Sunday 12 April 2015

SOTA Mt Taylor VK1/AC-037

Time for another activation of one of Canberra's urban summits, Mt Taylor VK1/AC-037.

As per previous activations drove to the car park at the end of Waldock St in Chifley. Here I discovered I had left my usual digital camera at home... So these photos are taken on my mobile phone camera, which doesn't take too bad photos anyway.

The start of the walk at the end of Waldock St.


The track joins an access road up to the summit for the communication towers. Steep in places...Climbed rapidly getting a good view over Canberra. Looking towards Woden town Centre.


After about a km walk and 150 m climb reached the summit.

In the past activation I have operated at the trig using it for squid pole support, however have found this to be very popular, with joggers, mountain bike riders and dog walkers all converging on it, some even doing pull up exercises on the trig bars...Constantly having to watch out people didn't step on the radio or get tangled in the coax...Plus the usual questions about what I was doing...So this time set up just to the West of the trig, using a small pine sapling for squid pole support.


A view of the station looking North.


Radio shack on nearby rocks


View looking West towards the Brindabellas


View to the South


Got quickly on 40 m as I heard a couple of activations on about to go clear, didn't even have the dipole legs tied up so signals were a bit down...Worked S2S with Ian VK3TCX and Robbie VK3EK on VK3/VG-016 and Kevin VK3KAB on VK3/VN-005.

Finished tying up the legs, signals were a lot better. Worked the usual chasers from VK1, VK2, VK3 and VK5, many with strong signals. After UTC rollover worked several again with some new ones.

After 40 m died down switched to 20 m. Worked Nev, VK5WG who I had worked before on 40 m with a S9 signal, then Andrew VK1NAM, Ian VK5IS and Nigel VK5NIG with good strong signals.

Waited for a while until some more S2S contacts on 40 m, with VK3KAB on VK3/VN-004 and VK3TCX on VK3/VG-013.

Headed back down at noon for lunch with the girlfriend in nearby Woden shopping mall. Track heading back down, quite steep.


Track log of walk


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