Award for working 2 stations in Guadeloupe on digital modes. From the European Ros Club.
VK1DI's Blog
A blog about Amateur Radio callsign VK1DI Ian's activities on the Amateur Radio bands, mostly Summits On the Air (SOTA) and World Wide Flora and Fauna (WWFF) portable activities.
Wednesday 17 July 2024
Tuesday 16 July 2024
Friday 28 June 2024
YatteYattah Nature Reserve VKFF-2779
Staying a few nights at Ulladulla, headed off to activate WWFF park YatteYattah Nature Reserve VKFF-2779. I had activated it before, needed several more contacts to reach 44. Also wanted to check how its recovering after the 2019-2020 summer bushfires.
Drove North of Milton on the Princes Hwy, parked near the entrance gate to the reserve. Noted there is now a National Parks NSW sign for the park. Not sure if a typo with their sign, the park is spelt Yatte Yattah with a space.
Walked down the hill to a gate, and a stile for walkers to access the park.
Further walking down the hill reached a new sign for the park.
Set up the squid pole on a nearby stump.
Radio on the tarp in the grass.
Set the power at 25w as only had the 4.3Ah Lifopo4 battery. Got on 40m on 7.144. After spotting got a steady stream of hunters.
VK3HJW, VK2VW/VK2HFI/VK2AKA/VK2BUG, VK3SG, VK1AO/VK2MET, VK3ZSC, VK3PF, Vk3AMO, VK3SO/VK3SFG, VK1MF, VK1CHW, VK3WSG, VK2IO/VK2GEZ, VK2MOP, VK3CEO, VK2TER/VK2BM.
Tried 30m. Worked
VK3SQ/VK2BD, VK2IO/VK2GEZ
Tried 20m. Worked
VK2VW/VK2HFI/VK2AKA/VK2BUG, VK3SQ/VK2BD, VI60IOTA, op Paul VK5PAS, VK5KFB.
A park to park with VK6DS in VKFF-3330 Wyvern Road Nature Reserve.
More than enough contacts to get over 44. Packed up and headed back to Ulladulla for the evening. A word of warning, traffic late afternoon in Milton is heavy...
Thursday 27 June 2024
SOTA Mogood Lookout VK2/SC-049
Headed down the NSW South Coast to Ulladulla for a few days to escape the Canberra cold. Decided to activate a SOTA summit on the way, Mogood Lookout VK2/SC-049. Been a while since I last activated it in 2019, wanted to see what happened to it after the 2019-2020 summer bushfires.
After driving down to Batemans Bay and lunch headed along the Princes Hwy to Ulladulla, turning off onto the Old Princes Hwy, an unsealed road but still an easy drive. Turned left off onto Barkshed Rd, then the River Rd. Crossed over Shallow Crossing, a large water ford over the Clyde River. Luckily the river level was low so no issues. After crossing the river turned right onto Backhouse Rd, which becomes Clyde Ridge Rd. Reached the Cattlemans firetrail, a sign here for the lookout.
A short steepish climb up to the lookout. The large tree on the summit had died in the fire, but the trig was still okay, if a little beat up. The name plate Mogood no longer readable.
Still good views here. Looking North to the Budawang ranges
Looking South East to the coast.
Set up the squid pole on the trig. As had a table and chair a very comfy SOTA activation.
FT857D on the table.
Got on 40m on 7.090Mhz, SOTA call frequency. Easy to spot, good mobile signal here. Worked
VK1AO, VK2IO/VK2GEZ, VK1AD,
VK2TER in VKFF-2783 Parramatta River Regional Park
VK2VAR/VK2GOM, VK5TUX, VK7XX, VK3PF, VK3SG.
A summit to Summit with VK7FADZ Stuart on VK7/WC-013 Mount Field East.
VK2MOE in VKFF-1320 Goodiman State Conservation Area
Tried 30m. Worked VK2YW/mobile, VK3PF/VK3KAI, VK3ZPF.
Tried 20m, no answers to my calls. Packed up and headed to Ulladulla for the night. Took about an hour on dirt roads even though not that far away.