First licensed in 1982, I began my radio life as VK3XFQ – what was then known as a limited call. I was first introduced to amateur radio by Harry VK3AXJ who is now a silent key at Camberwell Grammar School. It was back in the day that schools had radio clubs. The club call in the 80s was VK3BCG. It took less than a year to get my combined Novice and Limited call and I became VK3KIR for the next 30 odd years. More recently, well in December 2012 I became VK3FS. I held both calls for a couple of years until moving to the Mornington Peninsula in 2016.
In my uni days, foxhunting was my passion. Homemade yagis with lashings of velcro holding jerry-rigged hot carrier diode wideband 2m receivers to inflexible booms was the order of the day. It was the 80s, so the nanny state wasn’t what it is today. Legends of the sport and good friends to this day include Geoff VK3VR, Greg VK3VT, Paul VK3PW, Richard, VK3XRG and Ron VK3EHF to name just a few.
I was working in the TV industry so amateur television was another aspect of the hobby I spent a lot of time perfecting. I spent many long nights working from Mt Waverley to Geelong on 426MHz simplex as well as through the Melbourne ATV repeater VK3RTV. This was a time of boxy but good 4×3 analogue TV. It was this time that Daryl, then VK3ACR, and I used to have great fun with UHF propagation across Port Philip Bay.
Today I’m experimenting and learning all about microwave. I’m active on 2.4 GHz, 3.4 and 10 GHz regularly and I’m an active participant on Microwave Activity Days. Weeknight activity on 3.4 GHz across Port Philip Bay is a regular event. Robert VK3KRD, Neil VK3BCU and Rob VK3IE are active on these band.
Takeoff!
Here’s an aerial view of the surrounding neighbourhood. Great take off from the East to the South West.
Anything to the South is problematic, as there’s dirt called Mount Martha. Shack elevation is 70m.