Car Parks - GONZALES

Julie and Joe Gonzales
Julie and Joe Gonzales
Julie and Joe Gonzales
Julie and Joe Gonzales
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Car Parks
We activated a Bunnings car park for the Wireless Institute of Australia (WIA) Public Relations for Amateur Radio (PR4AR) Weekend.
Purpose
The Wireless Institute of Australia (WIA) Public Relations for Amateur Radio (PR4AR) Expo is a community event showcasing the benefits of Amateur Radio.
Format
A small, self-contained, licenced Amateur Radio station will be set up at the venue. The well-presented station will consist of a single Nissan X-Trail vehicle with roof-mounted solar panels and a side awning for two operators. The station will have its own multiband shortwave antenna some 40m long and 8m high. Amateur Radio stations from all over the world will call in to the PR4AR station during this annual event. They will each receive a "QSL" card identifying their two-way contact with the PR4AR station. The general public may watch and participate too by contacting other PR4AR stations if they wish. This popular event, including the venue's name and its location, is advertised locally and internationally over Amateur Radio web sites and news bulletins. Local Amateur Radio operators will be encouraged to visit the PR4AR station. The operations will also showcase the capability and fun of portable Amateur Radio communications.
Operation
The station will be operated simultaneously on the 80, 40 and 20 metre bands by Joe VK3YSP and on 80 and 40 metres by Julie VK3FOWL. The station will participate with others on a VHF/UHF repeater during a call back after the local Wireless Institute of Australia news broadcast on Sunday morning. In addition there will be a fascinating demonstration of Weak Signal Digital Communications (JT65) on 14.076MHz in the afternoons.
Public Relations
Members of the public will be greeted and introduced to Amateur Radio through well-prepared presentations, displays, discussions, demonstrations, literature and hands-on activities. Interested individuals will be encouraged to pick up a microphone or a hand-held radio to chat with a participating Amateur Radio station. The children can play with a Morse code practice set. A visitor's book will be provided to record comments and request follow-up information. A list of Amateur Radio's most Frequently Asked Questions will be sure to inform and amuse.
Locations
  • 2014: Bunnings Warehouse car park. 1126 Centre Rd South Oakleigh. Saturday April 12 - Sunday April 13 2014 between the hours of 7am and 7pm local time. That is: 2014/4/11/2100UTC to 2014/4/12/0900UTC, 2014/4/12/2100UTC to 2014/4/13/0900UTC. Operated with the kind permission of Bunnings Warehouse and sponsored by the WIA.
Station Details
  • The station operates on the High Frequency (HF), Very High Frequency (VHF) and Ultra High Frequency (UHF) bands
  • It can transmit and receive voice and digital modes including messages and images
  • The station is environmentally friendly, being powered entirely by the sun
  • As a normal safety precaution a ground stake, lightening arrestor, earth cables, caution tape and signs are installed
  • Single Side Band (SSB) modulation is used for all HF transmissions
  • Frequency Modulation (FM) is used for all VHF/UHF transmissions
  • The HF antenna is a tri-band fan dipole, suspended between two 8.5m telescopic guyed aluminium masts
  • An HF tri-plexer is used to share the HF antenna simultaneously between three HF transceivers
  • The HF transceivers are a Barrett 2050 (125W), an ICOM IC-7200 (100W) and an Elecraft KX3 (10W)
  • The VHF/UHF antenna is a vehicle-mounted dual band whip
  • The VHF/UHF transceiver is a Yaesu FT-7900
  • The solar power system includes two 200W vehicle-mounted solar panels and two 120AH SLA batteries
  • The DC distribution system includes a Low Voltage Disconnect, PWM Charge Controller and a DC Booster
  • The system for digital modes includes a laptop computer and DC power adapter

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