Trips and Travel

Daryl and I managed to visit the open day for one of the new Stations being opened this year. State Library Station.

I made this quick video..

Cheers.

Craig.

Looking for tips in a logical way to start activating these parks. Maybe not this year, though, next summer if it is better weather-wise than this one so far. I am looking for a skeleton roadmap connecting the parks in order to plan a logical, hopefully driving route.

I suppose I will have to use a couple of books to compare the park and amenities available at the next park and so forth, and fees to be paid and to whom. Possibly travelling in a caravan or swag.

Any help and advice accepted, this will be a loner, one on the radio. trip due to the poor front end of my 897D. I do not mind extras, though only one transmitter. Possibly staying in a powered site caravan park every third night to recharge batteries or work out a solar cell setup.

Warm regards,

Mitch VK3ZT

My first attempt at contacting the VK3RUV repeater from the Sorrento foreshore (48km) with the 2m beam antenna a couple of weeks ago was not successful.

Since then with Craig and Ken’s help I was able to connect to the repeater from Poowong and Loch elevated positions from 61km.

Therefore I feel emboldened to try again at Sorrento, however I’ll try and gain height at the hotel at the foreshore which sits on a bluff.

On the map, I identified a site called “Yoga OnThe Park”, when I get there it will be “Yagi On The Park”.

I have tentatively chosen next Tuesday the 23rd September because the forecasted rain happens before 6am and the wind is less. If the forecast changes then this event might be postponed.

The broad plan is to try Sorrento and then go to Flinders and try the big cliff there.

As some of you know, I recently purchased a Diamond brand 5 element Yagi for 2 metres.

This was tested at Devilbend Reservoir going into the club repeater VK3RUV and worked really well with 1 watt.

I would like to try this at Sorrento which is 47km and bearing 48.3 degrees.

Which day depends on the weather and we have a week of rain. Next Tuesday 2nd September might be promising. Wouldn’t want too much wind but perhaps I could raise the antenna half way up so it wouldn’t wobble too much.

It’s possible I could go at short notice, let me know if anyone wants to come, have lunch in a pub.

I’d like to do other places such as the Dandenongs and Portarlington and any promising line of sight locations.