[OZAPRS] ZL 30m Gates

[Noel Rowe]

Tony asked the question:-
 
>This might seem like a silly question but why dont we see any ZL 
>stations on the 30m heard lists here in VK ?? The ZL Gates are there.. 
>We can tell because they see us and report us onto the Internet feed 
>but none of the VK Gates I can check seem to have heard them 
>acually on air on 30m.. Thats VK5 VK3 VK4 Gates..
 
Well speaking for myself, I run a ZL APRS node station that listens on 30m
24/7 and shoots anything heard (with a workable unproto path) off via 2m
to ZL1AMW's i-gate.  Hopefully most of what I hear filters back through
the internet.  There are a few VK regulars that are on my screen most
times, and I especially enjoy seeing and tracking the 30m HF mobiles.
 
I do not at present transmit a beacon (or anything else) on 30m.  This is
mainly due to my antenna being an 80/40 trapped dipole that has a nasty
SWR on 30m all the way down the coax as far as the tuner.  We have four
other houses each within  five metres or less of parts of my HF antenna,
and I would rather not try my luck too much - I am already transmitting
APRS stuff on several 2m and 70cm frequencies 24/7.  I think those nearby
accept any interference (if there is any) on the basis that it can happen
if I am home, or if I am not home, so I cant be the one causing it!
 
But - one day I will erect a dedicated 30m dipole, and with a hopefully
low SWR on the feeder I am willing to risk transmitting a 24/7 beacon.  I
am also slowly working towards being 30m mobile.  I have the antenna part
sorted, a 300 baud Tracker available, but have not yet got a transmitter
sorted out.
 
Noel, ZL3GR.

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