Dave VK0DS / VK2JDS arriving at Davis Station (Antartica) on Saturday, 11th November, 2023

 Some Antartic photos from Dave VK0DS / VK2JDS arriving at Davis Station on Saturday, 11th Nov 2023 after cutting through much ice. Dave will operate on 2m EME, 23cm EME and HF as time permits between work duties over the next 14 or so months.

VK Microwave groups

 some VK Microwave SHF groups :

VK3-Microwave@groups.io

https://groups.io/g/VK2-Microwave-Users-Group/topics

George Smart M1GEO's Blog

Often I looking for some info on a amateur radio project I interested in, I do some searching on the web, one site I usually end up on and finding some good info is George Smart's (M1GEO) blog. He trying all sorts of stuff with the hobby (and general electronics too) and find his posts well documented with what the particular subject is about and what he trying to achieve in it and what the results are. Always worth a look here. One such example was compiling up up WSJT for Linux, I found George's article most helpful and I was able to successfully compile WSJT on Linux myself following his instructions.

https://www.george-smart.co.uk/radio/

Reducing RFI from your vehicle for operating mobile

I have documented the modifications to my 4WD  vehicle that I use for mobile and portable operation. It was only that in past year I have decided to operate HF, whereas in the past I only ever had VHF and UHF equipment, so RFI radiating out and also from within the vehicle was not so much of a problem, but is more so for HF.  My web page includes photos.

http://www.qsl.net/vk2kfj/holden_jackaroo.html

Field Portable QF46pu Gowan NSW

For Easter weekend, April 2017, was visiting QF46pu, to get on 2m,70cm, and 23cm AE nets in the mornings. Did some testing on 23cm gridpacks and dish against the Dural beacon 1296.420. Did not hear any other 23cm beacons.

 This is small gridpack looking back towards Newcastle.

 This is a larger gridpack, certainly slightly better than the small gridpack

 IC-910H was hooked up to 2m yagi, 70cm yagi and 23cm  running from solar panels and batteries

 The 3metre diameter mesh dish with 23cm feed, aimed towards north coast NSW

 Smaller gridpack aimed at Sydney Dural 23cm beacon (approx 180km)

Looking towards Melbourne in the gap between trees

 Looking toward VK1, worked VK1KW and VK1DJA on 2m SSB

 2metre and 70cm yagis

I took 3.4Ghz and 10GHz  but did not get time to flash it up.

Best activity was working Compton VK2HRX who was SOTA portable up the Warrumbungles, worked him on 2m SSB, 70cm SSB and 1294.000 FM

Aiming to the right of the big tree to work Compton VK2HRX/p at QF48mr SOTA spot CCW001 a distance of 209km, not bad on 1294 MHz FM as Compton was using a 1w handheld.

and screenshot from VKLogger

For next time,  remember take my portable generator.

23cm portable 8th to 10th December, 2016

I did  a trip to Canberra on 8th December, 2016,  first stopped at the carpark at southern end of Federal Highway, (QF44qu) where it rises up from Lake George, so I could try to work Dave VK2JDS at QF46pu, it was extremely windy and difficult to keep grid pack still or even hear the radio, so we were unsuccessful. It probably should have worked and I was aiming up the lake, above the water.
On 9th December 2016, I visited Mt Ainslie (QF44nr) to try and work Rod VK2TWR at Nimmitabel, but he already packed up, but I did hear Gordon VK3EJ at Cobram on 1296.150 MHz via AE, working Rob VK1KW, nice strong signal from Gordon before quickly fading out. At least this proved my IC-910H and 23cm Gridpack were working.

on 10th December 2016, came up to Mt Ainslie (QF44nr) again and tried on the northern side of the hill, to try and work Grant VK2MAX at Kempsey via AE on 1296.150 bu to no go. Also tried to receive Dural beacon 1296.420 but no go.

Then I moved around to western side of Mt Ainslie (QF44nr) to try Grant VK2MAX again but no good AE path available.