Sunday 26 April 2015

SOTA Mt Stromlo VK1/AC-043

With a chance of rain on Sunday decided to activate a close by summit, Mt Stromlo, VK1/AC-043, where I could easily retreat to the car if it got wet.

Drove through fog in Belconnen to Mt Stromlo via Coppins Crossing Rd and Uriarra Rd. Managed to see Mt Stromlo through the fog, looked fairly clear on top.


Drove up to the top of Mt Stromlo, having to wait behind cyclists to overtake, seemed to be a race in progress to the top and back. Parked near what used to be Scope Cafe, now closed and walked up to the summit.


The area near the trig is not good for SOTA operations. I know from a previous activation you get S9 of noise all over 40 m here... Continued on.


The road descended, passed a locked gate, then comes to a junction with a road heading West and another North to a knoll. On the Western gate mounted the squid pole and set up my SOTA shack.


The Geoscience Australia Laser Ranging Station was close by. This along with others around the world is used to track distances to satellites and determine variations in the Earth's orbit. I didn't get any interference from this at all. Suspect the electrical noise near the trig comes from power transformers, blocked here by the hill and buildings.


SOTA shack at the base of the squid pole


Got on 40 m. Started with an S2S to VK5NHG/p on VK5/SE-010. Then usual crowd of chasers, good signals from VK2, VK3 and VK5.

Just after UTC rollover at 10am local time got a call from Andrew, VK1NAM/2 on a first activation of VK2/ST-051, Mt Lerida along with Al VK1RX and Andrew VK1MBE

After 40 m chasers ran out Andrew suggested trying 6m. Put up the 6m/10m linked dipole. Used a weed to secure one leg of the dipole...


Andrew was a good strong S8. Also gave 2m FM a try using the ribbon Jpole at the top of the squid pole, signal was full scale. Not bad for a 53 Km path...Also contacted Andrew VK1DA near Spring Hill.

Tried 20 m, only one contact with Andrew VK1MBE/2, no other chasers, although band did appear to be open. Tried 10 m, worked a special Anzac call, VI8ANZAC in Darwin. Returned to 40 m and worked another special station, VI2ANZAC in Penrith.

Gave it away around noon and headed down. View from near the trig, note the new roads at the bottom for the new suburbs of Coombs and Wright.


Track log of walk











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