Antennapalooza

Antennapalooza 2026 – Our Tenth Year!

Back in January, 2025 we erected a big curtain array on 20 metres, which survived the weekend, but came down in the storm that followed on the Sunday afternoon.

If you are interested in the construction process of this antenna, check out this You Tube video:

With a little luck the weather will be more settled in 2026 for Sat/Sun April 18 & 19

What to expect at Antennapalooza 2026

The theme will be about POWER

We will have a station operating the callsign of VK3AZA for this event

Special guest presentation for 2026

We are fortunate to have a demonstration by Luke Townsend of Outlook Industries of his remote controlled military support carts, called Project Gus developed here in Gippsland for the Australian Army.

A preview of this technology can be seen here:

Where to find Antennapalooza 2026:

Antennapalooza takes place at Drouin West, about an hour’s drive East of Melbourne. Look for the detailed map on this website.

Most clubs run some kind of Hamfest Sale as a fundraiser and as a bit of a social event. These are great and fulfill a need, but they are over in just a couple of hours. Antennapalooza is a different kind of event that brings people together from multiple clubs, but with enough time to relax and get back into the hobby

Picture a few acres of land with a few trees around the edges. Operators can come along with their tent, caravan or swag and set up their radio and antennas for a weekend in an RF quiet space. For some it is an opportunity to put up and try out antennas they don’t have room for at home. For others they can socialise and listen to the talks going on in the pavilion. On both the Saturday and the Sunday there will be short lectures on interesting topics. Bring a folding chair and a beer if you wish and listen to what’s being said about real-world topics on Amateur Radio.

Click here for the Event program Page

Follow this link to find out what happened in 2025…

It’s free. Nearby clubs and other groups kick in a small amount to fund the operational costs, but it is free to all visitors. If you can’t make it for the weekend, come for the day. As we get closer, a full program of speakers and topics will be posted on this website.

There is a barbecue available, and in the evenings, byo food or order in some takeaway. A big pit fireplace will be running in the forest area. There is good town water on-site. Portable toilet facilities will be on site.

It is a secluded area of private property that can’t be seen from main roads or other farmhouses. Unless we have very heavy rainfall, any regular vehicle will have no problems accessing the venue.

Promoters for or 2025 included RASA, GGREC, SPARC, FAMPARC Pride Radio Group and EMDRC. Visitors from clubs should remember to bring along their Club Banner.

CLUBS – If you would like to sponsor again in 2026, send an email to sparky@dcsi.net.au

BOOKING FOR VISITORS IS NOT REQUIRED

If you wish to join in, just show up. Pick a spot to set up camp. There are no space limits. Generators are discouraged because of the noise factor. If you have any questions send an email to:

CHECK OUT THE ANTENNAPALOOZA VIDEO FROM 2023

The guys at the You Tube channel Drop Table Productions attended the 2023 Antennapalooza event and made an excellent video of their experience.

If you want to see what the event is about, take a look.

Follow THIS LINK to watch their video, or click on the picture above.

To read more details on what to expect, click on the ABOUT tab on this page.