Web SDR map

here is the link to the KIWISDR Web SDR map  map.kiwisdr.com

I can see Terry VK2KTJ operating one. I hope it is low noise site as promised.

I would like to run a Web SDR out at QF46pv,  it is definitely low noise floor site.

2022 VHF-UHF Spring Field Day Contest - VK2MB Manly Warringah Radio Society

 Spring 2022 VHF/UHF Field Day - Manly-Warringah Radio Society - YouTube  6minute video summary, 26th-27th November, 2022

6 metre FM update - 18 Novermber, 2022

 Since fixing my old AWA RT85 transceivers up, since they failed several years ago,  the usual pin diode failurein the Tx PA stage, I ripped out the pin diodes  and added a small RF relay that came from scrapped Philips FM828's  Now I back on 6 metre FM.

Repeaters I can hit and have been able to hit in the past,

VK2RAG, Somersby, 53.725 MHz  requires  91.5 Hz  CTCSS tone  - hearing activity here after Sunday WIA b'cast.

VK2RWI, Dural, 53.850 MHz - working

VK2RBM, Blue Mtns, 53.875 MHz - working, 123Hz ctcss required

VK2RMP, Maddens Plains, 53.650 MHz  - working, 123Hz ctcss required

VK2RSN, Mt Sugarloaf, Newcastle, 53.625 MHz   I not sure, as I can't hear it from home, I need to go mobile to check this one.

VK2RGN, 53.700 MHz, Goulburn,  I believe it is off air according to the Goulburn ARC website.

and

VK2RWI,   52.525 WIA  b'cast, last Sunday 18 people called in.  Good turn out

Flood Mitigation Dams

 On the news for past  year, all we hear about is the floods in Lismore and western Sydney and Forbes and Deniliquin, etc etc,  lots of whingers , complaining about flooding and damage time and time again. Constantly asking what is the Govt going to do about compensating them because Insurance companies don't want to pay, etc, etc.  Then  we get the Greens whinging about climate change and giving their crap about "this is the worst flood ever!" blah blah, typical rhetoric from dope smoking, lentil eating, Greenies and hippies. 

All this flooding can be stopped, or to be more precise, it can be greatly reduced. Nothing difficult about the problem. The Egyptians built mammoth projects like pyramids, so in this modern age it can't be too difficult to reduce flooding when we get lots of heavy rain. Surprisingly, I not heard anyone suggest it in the media about this. 

All the Govts should be doing is building  Flood Mitigation Dams. These are not like the typical storage dams like Warragamba,  FMD's are much smaller and only temporarily hold the water,  we can control the flow from the dam to mitigate flooding. a FMD's are temporary storage, unlike a storage dam where you try to keep it full all the time, particularly in a drought period. Also FMD's  could be used for partial storage, but the idea is that the bulk of the storage in a FMD is purely temporary storage during heavy rain periods.  FMD's are situated upstream from  floodplains or storage dams.  In a place like Lismore, there are many tributaries in the high country that eventually all congregate  at Lismore, the idea  is have multiple small Flood Mitigation Dams  across all tributaries and there maybe more than one FMD on a single tributary.  

The advantage of FMD's is they don't all need to be built on the same day, the cost can be spread over 30 years, by building one at a time, I say 30 years, as the next big floods will probably be in another 30 years. Unlike  a storage dam, where a decision is made to build one, then you need to build one now, plus it hard to find the large basin/valley to build one,  whereas FMD's are smaller, you have more choice on where to put them and have lesser impact on the environment than big storage dams. Another advantage of FMD's is reduction of land erosion, slowing the flow reduces the soil and crap ending up in the ocean.

At Warragamba they talking about building a higher wall,  which is great for extra storage, but when it rains, they are just going to open the flood gates again and flood the Hawkesbury, realistically Warragamba needs FMD's or FMD's with partial storage further up the catchment area to slow the flow of heavy rains. Then add  FMD's on the Colo River, as the flood bottleneck is where the Colo River meets the Hawkesbury. We don't need massive valleys dammed up as storage, but smaller dams to slow the flow.

Paying for it ? the Govt. should ask the Insurance Companies to chip in some money to help pay, because, in the long term, the Insurance companies would benefit from not having to pay massive claims when there are big floods. In the long term, the Govt saves on taxpayer money, as they won't need to keep paying compensation to flood victims who can't afford insurance.

Mobile trek to VK3 and VK5 - November 2022

 We did a recent mobile trip to VK3 and VK5, Sydney > Albury > Benalla > Shepparton > Bendigo > Daylesford  > Ballarat. Did some gold mining history research at Haddon, Smythesdale, Scarsdale and Gordon, including visiting some historic cemeteries.

Then onto Geelong > Portarlington > St.Leonards >  Queenscliff >Point Lonsdale , along ocean road to Barwon Heads > Torquay > Jan Juc > Bells Beach > Anglesea > Aireys Inlet  > Lorne >

Then from Lorne > along Great Ocean Road to Apollo Bay > Cape Otway lighthouse > Glenaire > Lavers Hill > Yuulong > Princetown > Tweleve Apostles > Loch Ard Gorge and other cliff spots > Port Campbell.

Then to London Bridge > Peterborough > Bay of Islands > Allansford > Warrnambool > Port Fairy >Portland > Cape Nelson Lighthouse > Nelson > Mount Gambier > Millicent > Robe.

Then from Robe > Kingston > Meningie > Tailem Bend > Murray Bridge > Hahndorf.

From Handorf to Port Elliot > Victor Harbour > Capre Jervis > Normanville > Glenelg > Tanaunda.

Then from Tanunda > Kapunda > Hamilton > Waterloo > Black Springs > Burra > Hallet > Oodle Wirra and through to Broken Hill.

From Broken Hill onto Wilcania > Cobar > Nyngan > Narromine > Dubbo.

Last Day, was Dubbo > Dunedoo > Merriwa > Denman > Jerrys Plains > Warkworth > Mount Thorley and back onto the motorway to Sydney.

All up about 5100km

Note:  big gaps of no Optus mobile coverage  either side of Broken Hill.  Telstra mobile coverage MUCH better out there.

Big gaps of 2metre APRS found in VK3 and VK5, plus my HF APRS stopped near Shepparton, HF antenna base failure. Then moved HF antenna to different base, but then TT3 didnt want to TX anymore for rest of the trip. TT3 for HF  worked when I arrived home. Didnt hear much 2m or 70cm FM traffic whilst travelling, when arrived home I investigated to find both Diamond SG-M507  antennas are stuffed, with high VSWR.  Replaced them with the more expensive Diamond SG-7500, now I hear distant repeaters again.  Then I checked my 2metre APRS antenna, high vswr,  it is also stuffed, it was just a 1/4 wave, I fitted new 1/4 wave, now APRS working better.

Lessons learnt: check your antennas are actually working before heading to outback or major road trips.

The screenshot is my VK2KFJ APRS last 7 days tracking, the pink lines are where there is nil Optus coverage