2023 VKFF NATIONAL GET TOGETHER
​RENMARK, SOUTH AUSTRALIA.
The inaugural VKFF National Get Together was held on Friday 27th October,  Saturday 28th October, & Sunday 29th October 2023 at Renmark, South Australia.
 
The event included a Friday evening meal, a series of presentations on Saturday, a Saturday evening dinner with a guest speaker, a Sunday morning BBQ breakfast, and then a plethora of park activations.
LOCATION OF RENMARK.
Renmark is located in the Riverland region of South Australia.
  • 260km northeast of Adelaide.
  • 695 km northwest of Melbourne.
  • 1,152 km west of Sydney.
VIDEO ON RENMARK, SOUTH AUSTRALIA.
LIST OF ATTENDEES.
  1. Ian VK1DI
  2. Brian VK3BBB
  3. Therese VK3MTT
  4. Malcolm VK3OAK
  5. Peter VK3PF
  6. Peter VK3PWG
  7. Leigh VK3SG
  8. Norm VK3XCI
  9. Tony VK3YV
  10. Peter VK3ZPF
  11. Wayne VK5AAF
  12. Sue VK5AYL
  13. Michael VK5BRU
  14. Ian VK5CZ
  15. David VK5DG
  16. Danny VK5DW
  17. Chris VK5FR
  18. Ivan VK5HS
  19. Ian VK5IS
  20. Andy VK5LA
  21. Marija VK5MAZ
  22. Mark VK5MK
  23. Paul VK5PAS
  24. Peter VK5PE
  25. Rob VK5TRM
  26. Richard VK5ZNC
  27. Hans VK6XN
APOLOGIES.
  1. Greg VK3MTV
  2. Perrin VK3PT
ATTENDEE WELCOME PACK.
Each attendee received a welcome pack which contained:-
  • 2023 VKFF National Get Together pen
  • 2023 VKFF National Get Together fridge magnet
  • Hard copy of attendee manual (see below)
  • Riverland Visitor Guide
  • map of Renmark
  • 2023 River Time magazine
  • VKFF promotional brochure
  • VK5 National & Conservation Parks Award promotional brochure
  • writing pad
  • Renmark Town Heritage walk brochure
  • Parks of the Riverland brochure
  • Murray River National Park map
  • Danggali Conservation Park map
  • Murray Sunset National Park Visitor guide
  • Moorook Game Reserve map
  • Loch Luna Game Reserve map
  • Chowilla Game Reserve map
A copy of the Attendee Manual can be downloaded below.
2023_vkff_national_get_together_kit-min__1_.pdf
File Size: 3675 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
ATTENDEE CERTIFICATE.
Each attendee received a special attendee certificate.

The certificate features a photograph of the Murray River National Park, photo taken by Paul VK5PAS.
COMMENTS FROM ATTENDEES.
A great big thanks to the organising team of the VKFF Get-Together . . . both Malcolm VK3OAK and myself VK3PWG had a fantastic weekend.  Excellent job, well organised great company - Peter VK3PWG.

Thanks everyone for the VKFF meet up, and to Paul, Marija and the team for organizing it - Michael VK5BRU.
FRIDAY EVENING DINNER.
A dinner function was held on Friday evening at the Renmark CLub.
Photos taken by Paul VK5PAS.
SATURDAY PRESENTATIONS.
A series of presentations were delivered on Saturday in the Nanya Function Room at the Hotel Renmark.
The cost of the day for Saturday was $18.00 per person.  This includes morning tea consisting of tea, coffee, scones jam and cream.  And afternoon tea consisting of tea, coffee, & biscuits.
Paul VK5PAS

​An introduction to WWFF
an_introduction_to_wwff_vkff_compressed.pdf
File Size: 1243 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
Andy VK5LA

Operating portable with a fly wire vertical.
flywire_vertical_vk5la-compressed.pdf
File Size: 540 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
Peter VK3PF

Tips for Activators and Hunters.
tips_for_activators_and_hunters_compressed.pdf
File Size: 432 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
Peter VK3ZPF

VK Port-a-log
vk_port-a-log_presentation_october_2023-compressed.pdf
File Size: 368 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
Sue VK5AYL

IOS ParksnPeaks app
ios_app_for_parksnpeaks_compressed.pdf
File Size: 512 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
Hans VK6XN

Logging in parks.
vkff_-_logging_in_national_parks_a_compressed.pdf
File Size: 796 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
Ivan VK5HS

Home brew half wave antenna matching unit & linked radiating element.
end_fed_half_wave_antenna_coupler_compressed.pdf
File Size: 334 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
Marija VK5MAZ

