VK4KC Marty’s Ham Radio Adventures

 My work travels took me close to Millstream Falls National Parks so I was able to spend about 90 minutes there Activating this morning. Deryck VK4FDJL and his wife Shirleene who live not far from the park came out and joined me for the activation. Shirleene also provided morning tea which was a treat. Propagation was not good, I made a few contacts into VK3 and one into VK6. Deryck exited the park so I was able to make a number of contacts with him on various bands to get a few extras for my 10 contact quota. Photo below ... Deryck is the good looking one!  Marty VK4KC

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 met...

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

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 V...

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 V...