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LAST MODIFIED:
Wednesday, 30-Nov-2005 18:29:03 PST
On a reasonable school atlas this should be located roughly midway between Sydney and Newcastle.
For the purists - "Budgewoi N.S.W. Australia - Co-ords S33°14', E151°34'".
For those who may be "atlas" challenged, here's my funny map to give you some better idea.
Figure 1a - Locality map of where VK2TIP lives in Australia
Taking a closer in look here's Budgewoi and surrounding area.
Figure 1b - Locality map of where VK2TIP lives
Want the current weather? Remember this place is alternately referred to as "God's country" or "magnificent one day, paradise the next". Current weather conditions here at Norah Head.
You will note my QTH is approximately where the letter "U" appears in the word Halekulani. My club is approximately where the letter "E" appears in the word Norah Head. It's a 15 - 20 minute drive from QTH to club (speed limits vary from 30 mph in local streets to about 45 mph along ocean stretch). Somewhat surprising the distance, as the "crow flies", is only 6.4 Km or about 4 mile.
There are three lakes adjacent to the ocean which is technically the Tasman Sea but comprises part of the greater Pacific Ocean.
Figure 2 - VK2TIP's Club - Norah Head Bowling and Sports Club
This is the club, Norah Head Bowling and Sports Club Limited where I am directly elected by the members of the Club as Vice-President.
Certain uncouth persons alternatively refer to that as "President of Vice". They play lawn bowls. There is also a tennis court. Other activities include the golf club and of course the fishing club which has its famous "annual bash" on 1st September, 2001.
We spend a large part of our income firstly supporting the local "search and rescue", then the local surf lifesaving clubs, local soccer teams and the local rugby league football club, other local events and of course local charities. We try to use 50% of profits for these activities and the balance toward better amenities for members.
Last year we spent several hundred thousand dollars on extensions and membership has since jumped about 30%.
Figure 3 - VK2TIP's Street and House This is Ninth Avenue in the large retirement village in which we live. Zero crime rate!
My house is the second on the right, it sticks out the furthest.
Figure 4 - This is the lovely and exceedingly beautiful Carolyn Patricia Purdie - O.K. I'm biased Now you may wonder why did I catch Carolyn Patricia in a reading pose? Answer is simple she will not pose for photographs and when she finds out about this I'll be D - E - A - D
Once Carolyn saw the photo on the 'net' she was less paranoid and suggested I point out her attire for "mid-winter".
Next in the family here is me mate "ginger". He literally is a "pussy", he has a heart the size of a pea, but hey!... "he's me mate". AKA "Stupid".
Figure 5 - Ginger - "he's me mate" Note Carolyn's sewing machine in the upper left of the photo seen through the window wide open in mid winter. Carolyn is always knitting, sewing, baking cakes and generally being a good grandmother.
Next we have Boo! the deaf cat AKA "Fatso", "Fire Hogger" or "The bitch"
Figure 6 - Boo! the deaf cat AKA "Fatso", "Fire Hogger" or "The bitch" "The wireless telegraph is not difficult to understand.
The ordinary telegraph is like a very long cat.
You pull the tail in New York, and it meows in Los Angeles.
The wireless is the same, only without the cat."
- Albert Einstein
Figure 6 - The famous Kookaburra outside VK2TIP's front door Everyone has heard of the Australian Kookaburra. I have more than one pair who visit me on a semi-regular basis.
Kookaburras' mainly feed on snakes, lizards, mice etc., there isn't much shortage of any of those around here either although the snakes and lizards are hibernating through our relatively mild winter at present [written 11th August, 2001].
Because I feed my friends the "Pee-Wee's" (see below) minced meat, the Kookaburras' sometimes get in on the act and freeload. This fellow above will literally eat from my hand and sometimes takes a finger as well - he is polite enough to return it.
Here are the pair early in the morning 'hanging out' for a freebie. The long shadows are because the sun hasn't risen above the tall gum (eucalypt) trees. BTW Kookaburras can't walk, they hop in much the same manner as Kangaroos and Wallabies... cute!.
Figure 7 - The famous Kookaburra's literally outside VK2TIP's front door Next we have the family of Pee-Wee's.
Figure 8 - Pee-Wee outside VK2TIP's front door in the garden. These Pee-Wee's (Pete and Pauline) have been supplementary feeding here for several years during the normal breeding season (spring September to November). Ordinarily, we see very little of them close up during the rest of the year.
Last season (spring 2000) they produced no offspring at all. Well none were introduced to us.
Last autumn (April 2001) Pete returned suddenly, "demanding" minced meat. I found this quite astonishing because, although not unheard of, it is quite rare for birds to nest during autumn. At no time did we see his mate Pauline.
Pete was demanding food 10 - 20 times a day with ever increasing frequency. This lasted for nearly a month. I had by then arrived at the theory they were again breeding and that they alone had determined they would not use "natural resources" to raise their offspring.
A few weeks later Pauline herself returned and it was obvious to us Pete and Pauline were both feeding youngsters. Judging by the increasing volume of meat we needed to provide, we figured they must have a clutch of eight, each the size of a baby elephant.
Several weeks later we were rewarded by being introduced to two offspring. Probably this was all they had. Why this aberration in behaviour?
My theory is this:
People in the area (not me) insist on having their homes sprayed with chemicals to deter "white ants" (termites).
This treatment is largely ineffectual, just simply ask for a written guarantee - none is forthcoming but if you are that type of person with an infallible belief in the "goodness" of chemicals you wouldn't have the brain power to ask for one anyway - just waste $35.00 EVERY three months but it does manage to destroy much of the local insect life upon which the birds naturally feed.
Termites have always been properly controlled by placing physical "barriers" between the house and ground. Properly installed, properly maintained with a common sense approach, no problems ensue. Simply have "NO" wood building material in contact with the ground is a good start, not "rocket science".
I personally feel some insects and natural food survive the chemicals but absorb it into their bodies. The consequences...
The documented effects are many. Thin shelled eggs easily damaged in the nests, thick shelled eggs which hatchlings find impossible to break out of. Downright poisoning of offspring because of residual chemical inducement and so on...
Heaps more photos taken today (19th August) to put up. More later........
the author Ian C. Purdie, VK2TIP of www.electronics-tutorials.com asserts the moral right to
be identified as the author of this web site and all contents herein. Copyright © 2000, all rights reserved. See copying and links.
These electronic tutorials are provided for individual private use and the author assumes no liability whatsoever for the application, use, misuse, of any of these projects or electronics tutorials that may result in the direct or indirect damage or loss that comes from these projects or tutorials. All materials are provided for free private and public use.
Copyright © 2000 - 2001, all rights reserved. URL - http://www.electronics-tutorials.com/qth/vk2tip-qth.htm
Updated 19th August, 2001
My QTH and family
Our Pets
On the subject of cats
Local Birdlife where VK2TIP lives
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