Operating from Troubridge Island.
vk5til_presentation_-_marija_compressed.pdf
File Size: 697 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
Grant Geyer
SA Ambulance

Snake bite
Adam VK2YK

Alaskan activation.
PRESENTATION OF CERTIFICATES TO THE GUEST SPEAKERS AND THE MC.
A special certificate was issued to all of the guest speakers and the MC:-
​
  1. ​Adam VK2YK
  2. Peter VK3PF
  3. Peter VK3ZPF
  4. Sue VK5AYL
  5. Chris VK5FR
  6. Ivan VK5HS
  7. Andy VK5LA
  8. Marija VK5MAZ
  9. Paul VK5PAS
  10. Hans VK6XN

​The certificate was designed by Paul VK5PAS and features a photograph of the Murray River National Park which he took during a recent activation.
PRESENTATION OF CERTIFICATES TO THE VKFF STATE/TERRITORY REPS & VKFF NATIONAL CO-ORDINATOR
A special certificate was presented to the VKFF State/Territory reps, the VKFF Treasurer, and the VKFF National Co-Ordinator, for their ongoing efforts of keeping the VKFF program flourishing behind the scenes.
RAFFLE.
A raffle was held and this was drawn at the conclusion of the presentations on Saturday.

  • 1st prize - boat trip for two people on Sunday to Bulyong Island, Murray River National Park for a park activation - donated by Ivan VK5HS - won by Tony VK3YV and Peter VK3ZPF.
  • 2nd prize - $100.00 voucher - donated by Jaycar - won by Michael VK5BRU
  • 3rd prize - $50.00 voucher - donated by Jaycar - won by Mark VK5MK
  • 4th prize - $50.00 voucher - donated by Jaycar - won by Peter VK5PE
  • 5th prize - 7 metre heavy duty squid pole - donated by Haverford - won by Danny VK5DW.
  • 6th prize - 100m roll of RG58 - donated by Danny VK5DW RivComm Radio Solutions - won by Leigh VK3SG.
  • 7th prize - VKFF Get Together polo shirt - donated by Daryl VK3AWA - won by Chris VK5FR. 
  • 8th prize - VKFF Get Together baseball cap - donated by Daryl VK3AWA - won by Gerard VK2IO.
  • 9th prize - VKFF Get Together coffee mug - donated by Daryl VK3AWA - won by Peter VK3PWG.

$200.00 was raised and this was donated to the Friends of Paringa Paddocks - Murray River National Park.
SATURDAY EVENING DINNER.
This was be held in the Nanya Function Room, Hotel Renmark.
The Saturday evening guest speaker was Peter Hunter, the Mayor of Renmark Paringa Council.

He delivered a very interesting presentation on his involving in the Friends of Paringa Paddocks (Murray River National Park), and the recent floods in the Riverland region of South Australia.

Peter was presented with $200.00 from the raffle, for the Friends of Paringa Paddocks. 
The MC for the Saturday presentations and Saturday evening dinner was Chris VK5FR.
SUNDAY MORNING BBQ BREAKFAST.
A Sunday morning BBQ breakfast hosted by the Riverland Radio Club was held at the Jarrett Memorial Gardens at Renmark.
Photographs taken by Paul VK5PAS & Mal VK3OAK
SUNDAY PARK ACTIVATIONS.
Following the Sunday morning BBQ breakfast, many of the Get Together attendees headed out into the field to activate a VKFF reference.

​A number of activations also occurred on Monday and Tuesday.
Malcolm VK3OAK & Peter VK3PWG
Ivan VK5HS, Peter VK3ZPF & Tony VK3YV - Bulyong Island, Murray River National Park 
Hans VK6XN, Paul VK5PAS, & Marija VK5MAZ.
SPECIAL MERCHANDISE.
A number of special items were offered for sale and purchased by attendees at the 2023 VKFF National Get Together.

This included coffee mugs, beanies, baseball caps, polo shirts, and stubby holders.

    GET TOGETHER FEEDBACK

THANKYOU.
  • to all that made the effort of attending
  • to all of the guest speakers
  • to Chris VK5FR, the MC.
  • Mayor Peter Hunter
  • Hotel Renmark
  • Renmark CLub
  • Riverland Radio Club
  • Raffle sponsors
    • Ivan VK5HS
    • Jaycar
    • Haverford
    • VK5DW - RivCom Radio Solutions
    • Daryl VK3AWA
  • VistaPrint
  • Renmark Visitor Information Centre
  • Murray Pioneer newspaper