Three WIA stations to operate in the RD contest

This year at least three WIA stations will operate in the RD contest, VK2WIA in the Hunter Valley in the heart of wine country, at the Luskintyre aviation museum. VK3WIA at the Scienceworks museum in Spotswood and VK6WIA from the QTH of our hard working awards manager, Mal VK6LC. The two teams organizing VK2WIA and VK3WIA would like to extend an invitation to visit the station at any time during the weekend.

The VK2WIA station

The station will be operating on all bands 160M through 2M throughout the weekend. The airfield clubhouse will open early Saturday morning for those planning an early start and snacks in the form of sausage sandwiches, gourmet hot dogs, tea, coffee and cold drinks will be available both days and all night long. The clubhouse as a great open log fire, so if it's cold out, you can warm up around it.

The Aviation Museum will be open for the duration of the contest weekend and guided tours will be conducted on both days at 10am, 11am, 1pm, 2pm 3pm and 4pm. There are around 14 fully restored Tiger Moths at the field and a similar number under reconstruction in the clubs workshops. There are also several excellent wineries within a kilometre or two of the airfield and they offer both wine tasting and winery tours.

Limited bunkhouse accommodation is available on site for anyone wishing to stay the night, this can be arranged with Jamie VK2YCJ (see the contact details below). There is plenty of room to pitch a tent or park a van on site and hotel and motel accommodation is available within a few minutes drive of the airfield.

The Luskintyre airfield is located near the town of Lochinvar, a few kilometres west of Maitland on the New England Highway. Driving instructions are, proceed to Lochinvar then turn into Windemere Road on the Western side of town, turn left a few hundred meters down this road into Luskintyre Road, follow it over the bridge on the Hunter River to the next intersection. At this intersection continue straight ahead and follow it through a right turn until you reach the sign on the right to the Luskintyre Aircraft Museum.

Jamie will be available on his mobile phone on 04 1862 8321 or on 146.55 FM, if you get lost or need more directions.

For additional information please contact Jamie Campbell VK2YCJ on 04 1862 8321 or via email at vk2ycj@bravo.net.au

The VK3WIA station

Melbourne's VK3WIA station will be activated from the Scienceworks Museum in west suburban Spotswood. Here is the Link to their website. Scienceworks management have shown a great deal of enthusiasm by way of providing facilities for this amateur radio station. August the 13th to the 21st is infact National Science Week, so our participation by way of the operating RD station from within the museum has extra significance.

VK3WIA will operate Saturday evening from the Scienceworks carpark and move to inside the Museum building itself on Sunday morning. Scienceworks have allocated us an excellent location right in the middle of the museum amongst their most popular displays. It's going to be a great weekend both for the RD contest and at the same time demonstrating amateur radio and telling the kids about the new Foundation License.

If you would like to be part of the team either operating the station or helping on the stand inside the museum, then give Robert Broomhead a call on 0403 066 686 or via email vk3krb@wia.org.au

Scienceworks Museum is open daily 10.00am - 4:30pm 2 Booker Street Spotswood, Victoria, Australia Ph +613 9392 4800

Click Here To Return To Previous Page