DABBLING IN PHOTOGRAPHY

It has now been over a year since I purchased a reasonable camera and started experimenting with photography, particularly aircraft.

The camera is a Fuji S200EXR and has proven to be very good, in my view.

More and more I am taking the switch off automatic and venturing into the world of manual shots. Just recently I was rewarded with some excellent lighting photographs - even surprised me. I will post some of these on my Flickr website.

Most of the photographs appearing on this site are all my photographs and I have now adopted a common tag - MJS58. So if you see a photo with that tag on another site, its one of mine.

Here is a first attempt at a night shot of Essendon Tower (YMEN) from a carpark near the tower. Not perfect, but I am pleased with the progress.

AIRCRAFT FIRE FIGHTING RESOURCES - VICTORIA

Avid aircraft listeners will hear, from time to time, helicopters and fixed wing aircraft being dispatched to fires or operational at a fire.

As aircraft are "tagged" with an operations callsign and not a callsign derived from their registration letters or numbers, it is sometimes difficult to know what type of aircraft is being deployed.

The following is a guideline for listeners in relation to aircraft callsigns and aircraft type. Also included is a nominal base for the aircraft, however this may change due to operational requirements.

Although the "fire season" is well and truly over, and many of the fire fighting and observation resources have gone back home, a number of aircraft are still active and the fire resource list is still valid. One aircraft is even deployed to do a feral horse survey in the high country!

Helitak 341 - Erickson S64-F Aircrane, ESSENDON (Supported by Firebird 308)
Helitak 342 - Erickson S64-E Aircrane, BALLARAT (Supported by Firebird 309)
Helitak 347 - Sikorsky S61N, COLAC (firebombing but can transport 18 personnel)
Helitak 348 - Sikorsky S61N, MANSFIELD (firebombing but can transport 18 personnel)
*********************************
Helitak 331 - Bell 212, MOORABBIN
Helitak 332 - Bell 212, OVENS
Helitak 333 - Bell 212, HEYFIELD
Helitak 334 - Bell 412, STAWELL
Helitak 335 - Bell 214B, OLINDA
Helitak 336 - B3 Squirrel,BENDIGO (Type 3 with bellytank)
Helitak 337 - B3 Squirrel, BENALLA (Type 3 with bellytank)
Helitak 338 - Bell 206L, LATROBE VALLEY (with bucket)
**********************************
Firebird 301 - Bell B206, HORSHAM
Firebird 302 - AS 350 SX, MOORABBIN
Firebird 303 - AS 350 BA, OVENS
Firebird 304 - AS 350 D, BAIRNSDALE
Firebird 305 - Bell B206, BENDIGO
Firebird 306 - AS 350 D, MOORABBIN
Firebird 307 - AS 350 B2, MOORABBIN
Firebird 308 - Bell Longranger, ESSENDON (Support for Helitak 341)
Firebird 309 - Bell Longranger, BALLARAT (Support for Helitak 342)
Firebird 310 - Bell B206, COLAC (Support for Helitak 347)
Firebird 311 - Bell B206, MANSFIELD (Support for Helitak 348)
Firebird 312 - AS 350 BA, OLINDA
**********************************
Bomber 351 - Air Tractor 802F, STAWELL
Bomber 352 - Air Tractor 802 F, CASTERTON
Bomber 353 - PZL M18B Dromader, HAMILTON
Bomber 354 - Air Tractor 802 F, ALBURY
Bomber 355 - PZL M18B Turbine Dromader, BAIRNSDALE
Bomber 356 - Air Tractor 802 F, ALBURY
Bomber 357 - PZL M18B Dromader, STAWELL
Bomber 358 - PZL M18B Dromader, LATROBE VALLEY
Bomber 359 - PZL M18B Dromader, BENAMBRA
Bomber 360 - Air Tractor 802 F, STAWELL
Bomber 361 - PZL M18B Dromader, LATROBE VALLEY
Bomber 365 - PZL M18B Turbine Dromader, BENDIGO
**********************************
Birddog 366 - Cessna 337, ESSENDON
Birddog 367 - Cessna 337, BALLARAT
Birddog 384 - Cessna 337, WANGARATTA
**********************************
Firescan 300 - Beech King Air
Firescan 350 - Beech King Air


Current aircraft deployments and locations

January 3, 2012 - Melbourne Centre 122.4

Quite a period of listening on this frequency today as I cleaned up my radio workshop. Looking back on this log I am quite surprised at the number of aircraft heard today.

