Djirra Webpages Home

These webpages are a collection of material from different sites that have been produced in the past containing information associated with the varied interests and activities of the Djirra webspace owner.

These interests and activities cover a wide range of topics including Amateur Radio Activities, Earth Conduction Communications, Telluric Currents, Electronic Music and Motorbikes I have owned.

The intended purpose of this consolidation of a number of websites is to bring all subjects of interest I dabble in under the one roof and with a common style and layout.   The benefit derived from this consolidation  is easier maintenance.

NOTE: Please refresh this page as there will be additions and deletions as the site evolves.    Also, in the unlikely event that you find particular pages interesting and you return at a later date, please ensure you hit the refresh button on your browser whilst viewing those pages to get the latest info.

Amateur Radio Activities

Activities carried under each of the three callsigns I hold currently - VK2ZTO, VK2SRO and VK2XV.

2200M LF Band - finally, it appears that we have access to the 2200M band (135.7kHz - 137.8kHz) here in VK.    Initially this requires applying for a special condition to be added to an Advanced Licence.  My VK2XV licence has been 'upgraded' to include a special condition for 136kHz as of the 21st May, 2009.   I am looking forward to getting back into LF.    Now I will have others to talk to and run tests with.   Wahoo...!!!

VK2XV 136kHz LF Station Status - visit this page to get the latest operational status of my LF station.

VK2XV 136kHz LF Station Log - visit this page to view a log for the VK2XV LF station.

VK2ZTO - my original callsign held since 1967. During the last decade I pursued my interest in narrowband communications under this callsign.   There is a link to be found here to a PDF file of all my experimental activities carried out during that period.

VK2SRO - acquired after full HF privileges were granted to Amateur Operators here in Australia mainly as a vanity callsign.

VK2XV - initially acquired for use in DX operation as it is easier than the other two callsigns to get across under tough conditions - although I might adopt this one as my usual callsign for all operations as it is just as easy to say 'VK2-Xray-Victor' as to say 'VK2SRO' or 'VK2ZTO' - with the added bonus of not having to correct or repeat the callsign as often because of the use of phonetics.    I now have authorisation to operate in the 2200M band using this callsign (as of 21st May, 2009) via a special condition.

AXSO Archive - Also there are some details of the experiments carried out under my Scientific Assigned Licence in the LF band (145.5kHz & 177.5kHz) using the callsign AXSO.  This licence was not allowed to be renewed a few years ago and I had been waiting for an Amateur Radio LF band allocation since then.

ECC

The fundamental principle of ECC (Earth Conduction Communication or Earth Current Communication) utilises the inherent "resistance" of the earth. Signals are detected by a distant receiver by currents induced to flow through the earth at the receiver by the transmitter. It is these currents that can be used to communicate information to locations well outside the direct line between the two rods. This principle has been used for more than 100 years and is by no means a new technique. The interest here lies in applying modern DSP techniques to extend the range of this communication mode.

Telluric Currents

Firstly - let me state categorically that I am not 'into' grid-lines, force lines, energy grids, i.e., I am not interested any of the more 'exotic' aspects of earth electricity.   If you have come here for that then you will be very disappointed. Instead you will find here conventional techniques and ideas associated with the large electric currents that flow through the Earth's crust.  In particular - while performing some experiments related to other areas of interest (ULF, ELF and VLF) using two groups of three earth electrodes, I came across something that intrigued me.   I found, in addition to signals at those frequencies (ULF, ELF and VLF) , a slow-varying voltage between the electrodes of a much longer period. These pages largely deal with that slow-varying voltage found to exist between the electrodes.

Electronic Music

Here you will find some experimental activities into algorithmic 'music' generation carried out under the pseudonym of 'KULTARR'  - a small collective of synthesisers, sequencers, custom and third-party software exploring quasi-random electronica and a 50-something non-musician. Quasi-random is a term used here to describe a method of composition that employs random seeding processes, loosely constrained by selected rules of musicality in terms of harmony and structure.

Motorbikes

I have been foolish enough to have owned and ridden a number of motorbikes over the years.  Once you have been bitten by the 'bike bug' you are hooked for life. Here you will find some details of the bikes I have owned (about 15).     Currently I only own one - a Yamaha XVS250 - a slow, sedate bike as befits my age.  It will be my last bike.

But there is always the dream of the trike....

Miscellaneous Stuff

Here you will find bits of information of other interests/activities.   For example, over time I will add details of the VZ200/VZ300 articles I wrote for ETI (Electronics Today International) in the 1980's.

A general mishmash of odds and sods...