Centenary Callsign VK100WIA Celebrating 100 years of organised radio in VK

EMDRC celebrating the Centenary of AR in Australia.

Over the past months we have been preparing for our activation of the special Centenary Callsign VK100WIA Celebrating 100 years of organised radio in VK. Some maintenance was done to the existing antennas and plans to operate ATV on the day were also being drawn up.

Friday morning was an easy start for Roy VK3ARY to commence proceedings using the call for the regular 11:00 160m AM coffee break. I arrived at the club around 09:30 and with some assistance from Robert VK3DN tidied up the shack and networked the computers allowing them to connect to the internet. Shortly after Max VK3WT and Damian VK3KQ arrived so we erected the ATV TX and RX antennas on a mast just in front of the hall entry, now we just had to wait until Ralph VK3LL arrived with his Digital ATV transmitter.

Listening to the 160m AM net poor old Roy VK3ARY had the most check-ins he had ever had for the net, so much so he did not have time to have a second go around. Once Roy finished at 12:00 we commenced the activation of the call from the East Burwood Clubroom. Later in the afternoon Ralph VK3LL turned up with a stack of video equipment and when it was all hooked up VK100WIA was now transmitting activities from the shack in the beautiful Digital Format. Our ATV transmission was also streaming on the web via the British Amateur Television Club. We are now up to the Coffee Shop meeting and while we were up in the hall Anthony VK3JIA and Lionel VK3NM were operating giving us some time to attend the meeting. Friday's operation closed off around 01:30.

Saturday Morning was  a partial repeat of Friday, but this time it was John VK3DQ in control of the callsign for the Saturday version of the 160m Coffee Break Net. Activity from the club shack was very active including some crossband contacts on ATV. We managed to keep the contacts flowing all day and at midnight Steve VK3SIR Marshall VK3MRG and Mark VK3FMGF took over to do the late shift. I rolled out my sleeping bag and did not awaken until it was time for them to leave (around 03:00) VK100WIA was silent but not for long as Tony VK3TZ was awaiting for his chance to operate the special call from 03:00 until 07:00.

Sunday morning for me was extremely active for we were to transmit the WIA news and EMDRC VK3BNW regular Sunday net from the shack. So I was busy trying to organise that and make it happen while others were working stations on HF. I was quite surprised taking check-ins after the news and I remember some 50 stations checking in but the most amasing part was that at least 13 of them were also watching ATV. Sunday saw a lot of visitors to the club, from memory I would say they were all members with many of them having a go on various transceivers in the shack. A magnificent smorgasbord of finger food, provided by Lino VK3EI was greatly appreciated by all those in attendance. Activities went on late into the night and at about 01:30 I fell into bed again.

Our early shift was there again on Monday; Tony VK3TZ was hard at it from 05:00 to 07:00 working 90 DX Stations on both Phone and CW. I was surprised to see Robert VK3DN arrive with some cereal which was appreciated. We had the call until 10:00am so myself and a few others worked some stations until about 08:45 when John VK3DQ asked if he could finish off the last the last hour from his home QTH. This was good for it gave Max, Damian and myself a chance to concentrate on pulling the station apart. We were all packed up and away by around 11:00.

Total number of contacts made were 1130. This was good but for me the things that stood out were how much interest both within the club and the Amateur Community in general this special event has attracted. In saying this I must also mention the massive interest in Amateur Television, mostly from VK3 but many VK and DX stations who worked us and were able to view the contact 30-60 seconds later, via the BATC website.

There are too many to thank but on behalf of the committee I must thank all of you who loaned equipment, attended the event, operated the station and I must not forget those who made the effort to work work the special event station.

Cheers, VK3WWW Jack.
President EMDRC Inc.