Qantas Flight 38 (QF38) declared a medical emergency just after reporting to Melbourne Centre on VHF. An ambulance was requested to meet a young passenger with an illness. A Medical 1 (MED1) priority clearance was given to QF38 with track shortening to expedite their arrival into Melbourne.

Also of note was Glider PH1234, a cheery chap who popped up for a brief time and was excited at completing a 1000km round trip in his glider TODAY!!!. He certainly shared that excitement with the Melbourne Centre controller - you must admit though not a bad effort in a glider!

Here is a summary of aircraft heard during listening periods today:

BZY Beech A36 To 125.2 patched to 122.4 then 122.4 direct
CPR Cessna 340 To 124.55
Emirates 407
HMB Piper PA-44-180 To YMML Approach 132.0
IFR Cessna R182 To 120.75
Jabaru 7852** Sale area
Jetstar 159 Melbourne - Christchurch Airbus A320 To 13261 Sec 8867
Jetstar 211 Melbourne - Auckland Airbus A320 To 13261 Sec 8867
Jetstar 720 Hobart - Sydney Airbus A320
Jetstar 722 Hobart - Sydney Airbus A320
Jetstar 725 Sydney - Hobart Airbus A320 To 123.8
Jetstar 747 Sydney - Launceston Airbus A320 To 123.8
KQB Beech C90A To 126.8
LET Aero Commander 500S To 122.4 direct then YMML Approach 132.0
LGB S.O.C.A.T.A.-Groupe Aerospatiale TB20
LNL Amateur Built Vans RV-10 To 120.75 patched to 122.4
LVA Gippsland Aeronautics GA-8
LYH Eurocopter AS332L1 (Helicopter)
MHY Piper PA-44-180
New Zealand 725 Auckland - Melbourne Badger 6 Alpha Runway 16
New Zealand 792 Adelaide - Auckland Airbus A320 Primary 13261 Sec 8867
New Zealand 893 Christchurch - Melbourne Airbus A320 Warren 3A R16
OZM Piper PA-31-350
PH1234 Glider** **Squawk 0032 completed 1000km triangle glide today
POLAIR 34 Aerospatiale AS365-N3 VicPol helicopter Status R zones
PRJ Cessna 172S
Qantas 26 Auckland - Melbourne origin Los Angeles
Qantas 38 **MED1 emergency declared Wellington - Melbourne B737-800
Qantas 131 Melbourne - Auckland B737-800 Primary 13261 Sec 8867
Qantas 133 Melbourne - Auckland B737-800 Primary 13261 Sec 8867
Qantas 850 Melbourne - Canberra B737-400 To 125.9 Canberra approach
Qantas 1020 Hobart - Sydney B737-800
Qantas Link 213D
Qantas Link 726
Rex 118 Sydney - Moruya - Merimbula
Rex 133 Merimbula - Moruya - Sydney
Rex 724
Rex 3314 Melbourne - Wagga Wagga
Rex 3492
Rex 3493
Singapore 231 Singapore - Sydney Airbus A380-800
SRQ Cirrus Design Corporation SR22 To 128.4
TKI Cessna 172N
VAI Hawker Beechcraft B200C to 123.75 from Shepparton
VHO Beech 95-B55 To 124.55
Virgin 153
Virgin 267 Melbourne - Canberra B737-800 To 125.9 Canberra Approach
Virgin 277 Melbourne - Canberra B727-800 To 125.9 Canberra Approach
Virgin 287 Melbourne - Canberra B737-800
Virgin 702 Brisbane - Hobart B737-800
Virgin 705 Hobart - Brisbane B737-800 To 125.0
Virgin 867 To 125.0
Virgin 1152 Sydney - Launcestion B737-800
Virgin 1178 Sydney - Albury Embraer ERJ-190
Virgin 1530 Sydney - Hobart B737-700 To 123.8
Virgin 1533 Hobart - Sydney B737-700 To 125.0
Virgin 1537 Hobart - Sydney B737-800 To 125.0 for STAR details
Virgin 1864 Brisbane - Launcestion Embraer ERJ-190
VIV Amateur Built Lancair Legacy
VTC Mooney M20R To 123.75
WIV Piper PA-32R-301 To 119.5 patched to 122.4
WKD Pacific Aerospace 08-600 Parachute operations Moruya
XEA Piper PA-28-161
XEF Piper PA-28-161
XGL Piper PA-31 To 128.4 then 123.75
YJM Aero Commander 500S
YJO Aero Commander 500B