Cruisers Forum
 


Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on Cruisers Forums. Advertise Here
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Rate Thread Display Modes
Old 08-12-2017, 14:55   #1
Registered User

Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Sydney (AUS)
Boat: Hanse 370
Posts: 132
HF Radio Nets in Nth Queensland

I am planning a cruise to Lizard Is next year. I don't have an HF Tx/Rx rig on board but I do have a good quality Sony multi-band receiver which I intend to use for Aus BoM HF weather from Charleville when I am out of mobile phone range.

Is there an HF radio cruiser's net which is active up the East coast of Australia, particularly Nth Queensland? Can anyone advise frequencies and times?

I won't be able to contribute but it could be a useful source of information to listen in to.

Tks
Gypsy23 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-12-2017, 19:27   #2
Registered User

Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Boat: Island Packet 40
Posts: 6,432
Images: 7
Re: HF Radio Nets in Nth Queensland

About the only one left is that run by the Shag Island Yacht Club. I don't know their frequencies and schedule but they have a website and it's cheap to join.
RaymondR is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 08-12-2017, 20:08   #3
Registered User

Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Perth Western Australia
Boat: Mustang 3200 LE
Posts: 16
Re: HF Radio Nets in Nth Queensland

I was able to get coverage on Lizzard earlier this year. Only when on the island though and not very well. But enough to get a weather update.
If you go over to the research station, they have their own phone tower and you get really good phone reception.
I wasn't aware of any HF nets though.
Toph is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-12-2017, 22:06   #4
Moderator
 
Jim Cate's Avatar

Join Date: May 2008
Location: cruising SW Pacific
Boat: Jon Sayer 1-off 46 ft fract rig sloop strip plank in W Red Cedar
Posts: 21,151
Re: HF Radio Nets in Nth Queensland

Well, I'm not sure what you are looking for, but the Comedy Net is alive and well, as it has been for over 20 years. It is a ham/maritime mobile net run on the 40 meter ham band 365 days a year. Most of the year we start at 2040 GMT (just after the BOM broadcast of the MSL chart) and always on 7.087 MHz LSB to start, moving off if too much interference is on that frequency.

We take emergency traffic, then position reports, then general check ins, with maritime mobiles taking precedence over land based stations. Typically these days we get 8-15 check ins each day, with about equal numbers of m/ms and land based... all licensed amateurs are welcome, and of course anyone can listen. We do not do any formal weather info, but pass along our observations and complaints. Typically we get coverage from Tasmania to Queensland and out to New Caledonia and Vanuatu, sometimes NZ. The range varies with the vagaries of the ionosphere and is suffering abit right now due to the low sunspot count, but a well developed relay system passes traffic pretty well.

The net was started by ZL1BTQ, Ron, a lighthouse keeper at Cape Brett at the time. Ron's been a silent key for some years now,but others have kept the net going. It was his idea that it should be light hearted, informal and welcoming and we've tried to keep it that way.

Jim

N9GFT/VK4GFT
__________________
Jim and Ann s/v Insatiable II, lying Port Cygnet Tasmania once again.
Jim Cate is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-12-2017, 01:14   #5
Registered User
 
44'cruisingcat's Avatar

Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 9,398
Images: 69
Re: HF Radio Nets in Nth Queensland

You can get the BOM 3 day forecasts on VHF pretty much all the way from Sydney to Lizard.

And if you're with Telstra, you will have mobile reception for the vast majority of the trip too. There's a blank area between about Port Clinton to Keswick/St Bees, then from about Port Douglas north, but otherwise.....
__________________
"You CANNOT be serious!"


John McEnroe
44'cruisingcat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-12-2017, 02:53   #6
Registered User

Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Sydney (AUS)
Boat: Hanse 370
Posts: 132
Re: HF Radio Nets in Nth Queensland

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Cate View Post
Well, I'm not sure what you are looking for, but the Comedy Net is alive and well, as it has been for over 20 years. It is a ham/maritime mobile net run on the 40 meter ham band 365 days a year. Most of the year we start at 2040 GMT (just after the BOM broadcast of the MSL chart) and always on 7.087 MHz LSB to start, moving off if too much interference is on that frequency.

We take emergency traffic, then position reports, then general check ins, with maritime mobiles taking precedence over land based stations. Typically these days we get 8-15 check ins each day, with about equal numbers of m/ms and land based... all licensed amateurs are welcome, and of course anyone can listen. We do not do any formal weather info, but pass along our observations and complaints. Typically we get coverage from Tasmania to Queensland and out to New Caledonia and Vanuatu, sometimes NZ. The range varies with the vagaries of the ionosphere and is suffering abit right now due to the low sunspot count, but a well developed relay system passes traffic pretty well.

The net was started by ZL1BTQ, Ron, a lighthouse keeper at Cape Brett at the time. Ron's been a silent key for some years now,but others have kept the net going. It was his idea that it should be light hearted, informal and welcoming and we've tried to keep it that way.

Jim

N9GFT/VK4GFT
That's the sort of thing I was looking for Jim. Thanks. I'll tune in before I cast off to see how dark/light the comedy is.

Tks to the others about mobile and VHF coverage. I'll have a Telstra phone and I saw their coverage was expected to be OK so good to have confirmation from a practical point of view.

