VK2KRR - An Introduction
Welcome to the VK2KRR website.
Station VK2KRR is located at The Rock Hill, southern NSW, Australia.
The maidenhead grid square locator is QF34mr. The Rock Hill summit towers 350 meters above the surrounding ground level and is visible for many many kilometers around.
The owner/operator of the VK2KRR callsign is Leigh Rainbird.
I have been a licensed amateur radio operator since 1991 when I was in High School year 10. At the time, licence qualification included a 5 word per minute Morse Code test, basic radio and electronics theory and regulations. Later upgrading with advanced theory.
At my site at The Rock Hill, I conduct Tropospheric radio wave propagation research in conjunction with Meteorology Observation studies. As of year 2011 im also looking further into Ionospheric propagation also, having previously only conducted studies around Sporadic E.
My main area of research is Tropospheric Duct Propagation, especially the rare ducts across the Great Australian Bight to Western Australia. I have put many hundreds of hours into the research and study Tropospheric conditions both in theory and in practical 24 hour a day monitoring at times. I also run the World Tropospheric Ducting Network on Yahoo groups.
You can find current information in relation to my Tropospheric Duct study at the page called Tropospheric Duct Info.
Other areas of interest are Sporadic E propagation at 144 MHz. And all ionospheric propagation on all bands.
Photo above : Set up from approx 2005 to 2011. North tower 4 x 17 ele 2m yagis, 1 x 38 ele 70cm yagi, 12 ft dish 23cm. South tower (set up from approx 2003 to 2011) 4 x 13 2m FM yagis.
The VK2KRR station holds a number of VHF/UHF records.
Station VK2KRR is always on stand by to assist with emergency communications. Due to our large coverage area on 144 MHz the station can provide a valuable link in conjunction with WICEN - Wireless Institute Civil Emergency Network during times of disaster.
For a number of years around the year 2000 to 2003 I wrote the VHF/UHF column in the WIA Amateur Radio magazine for a number of years.
I hope you enjoy the VK2KRR site. Leigh Rainbird. VK2KRR.