek, which is more like a small river.  You will see from the photos that there is a track that runs between two homes on River Gum drive. The track is gated so I parked on the street and it was a 5 minute walk to a cleared section that is right by the creek.  I found some moveable cut sections of a tree that I used as a seat and table.  There is a very tall tree that was in a perfect position which I used for the fan dipole for 20 & 40 metres and the vertical wire for 80 metres. The weather was perfect, 23 degrees, very gentle breeze and blue sky’s. Contacts (Total 17) 40 metres: VK4ACC/P Robert in VKFF-1173 VK2IO Gerard VK5PAS Paul VK4FDJL Deryck VK2PEZ Andrew VK2FLAT Murray ZL1TM Andrei VK3PF Peter VK2KNC Norm VK2YE Steve VK2MZ Rob VK3ZPH Peter VK3FACD Dan VK3SQ Geoff VK2EAC Des 20 Metres: KN7D Val 80 Metres: VK4CZ Scott

It is only a short 3 minute walk from the small parking area to the water and there is a great spot to setup at the southern end of the park with a wooden seat in place.  This seat is only about 20 metres from the neighbouring properties to the south but it is still a private location.  I wish I remembered the tropical strength insect repellent as my legs ended up being covered by sand fly bites.   Contacts (total 15) 40 Metres: VK2IO Gerard VK2HRX Compton VK2HBG/P Gerald in VKFF-0248 VK2LX Grant VK2DG Cameron VK3PF Peter VK3ARH Allen VK3HRA Allen ZL1TM Andrei VK2KYO Ken VK5FANA Adrian VK5OUI Ian VK4FDJL Deryck 80 Metres: VK2IO Gerard VK2FSAV Brett