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VK4BTF DK5BD

name  : Terry Crothers
QTH    : Groote Eylandt, Northern Territory, Australia
e-mail : vk8ktc@bigpond.com

Terry is orginally from NewZealand and he usually travels to NZ every 2 years to visit his family.

Terry's job is Communications Support Officer for a mining company, and maintain all the Radios, UPS's, telemetry systems, TV and radio stations. He is very keen on the radio and computers. His wife, Jenny, runs a small business from home, making Lingerie (ladies under garments).

They keep very good nature in Groote Eylandt and there are many kinds of animals around his place. But some birds don't seem to be friendly to ham.
 

Giday from Groote Eylandt,

The "Sulphur Crested, White Cockatoos", a native parrot type bird has been very aggressive towards my antenna array. They have very sharp beaks and like to destroy anything they like. They rip apart the outer insulation of the RG213 coax. They cut RG58 coax right through, and they have completely destroyed the 2 small wires from the 2 metre Balun to the Driven Element. If I wrap insulation tape around the "UHF" or "N" connectors, these Cockies, love to rip it off again.



I have all my RG213 coaxes covered with 12 mm reinforced plastic garden hose, that slows them down a little. We are unable to shoot them as they are protected. and the antennas are too high above the ground to throw stones at them. There is a type of paste available called "Hot Foot", which can spread onto the cables and elements.

It is supposed to give the birds "hot feet" and cause them to fly away, but I have to handle the equipment and it may be harmful to my hands

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