Cheers
Ray
Gypsy23 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-12-2017, 15:37   #7
Registered User
 
hzcruiser's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Sydney, Australia
Boat: Roberts 45
Posts: 1,034
Re: HF Radio Nets in Nth Queensland

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Cate View Post
It is a ham/maritime mobile net run on the 40 meter ham band 365 days a year. Most of the year we start at 2040 GMT (just after the BOM broadcast of the MSL chart) and always on 7.087 MHz LSB to start, moving off if too much interference is on that frequency.


Jim

N9GFT/VK4GFT
Thanks for that info, Jim. I'll be calling in, too, once I get my loop antenna sorted.

heinz, VK2STM
__________________
Fair winds,
heinz

https://www.timantra.net
hzcruiser is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-12-2017, 17:13   #8
Registered User

Join Date: May 2016
Location: mackay, queensland. australia
Boat: e.a jack (builder), g.l watson (designer), 6.2 mtr wll sailboat
Posts: 532
Re: HF Radio Nets in Nth Queensland

sheilir net 8161


ship-ship hf 2284
knockabout is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-12-2017, 18:33   #9
Moderator
 
Jim Cate's Avatar

Join Date: May 2008
Location: cruising SW Pacific
Boat: Jon Sayer 1-off 46 ft fract rig sloop strip plank in W Red Cedar
Posts: 21,151
Re: HF Radio Nets in Nth Queensland

Quote:
Originally Posted by knockabout View Post
sheilir net 8161


ship-ship hf 2284
To make that info actually useful, you need to post the time(s) they meet.

Jim
__________________
Jim and Ann s/v Insatiable II, lying Port Cygnet Tasmania once again.
Jim Cate is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-12-2017, 01:49   #10
Registered User
 
hzcruiser's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Sydney, Australia
Boat: Roberts 45
Posts: 1,034
Re: HF Radio Nets in Nth Queensland

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Cate View Post
To make that info actually useful, you need to post the time(s) they meet.

Jim

Yep, not even google has ever heard of the "sheilir net". Maybe be a typo for "shelter net"?
__________________
Fair winds,
heinz

https://www.timantra.net
hzcruiser is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-12-2017, 02:36   #11
Registered User
 
44'cruisingcat's Avatar

Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 9,398
Images: 69
Re: HF Radio Nets in Nth Queensland

I've heard of "Sheila net".
__________________
"You CANNOT be serious!"


John McEnroe
44'cruisingcat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-12-2017, 02:38   #12
Registered User
 
Alan Mighty's Avatar

Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Moreton Bay
Boat: US$4,550 of lead under a GRP hull with cutter rig
Posts: 2,135
Re: HF Radio Nets in Nth Queensland

Quote:
Originally Posted by hzcruiser View Post
Yep, not even google has ever heard of the "sheilir net". Maybe be a typo for "shelter net"?
Sheila net. Used to be 8.161 MHz at 2200 UTC. I've not tried it for years.
__________________
“Fools say that you can only gain experience at your own expense, but I have always contrived to gain my experience at the expense of others.” - Otto von Bismarck
Alan Mighty is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-12-2017, 02:51   #13
Registered User
 
hzcruiser's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Sydney, Australia
Boat: Roberts 45
Posts: 1,034
Re: HF Radio Nets in Nth Queensland

Quote:
Originally Posted by Alan Mighty View Post
Sheila net. Used to be 8.161 MHz at 2200 UTC. I've not tried it for years.
Well, that would be off limits for a bloke anyway...?
__________________
Fair winds,
heinz

https://www.timantra.net
hzcruiser is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-12-2017, 11:18   #14
Moderator
 
Jim Cate's Avatar

Join Date: May 2008
Location: cruising SW Pacific
Boat: Jon Sayer 1-off 46 ft fract rig sloop strip plank in W Red Cedar
Posts: 21,151
Re: HF Radio Nets in Nth Queensland

Sure are a lot of women named "Sheil1a" in Australia... us Yanks are surprised by that, and now they have their own net. How odd

Jim

Actually, I've not heard of that net for some years now,but it may revive in the cruising season in Qld.
__________________
Jim and Ann s/v Insatiable II, lying Port Cygnet Tasmania once again.
Jim Cate is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-12-2017, 12:33   #15
Registered User

Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Boat: Island Packet 40
Posts: 6,432
Images: 7
Re: HF Radio Nets in Nth Queensland

Sheila Net died when most of the people who initiated it's startup at the beginning of the Qld coast cruising season in March or April decided to go off and cruise Indonesia. There have been a couple of attempts to start it back up but without the hard core of regulars they were unsuccessful.

When it was running it tended to taper off in December as people returned south and ceased cruising for the Christmas holidays.
RaymondR is online now   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
hf radio, queensland, radio

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
marinas Nth Spain Atlantic slec777 Our Community 1 12-02-2013 13:54
Amatuer Radio Net Nth Alantic Tommie n Hulmes Atlantic & the Caribbean 6 23-03-2011 09:26
SSB Nets - South Pacific Albro359 Marine Electronics 1 07-01-2010 12:30
simplest mosquito nets claire Health, Safety & Related Gear 5 05-02-2009 10:48
SSB Cruiser Nets for those heading to Hawaii? ronniesimpson Pacific & South China Sea 3 16-09-2008 05:56

Advertise Here


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 04:11.


Google+
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Social Knowledge Networks
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.

ShowCase vBulletin Plugins by Drive Thru Online, Inc.