Contact Form working Again

The web form is now working again after failing silently for an unknown period (could have been days/weeks/months!). I am guessing the hosting provider made a change (possibly when forced to PHP 8.x) that stopped the mailer working using the php mail() function. Apologies to those who have tried to contact me – I wasn’t … Read more

The Domain Saga

For those eagle-eyed users, you will notice that you are now visiting www.vk7ben.au and not vk7ben.id.au. This is the story about why.

In 2007, I acquired my advanced license and callsign VK7BEN. At this time I was quite big on websites and domains and having my own identity online. However it was not possible to own a .com.au/net.au/org.au domain if you were not a registered business or organisation. However you could register for an id.au domain if the domain name contained your your name or nickname. Beauty – VK7BEN could indeed be considered a nickname. I applied for the domain with this information, application was approved, happy days.

Earlier this year however the happiness came to an abrupt halt with an email from my domain registrar shortly after renewing my domain.

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Reactivating the Station

Realistically, I haven’t been on air much in the last 7 years. Other interests and real life have seen tinkering with amateur radio come a distance last to everything else. Occasionally I would have a listen around the band, make a half-hearted CQ DX call, or try to contact that station in amongst the pileup, … Read more