Portable Expedition to QF34, QF35 and QF46

11/12 August 2000

This portable station is based around 2TK's Landcruiser.

2KU provides the main 2m, 70cm and 23cm radios.

2TK provides the in-car radio, 2m linear, 2m and 23cm antennas.

2ZAB provides the 70cm antenna (although this works very well, we think we'll plan for a longer one with higher gain next time).

The Landcruiser has an IC706 and 2m linear permanently installed, with HF and VHF antennas available. When the halo is in place people stare furtively suspecting you've just escaped from the X-files (but hey, we already knew hams were crazy people). The halo is great for testing

locations, and if we can't hear 2ZAB on that, we know to move on. There's a strange tubular steel frame with 2 legs that goes into the tow-bar hitch, and we mount a rotatable (by the operator) 4.5m pole on that and use the bottom tailgate of the vehicle as an operating desk. Setup takes about half an hour in dry weather.

This expedition started with 2TK and 2KU meeting at the 2KU QTH in the Blue Mountains for a test setup. After 2KU had solved the problem that 2TK had left the short bit of the mast back in Sydney, a trial setup left 2ZAB complaining that our 1296MHz signal was pretty poor. The 2KU Bird meter showed almost as many watts coming down the mast as going up (and there aren't many in either direction), which turned out to be a comprehensive failure of Ohm's Law in an

N-connector on the 1296MHz antenna cable. Much muttering and soldering later we finally departed with everything but the kitchen sink (actually I think we had that too) and a supply of nourishing brown and red liquid muscle relaxants (coffee and cordial you understand).

Arrival at Mt Lambie revealed the need to enter a farm, and seeing no signs threatening to break our knees or nuke our grandchildren, we ventured briskly past the homestead to a hill full of radio towers, and quickly drove up and around these to the trig station where the takeoff east was excellent. Opening the doors of the Landcruiser proved a serious mistake, because someone had obviously left the fridge door open on that mountain for some time. Additional layers of clothing and numb-fingered later we put up the mast less the 2m yagi (the halo was enough). Easy contacts were made back to 2ZAB on 70cm and 23cm. A rapid packup ensued given the appearance of an official looking vehicle before awkward questions were asked.

Overnight was at Cootamundra aided by an excellent meal and a certain Mr Knappstein in the faded art deco glory of the architecturally vandalised Albion Hotel, which had once been a splendid piece of country Victoriana.

At 5.30am next morning we really learned what "wandering about in a fog" actually meant. This was even thicker than the combined IQs of 2KU and 2TK. No possibility of assessing terrain and takeoff, and worse still, the gates on the two access roads to Mt Ulandra had more padlocks than a medieval chastity belt, and menacing signs to boot. We wandered around for over a couple of hours by which time we were decidedly less foggy and had to settle for high ground north of Mt Ulandra with no good takeoff south. It was well after 9am local time when we finally got on the air and contacted Barry 3BJM/p, Rej 2MP and the omnipresent Gordon 2ZAB. All this faffing around meant there was little time to spend firing signals into VK3, sorry guys. Oh yes, and everything died due to an acute lack of volts in mid QSO (that'll teach 2KU to whistle so vigorously) because 2TK had been stupid enough to leave a 15A fuse in the main power line from the truck to the radios (you just can't get good help these days....).

Then on to QF34. An abortive trip up the Tumut road revealed terrain much like the Mt Ulandra area, so we pressed on and turned off the Hume onto the Tumbarumba road and into the Kyeamba State Forest towards a very promising hill containing - you guessed it - radio towers. Just at the foot

of the final climb to the top *@#*&$ more padlocks! More threatening signs! So.... we tried another very narrow track back down on the flat in the State Forest towards a slightly lower hill with just two towers atop it. This was no superhighway, ruts that would devour a Morris Minor in one gulp, fallen trees and huge potholes. Eventually we were faced with a fence and gate and more menacing signs (and I thought countryfolk were kind and welcoming). Fortunately there was a slight suggestion of a track up the hill beside the fence, which brought us up a narrow ridge to the towers and a fabulous, gob smacking near 360 degree view of the surrounding country.

The halo-to-Gordon test quickly confirmed that this would be OK. As the 2KU and 2TK logs tell, lots of contacts, new grid squares for a number of people, sunshine, lunch, cold beer and views to die for. A tough life, but someone has to do it.

A quick dash to Albury just in time for the Field Day dinner. A pleasant few hours on Sunday at the Field Day, and then off to Sydney via VK2MP who provided a most welcome break in the journey with coffee, a warm fire, and a tour of his excellent station. Thanks Rej, sorry we couldn't stay longer! Finally back to Sydney at 10pm in vile weather, exhausted but having had a great time.

A special thanks to Gordon 2ZAB, Barry 3BJM/p and Rej 2MP who between them kept an almost constant radio lookout for us over the weekend.

We think we might do it again ( different gridsquares of course).

73 and good Dx

John VK2TK