International Lighthouse weekend.

Steve VK3TDX and I made the trip to Palm Beach Barrenjoey Lighthouse where the boys from MWRS were operating.  The day was very windy and heavy rain showers were on and off, or rather mostly on.

We were lucky that during the short window while we climbed the hill the rain stopped.

In the lighthouse's keepers cottage Dom VK2JNA and Geoff VK2AVR  were very busy working one QSO after the next.

At the time the boys had about 150 QSO's in the log.

Richard VK2SKY our publicity officer organized a press release in Manly Daily few days earlier so there were visitors interested in amateur radio.

73
Patrick

For those not in the know: International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend.

Visiting Bruce VK4MQ.

Third visit... Visited Bruce VK4MQ (formerly VK2ZZM).  Bruce and his wife Liz decided to leave the big smoke and move North to more sun and clean air.

We were lucky to have a long standing invitation to call in for a "cuppa".

Both Bruce and Liz are very happy in the new QTH.

 

Bruce's shack with all the toys... he built special shed/office just for the radios and test equipment.

We were there the same time as Greg VK2VGM and his wife Chris plus the latest "harmonic".

Amateur radio is not the only "hobby" at the new home... Bruce and Liz are trying to be farmers as well...

Everybody is happy.

73

Visiting Alan VK4SN

Another amateur radio shack to visit.  This time Alan's VK4SN... keen contester.

What a great setup...

Please note the "wallpaper" behind Alan...

Great station, great antennas and great operator.

Thanks for the coffee Alan.

Meeting in Mooloolaba with Trent VK4TS

In our travels in South East Queensland Heidi and I had a lunch with Trent at the yacht club.

 

Heidi took the photo after great lunch.  Thanks Trent.

ARRL IARU World championship

The conditions were "interesting",  plenty of signals, but not very strong (in noisy Sydney).  My score is about half running and half S&P.  In this test I found S&P was about as fast as running...

          Band    QSOs      Pts    Cty     HQ
               7          74     324   21     12
             14        221    1009   25   22
             21         91     413     14     8
             28        36     160      7      2
         Total     422    1906     67     44

            Score : 211,566

By the end I've worked quite a few of the boys/girls from WRTC. (have to count them yet). They all called while I was running in the last six hours I was on and their signals were no better than S5 on the average.  Several asked me to QSY to 80 and 40 m for QSO/Multiplier.  I was only too happy to do so.

The winner's score is 7,218,288 (as you all no doubt checked) and mine is "just a drop in the ocean"... the guys/girls are amazing. http://sb.wrtc2014.org/index.php

It was nice to observe,  that the CW was most preferred mode.

Hope all had fun

73
Patrick VK2PN

Manly Warringah Radio Society had AGM.

Last night (9/7/14) our radio club had its Annual General Meeting.  It is good that the club is thriving and very much alive.  Above all the number of young members is high.

The "good looking lot" is posing for a groupie.

Look us up on: http://www.mwrs.org.au/.  I've posted more photos on yahoo groups.

73
P

The All Asia CW contest.

Yesterday (Saturday) I was doing my little chores and the radio was running in the background.  Nothing there since early morning, but suddenly I looked up and the panadaptor screen was full of signals..  Hey there must be a contest on.

Quick look at: DL2NBY Contest calendar I have learned that the annual CW All Asia contest is on.  Not having plans to do contesting and lots of chores to do, all I've done was to set up the N1MM and assumed I may give a few numbers to the "boys".

The weekend list of chores was long.  I had to wash and vacuum the car, tidy my home, go for Thai dinner with Heidi (by the way ... that was one of the best Thai meals we had in living memory).  Next day I had to pack my suitcase and go for a pick-nick ... ie very busy two days...

Last year I was in the AA contest and from memory I did "kinda" OK.  This year I could do only few hours.  Still it was a good fun and the "boys" got some numbers and I got some training.

As you all know the contest exchange is 599 + age.  When I emailed the log (only 153 contacts) I thought ... the exchange may tell us the average age of the participants...  Imported the log into a spreadsheet and calculated that the average age of the contesters was/is 55 years.  Gosh... that is scary state of affairs.  Considering that most QSOs were with JA stations and three contesters gave me 00 (for lady operator) it is sorry state of the amateur radio community.  We are all getting very old.

cheers es 73
Patrick
My exchange is BTW 599 69