1981 Back to Melbourne, Victoria

Back to Melbourne

In 1981 after a tour of Europe I returned to back to my Thornbury home in Melbourne. It was during this time that I joined the Australian Radio DX Club. Being a part of the club taught me so much. Guys like Peter Bunn, Geoff Cosier and Mike Willis took me under their wing and showed me what real dx was all about.

ARDXC in 2006 in Brisbane at John Smiths (far left) home. Karin and Matthew in front
Back row 3rd from right thats me next to Dave Headland

Back in those days Melbourne was the hub of Australian Dxing and the monthly dx meetings at members homes would pull in 20 - 30 dxers. It was great to look at all the QSL cards and share news with other guys. I miss the social aspect of these early years of the hobby.

The scene of many a good Dxpedition. Cape Otway in Western Victoria

Australia also had a very splintered dx scene due to some bizarre and fiery individuals. Ego's made sure that we never had one united dx club. There was ARDXC, DX Australia, Southern Cross DX club and in later years OZDX and SPUD.

Cape Otway in the 80's - Like the Antarctic

In 1982 I had my first DXpedition with Peter, Geoff and Michael. We travelled to Cape Otway on the Great Ocean Road in Victoria. I was to travel to this dx location many times after this. It was from that point on that I knew that the only real way to do serious dx work was to get away on a DXpedition, away from noise and from local stations. This was when I took a real interest in MW. These guys were hearing yanks.. How cool was that!!

Cape Otway - The Shipwreck coast - We would dx on the cliffs

In 1983 Peter Bunn, Geoff Cosier and I had a major falling out with the ARDXC and decided over a few pints at The Loaded Dog hotel in Fitzroy to form OZDX. For the next 10 years Peter Bunn and David Martin were the editors of this fine newsletter.Over the next decade I had stints as MW Editor for Dx Australia, Southern Cross Dx Club.

Craig Edwards at our site in the mid 80's