https://stream.echo6.co/videos/watch/a48d94e4-087b-453d-ad9e-7fcb5483bb0c What can be worked with a bagful of QRP gear taken to a nearby island? Activity was evenly divided between 20m and 40m, CW and SSB and VK and DX. A newly built end-fed half wave end-fed antenna was used for all contacts. Two NiMH battery packs ran the station with a 4 watt solar panel topping up the spare. Transmitting equipment comprised an FT-817 and a Ten Tec R4020. The latter was taken as a back-up to maintain operation with limited battery charge. Using the Ten Tec for all CW contacts successfully conserved power (at the cost of its harsher-sounding receiver and inferior IF filtering compared to the FT-817). True wilderness QRP involves hiking, backpacks, tents and provisions. I did none of that, instead opting to stay at the Eco Inn. With a location just metres from the Tankerton ferry jetty, a range of accommodation options and ample waterfront land for antennas I highly recommend it as a great place to stay and operate from. Compared to nearby Phillip Island, French Island is much quieter (no mains power, gravel roads or real towns) and offers more to the nature lover. For the DXer this translates into less man made noise and interference. French Island is classified as IOTA OC136 - the same as Phillip Island. Further information About the island: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Island_(Victoria) Interisland ferry: http://www.interislandferries.com.au/ferry.php Eco Inn accommodation: http://www.innonfrench.com.au/ (previously known as http://www.tortoisehead.net/ ) PS: If you liked this video please consider supporting Amateur Radio VK3YE by: Subscribing on YouTube,, Checking my books page at https://books.vk3ye.com, Shopping on Amazon via: https://amzn.to/3iiDQXv, or, Shopping on eBay via: https://ebay.us/i9DuWP (then if you buy something I'll get a small commission at no cost to you) Sat, 09 May 2026 07:16:13 GMT https://validator.w3.org/feed/docs/rss2.html PeerTube - https://stream.echo6.co https://stream.echo6.co/client/assets/images/icons/icon-512x512.png https://stream.echo6.co/videos/watch/a48d94e4-087b-453d-ad9e-7fcb5483bb0c All rights reserved, unless otherwise specified in the terms specified at https://stream.echo6.co/about and potential licenses granted by each content's rightholder.