VHF and above portable site Cape Hawke, Forster, NSW, QF67gs

 

I recently visited Cape Hawke (QF67gs)  lookout near Forster on the NSW Mid Coast, I had not been out to the lookout on previous visits to Forster, but after visiting the lookout I realised it is a great spot for VHF,UHF and SHF portable DXing, you can drive most of the way to the lookout, it has a 15minute walk to reach the summit, it is a National Park, so it is covered in dense vegetation and trees, but there is a large 20metre high lookout tower, stairs and platform at top, solid structure with metal posts for temporary connecting antennas too. Ground level is dense bushland, you want to do microwave you have to go up the lookout tower. It is a triangular platform  approx 3m x 3m

this photo is looking north west towards Forster.

this photo looking south west towards Newcastle, Sydney etc, it just catches the tops of trees.

looking west

looking north east up the coast 

latest multimode transceivers for VHF and above

I can never remember the latest model numbers as they are similiar and easily confused

ICOM IC-905   144, 430, 1200, 2400, 5600 MHz +10 GHz   All Mode Transceiver approx $4k8

ICOM IC-705   HF, 50, 144, 430 MHz    All Mode Transceiver    approx $2k

ICOM IC-9700   144, 430, 1200 MHz   All Mode Transceiver   approx $2k5      -  replacement to IC-910

YAESU FT-991A    HF, 50, 144, 430 MHz  All Mode Transceiver    approx $2k1

Digital Multimode Reflectors

 I am more interested in the Reflectors for DMR & P25,  most are centered around D-Star, here are some :

XLX

XRF

P25ref by G4KLX

NXDNref by G4KLX

alternative P25ref by DG9VH

alternative P25ref by M0VUB

code bases are found on GitHub

P25 Activity as of August 2024

 here is a bit of a list of known and active P25 TalkGroups  primarily from a VK/ZL perspective, but includes the main Overseas TG's and their dashboards (where applicable)

TG4 - VK4TUX  is defunct, long gone.

TG445  SuperMag AU - p25.supermag.fishersaudio.com.au  - defunct, its gone

TG530  ZL (NZ)   - zldigitialreflectord.hopto.org  - defunct, its gone

TG5057  VK7HSE  45.248.50.37  XLX505  dashboard is there, but no P25 port anymore

TG5205 CCARC VK2RAG  5205.p25dvm.com  - not configured

TG10100 World Wide  - is active

TG10101 TAC1 - no activity seen

TG10102 TAC2 -no activity seen

TG10201 USA -is active, but not that busy

TG10202 USA - no activity seen

TG10400  VK - pacificp25.repeaters.info  -  is active

TG10401 VK WICEN - pacifictac1.repeaters.info  and p25wicen.repeaters.info  - activity is scarce

TG10403  Pacific TAC3  - China stations

TG10403  Pacific TAC4  - Taiwan

TG10700  AU - active, but dashboard has gone

TG10750  AU Secondary  - defunct, its gone.

TG50525  VK Bridge  50525.p25dvm.com and tg505.repeaters.info  - very active, linked to VK3network

TG50535  VK Multimode  Link    p25to50535.vkradio.com   -  defunct, its gone

TG50536 FreeStar VK  p25.tg5036.vkradio.com    defunct, its gone

TG53099  ZL Bridge  (NZ)  203.86.206.49  (XLX750)  operational, but no P25 port anymore

YJ0VK DXpedition to Vanuatu, South Pacific - August 2024

 

Dx-pedition to Vanuatu as YJ0VK this week, from 20th August 2024,

includes Patrick VK2PN and other team members.

YJ0VK – Vanuatu

Blue Mountains ARC (BMARC) Winter Hamfest (Trash & Treasure Day) Saturday 31st August 2024

 On Saturday 31st August the Blue Mountains Amateur radio Club is holding it's Annual Winter Hamfest.

The address is The Old Scout Hall,  4 Moore Street Glenbrook and the gates open at 0830am.

We are finalising arrangements to have a stall from Elite Communications, a supplier of communications equipment/radios, etc.

https://www.elitecommunications.com.au/

If you have any questions, contact the Secretary.

73

Irene van Ekris VK2VAN

Secretary & Public Officer

BLUE MOUNTAINS AMATEUR RADIO CLUB, INC

secretary@bmarc.org

Mike VK2KBC - Silent Key - 2nd Nov 2016

 we were recently talking about going to Forster sometime, as last time I was last up there was probably on a houseboat on Myall Lakes, which triggered my memory, what ever happened to Mike VK2KBC, as last time I worked him on 2metres, was when I was up Forster. 

I used to speak to Mike a lot when I was on-the-road  for work, Mike was very active mobile in Sydney, always  willing to say hello to anyone calling,  (along with Chuck VK2SS) until Mike retired up to Myall Lakes, I cant remember when he went, but it was many years ago now.. 

I just did a search, found out Mike became silent key on 2nd November, 2016. Almost 8 years ago.

vale Mike VK2KBC (sk).

VK2RFS-VK2RSE-VK3RDH weekly Net.

 VK2SNO is the Club callsign of the Snowy Mountains Amateur Radio Club Inc.

The Club conducts a Net every Saturday night hosted by Bill VK2ZZF operating as VK2SNO at 1930 hours on VK2RSE (147.375 MHz no tone) and can be heard right across the 2m linked network on VK2RFS (146.750 MHz no tone) and VK3RDH (146.625 MHz no tone)

NETS – Snowy Mountains Amateur Radio Club Inc (smarc.org.au)

 Why I took notice of this, is because I often hear the VK2RFS repeater during the summer months when there is coastal ducting between Sydney and far south coast. Often heard VK2's chatting with the VK3's via this network of repeaters.

QF46xe VHF/UHF/SHF location for portable operation/contest operation as of 1st August, 2024

 if you looking for a good high spot, with cleared of trees and good all round direction, then this location is currently ideal. It is approximately 600m north of Mt.Trickett (NSW),(SOTA site) is 1362m ASL and currently cleared of forestry pine trees.

Ideal for VHF/UHF/SHF location for portable operation/contest operation.  I just visited it recently whilst up that area. This area is very bare after recent forestry logging. Grid Square QF46xe.

You can see high rise buildings of Chatswood, North Sydney and Sydney city from here.

The VK2RCH repeaters are full scale here 60/9.

To get to this location, head for Oberon and across to Edith on road to Jenolan and Kanangra Walls. 
I pretty much given up on using Kanangra Boyd NP for portable operation, as everything is locked up.

On the subject of the VK2RCH repeaters, I could hear them fine from within Oberon. They were the only Sydney repeaters I could hear on a handheld from Oberon.

23cm contacts with VK2KYP portable 29th July 2024

 tee'd up and made contacts on 23cm, 1296.100 USB and 1294.000 FM simplex, on Monday 29th July 2024 at approx 10.30am AEST, 

Gary VK2KYP was portable at Somersby, on Central Coast NSW  QF56po, using a gridpack

and I was portable at Porcupine Hill, up the back of Jenolan Caves, in Western Blue Mtns of NSW, QF46xe, using a bi-quad antenna,

 distance was 130km,  signal strength was s5 on 1296.100 and s6 on 1294.000 FM.

logged the contacts on vkspotter.com