VK9AD 1958 Norfolk Island

Operator: Stan Davies

It should be noted that I wasn't the only Ham operator on Norfolk Island! VK9RH (Ray Hoare) preceded me and was still active, after I departed until sadly, he became a Silent Key. I was there for three years from 1956 through 1959. A beautiful isolated Island, serviced by air each 2 weeks, and a ship as required. Newspapers were soon forgotten, no need for a calendar. The airplane was used instead, i.e., the week 'before' the plane and the week 'after' the plane! Consequently, Norfolk Island became my "World". On return to the Australian mainland, it was a real shock to the system! The 'shack" on which I built a Cubical Quad , (see photo) allowed me to tell hams, "Using a Fixed Antenna on a Rotating shack" The 'shack' was originally an American wartime Radar Unit, left on Norfolk Island! It was rusted out and in a terrible mess when I took possession of it! I resurrected it using materials in short supply, put in  a window and used the rotating mechanism, complete with AC power slip rings! I did continue operating on return to the mainland in Victoria as VK3AWX, but gave Amateur Radio away, when my twin sons burst into my shack saying in an excited voice "Daddy, Daddy. . . ) and I'm saying "go away, can't you see I'm talking to some one" and then watching their crest fallen face, walking away! Suddenly realising what I had done, turned off transmitter and receiver and never went back! My job was in Coastal Radio, operating with ships, so I continued operating on commercial frequencies, so 'amateur radio' was not such a big loss! As an "Antique Ham",  any other "Antique Hams" who may remember me, thank you for the wonderful three years I had, being chased by the Dx'ers and making friends with many of them. I was bedlam at times . . . but wonderful! I did write a one page article for QST, circa 1958, entitled "Working DX", is it relevant today?
Best 73's and 88's to the YL's and XYL's
Stanley Davies. Very EX VK9AD Norfolk Island.

QSL from the estate of W5ASC, W8DRF, W8HXX
1st two photos from G4UZN Collection
Last photo from Don Chesser W4KVX DX Magazine #73, June 9, 1959
Info courtesy of Stan Davies 5/1/2016