Bamarang Nature Reserve VKFF-2517

After activating Triplarina Nature Reserve in the morning set out to nearby Bamarang Nature Reserve, VKFF-2517. Set off via Yalwal Rd. Disappointed to find part of the reserve was burnt out by a fire. Turned off Yalwal Rd onto Longreach Rd, then came to the junction with Bamarang Rd.  Sign for the park here.

I looked at activating off the road behind this sign but found no where suitable. Opposite the sign was Old Bamarang Rd, a fire trail following a power line. The bush on the right was burnt, but okay on the left. Found a track leading off Old Bamarang Fire trail. Blocked off by logs but suitable for an antenna.

Operating spot. Map from Protected Planet

Shack on the table

Got on 40 m. Worked the following park hunters

VK4TJ, VK4/AC8WN, VK4/VE6XT
VK4SMA
VK3UCD
VK4FDJL
VK4CZ
VK4VXX/5
Zl1TM
VK7FRJG
VK4SYD
VK7JON.

It was slow going, conditions were not that good. Got quite windy later in the day. As had a dozen contacts qualified the park for VKFF. Packed up and headed off to have a look through the nearby FleetAirArm Museum, a display on Navy aircraft in nearby HMAS Albatross, quite good.

Triplarina Nature Reserve VKFF-2746

After stopping overnight at Nowra headed for my first park, the closest to town, Triplarina Nature Reserve, VKFF-2746. Drove down Albatross Rd, parking near a gate to the park. The track is marked as "Flinders Trail"

Just inside the park a sign about the reserve.

Walked in and found a suitable spot off just off the trail to set up the table and squid pole

Operating spot. Map from of Protected Planet.

Radio on the table

Turned on 40 m. It seemed quiet, too quiet... Tried calling Neil VK4HNS/p in a park, he told me my audio was breaking up, also the high vswr alert was showing on the radio, so quickly went clear to investigate. Got the multi meter out of the car and found one leg of the dipole, the braided side of the coax was broken somewhere. So would have had only half the dipole working...Must have damaged it after last pack up. Not knowing where the break could be to repair it, used one of the 80 m extension legs to get going again on 40 m only.

Worked the following park hunters.

VK4TJ, VK4/AC4WN, VK4/VE6XT
VK3ZPF
ZL1TM
VK3TKK/m
VK3MAB
VK3UFO

Park to park with VK6MB/3 Mike in VKFF-0405 Great Otway National Park

VK3ARH
VK4CZ
VK5HOL/3
VK4FDJL
VK7DW

As had a dozen contacts qualified for VKFF, and packed up to go to to the next park, Bamanang Nature Reserve

Parma Creek Nature Reserve VKFF-2698

After activating Jerrawangala National Park continued driving NE along Braidwood Rd, turning off onto Hell Hole Fire Trail. The road was not as bad as it sounds, reaching the boundary of my next park, Parma Creek Nature Reserve VKFF-2698

Continued into the park. Looked for spots to turn off. There were some clearings off the road, however these were full of bee hives. Not keen to share my activation with bees... Eventually reached the junction with Parma Fire Trail and followed this back towards the Braidwood Rd. Found a turnoff to Sandy Creek Fire Trail, with a locked gate, decided that was a good spot to set up the shack as would be no traffic to worry about.

Attached the squid pole to the gate and set up the table in front.

Operating Spot. Map from Protected Planet website

Shack on the table. Set the FT-857D to around 40 w output.

Got on 40 m. Found 7.144 occupied with VK3FRC chatting to a ZL station, he indicated he was going clear so waited for a while until he signed off and put out a call. He was the first to come back to me. Worked several other park hunters after him. Most with good strong signals. The band seemed to really come to life as approaching sunset, even close by VK2s in Sydney coming in strong.

VK3FRC
VK3XPT
VK4FDJL
VK3ZPF
VK5CZ
VK3TKK
VK4HA
VK4RF
VK4CZ
VK2HHA
VK4NH
VK4DXA
ZL4TY/VK4
VK2JXA
VK5FANA
VK2NN
VK4DA
VK4TJ
VK4/AC8WN
VK4/VE6XT
VK2HRX
VK2ARL
VK2IWU
VK4SMA/P
VK4SOE/P
VK4ERM/P

Another park to park with VK2MG/p Alan in VKFF-0596 Karuah National Park. He was a good 59 at this time.

Worked a few more park hunters.

VK2ARI
VK2PCH
ZL1TM

At this stage the sun had set and getting dark, so packed up while still enough light and headed back along Parma Rd to Braidwood Rd. Drove on to nearby Nowra for the evening.

Jerrawangala National Park VKFF-0248

With a public holiday in Canberra decided to take a trip down to Nowra, and activate some of the nearby WWFF parks. On Saturday took the Kings Hwy to Braidwood, then turned off onto the Nerriga Rd. After passing through the small village of Nerriga and the locality of Sassafras reached the turn off to my first park, Jerrawangala National Park VKFF-0248

Turned off Wandean Rd into Jerrawangela Lookout Rd and into the park.

