Friday, May 28, 2021

visit to Mt.Nelson Signal Station, Hobart, Tasmania

 visited the Mt.Nelson Signal Station,  this was visual signalling, not RF signalling,   it was used for  flag semaphore from Colonial days.  This site was impressive, this would be good for a RF  Field Day Contest site,  I hope the VK7's do use it,  its great for VHF, UHF and SHF, a good clear 180 degree view,  from  west to n.w.. Tasmania , through nth, n.e and  round through to ZL direction.   Although  Mt. Wellington is considerably higher, the unpredictability of the weather for  top of Mt.Wellington makes it too much of a gamble when you want to run a radio contest portable station.  I have a seen a video from Hayden VK7HH up Mt.Wellington getting  blasted with wind and rain, that's not good when trying to work weak signal DX.

We were over at South Arm on a nice clear sunny day and within half an hour we could see this cloud appear then engulf the top of Mt.Wellington, and we also had that happen on the day we went up to top of Mt.Wellington, go from sunny day in Hobart, take 25minute drive to the top and find different weather, being engulfed in low cloud and freezing winds. I got a photo example of it here, showing  top of Mt.Wellington there one minute, gone the next.  

Apart from that, I was impressed  with Tasmania, I would like to go back, but next time take a car loaded with RF gear across on Spirit of Tasmania to do a Field Day Contest  from VK7, that would be good for a bucket list.  The VK7's have a lot of accessible mountain tops, with unobstructed water views back to the mainland, ideal  for radio field day contests. I don't know what is best, go to Hobart work locals , or go somewhere up along the top coast of VK7 to work back to mainland.







Mt.Wellington shrouded in cloud below





No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.