Reached the car park of the lookout. A sign here about the park

A close up of the left of the sign with some information on the park.

A map of the park on the right. There is a "You are here" marker showing the lookout location.

Wandered out to the lookout. View to the East, sign showing features on the horizon.

View to the South. Some smoke visible from a fire some distance away.

View to the North. Nowra can just be seen in the distance. The lookout is located on top of a sandstone plateau.

Looked for a place to set up my radio close to the lookout. Returning back along the lookout road found a spot I could pull off and walk onto a sandstone outcrop. Using the table to support the squid pole, set up here with one leg of the dipole tied to a small tree near the cliff, the other to a bush behind.

Operating Spot. Taken from Google maps satellite view

Radio shack on the table

Got on 40 m. As expected no problems with mobile coverage here to spot myself on ParksnPeaks.
Worked

VK4FDJL
VK2FSAV
VK7JON

A park to park with VK6MB/3 Mike in VKFF-0055 Brisbane Ranges National Park

Went on to work

VK3ZPF
VK3UH
VK4FARR
VK4SMA/p
VK4HNS/p

Another park to park with VK2MG/p Alan in VKFF-0611 Wallaroo National Park. Weak but workable with a zero noise floor here.

Worked several more park hunters

VK5FANA
VK4TJ
VK4/VE6XT
VK4/AC8WN
VK4NH
VK4DXA
ZL4TY/VK4
VK3SQ
VK3ZNK
VK2MOP
VK3HN
ZL1TM

After callers dried up on 40 m went to 20 m. Worked

VK5PAS
VK5PL
VK7JON

Laid out the 80 m extensions to give 80 m a try. After spotting on 3.610 was about to call there then heard VK3YE/p Peter calling CQ from Chelsea Beach. He was testing an 80 m top loaded vertical. I could hear him quite well at 4x1 with him using 5 w, but he had problems copying me, so ran the power up to about 50 w. He was getting me a 3x1 signal.

Saw a spot for another park, VK3OAK/p Paul in VKFF-2110 Illabrook Rail Line Nature Conservation Reserve so returned to 40 m to grab him.

With 27 contacts packed up, as wanted to do another nearby park, Parma Creek Nature Reserve before heading into Nowra.

Cuumbeun Nature Reserve VKFF-1920

Saturday afternoon in Canberra was fine and sunny with no wind, so decided to do another WWFF park activation. Chose a park I needed to complete for 44 contacts, Cuumbeun Nature Reserve VKFF-1920.

Headed out to the park, stopping briefly in Queanbeyan for fuel as it was 4 c per litre cheaper than in Canberra... Drove out on the Kings Hwy, then turned off onto the Captains Flat Road. The park is on either side of the road for several Km. Stopped in front of a locked gate with the park sign just behind it

Note the power lines to the right of the sign. I initially set up the antenna near the sign, and found S9 of power line noise over most of 40 m :( So packed up and moved further into the park, away from the power lines. Followed "Shed" trail until finding a suitable sapling for squid pole support, set up just off the trail.

Operating spot, map from Protected Planet website.

Shack on the table.

Got on 40 m. The band seemed very quiet, apart from a few EU signals coming in. I could just hear VK3PF/p Peter in a park on 7.144 too weak to work, so headed up the band and spotted myself on 7.150 Mhz. This did have some weak EU stations on later but the callers were well over them.

Surprisingly was open, mainly to VK4 and Northern VK2, VK5, ZL. So no short NVIS skip. Some good signals. Worked the following

VK4FDJL
VK4TJ, VK4/AC8WN, VK4/VE6XT
VK2FSAV
VK4RF, VK4HA
VK4SMA
VK5DW
VK2VW
VK4NH, VK4DXA, ZL4TY/VK4
ZL1TM
VK4FARR
VK6BSA/5
ZL2IFB
VK5TN
VK3ARH
VK5FMWW
VK3VLY/p

VK6MB/3 for a P2P contact in VKFF-0968 Hepburn Regional Park

VK4CZ
VK3BSQ

As poor close in on 40 m went to 80 m to give close by park hunters a contact. On 80 m worked

VK2NP

VK3PF/p for a P2P in VKFF-0749 Shallow Inlet Coastal & Marine Park.

No further contacts on 80 m. As the sun was setting and started getting cold, packed up and headed home.

VKFF Hunter Honour Roll 775 Award

Found on Logsearch that I had confirmed contacts with 775 VKFF parks, so applied for the award. Thanks to the park activators for the contacts.

ERC Worked Different Australian Amateur Radio VK Awards

Just recently a whole lot of new awards were released by the Euriopen Ros Club (ERC) for working different numbers of VK calls on digital modes for various bands, ERC Worked Different Australian Amateur Radio VK Awards. As you would expect for a VK many qualified. Picked up certificate No: 0001 on 6 m for 10 and 15 contacts and 80 m for 25 contacts. Never had a No 1 certificate before :)