FT8 ERC 600 Asia Stations Award

 After working several Japanese stations on 30 m recently, managed to achieve 600 Asian stations worked on FT8. Applied for the ERC 600 Asia Stations Award. Nice award

Worked 150 US Grid Square Award

Managed to work several US stations recently on 20 m and 30 m, working 150 Grid Squares. Here is the award.

FT8 ERC Ecuador Award

On 40 m at sunset here found 40 m open to South America, rare from Australia. Managed to work CX6VM in Uruguay for a new country. Also worked HC7AE in Ecuador. As had also worked HC2AO on 20 m in 2018 able to apply for a basic ERC Ecuador award. Nice award.

 

Crace Nature Reserve VKFF-0838

With a nice sunny Saturday afternoon decided to go out and activate one of the local Canberra Nature Parks for WWFF. As have qualified most of the ACT parks for WWFF this was to go towards the Boomerang Award, 5 parks each with 5 activations. Went to Crace Nature Reserve, VKFF-0838 for the 3rd activation.

As per previous times entered via the gate off Nirta Pl in Mitchell. The actual sign for the park seems to have gone from the gate.

As per other times headed for a star picket near the gate for squid pole support. Set up the linked dipole, legs to the nearby fence

Looking back the other direction. SOTA peak Mount Majura in the background.

Checked the 40 m dipole, good.

Shack on the table. A real joy to be in this park without flies, still too cold for them...

Found S6 of noise on 40 m, probably from the nearby power lines. Spotted myself on 7.110 Mhz as some sort of contest going on up the band around 7.144.  A good stream of park hunters. Worked

VK7DW

VK5PAS

VK3YE

VK5FMAZ

VK4KC

VK3PF

VK3EJ

VK2VW

VK3PI

VK7QP

VK3QP

VK3SG

VK5FANA

VK3MPR

VK5ST

VK3FLCS

VK2LEE

VK4SMA

VK5HAA

Switched to 80 m to get the close in stations.

VK2LX, Grant in nearby Bungendore

VK3ZPF, Peter who I could barely hear on 40 m, but not enough to work. Good on 80 m.

VK3SQ, Geoff in Beechworth

A SOTA/Park to park contact with VK1DA/p Andrew on VK1/AC-021 Pheasant Hill, about 70 km away at the far end of the ACT, in Namadgi National Park VKFF-0377

VK2LEE, Lee in Scone

Tried 20 m, only 1 contact, ZL1TM Andrei.

Packed up and headed home.

New LifePO4 12 aH battery

For power during SOTA and WWFF have been using a couple of LifePO4 batteries, a 7 aH and a small 4.2 aH battery. These are ok, however sometimes wish I could wind up the power for a while and not have to worry about the battery. Saw a Powertech LifePO4 12 aH battery for sale in the local electronics store so got one. A bit big for long distance SOTA activations but good for parks.

Made up a patch lead to allow connection to Anderson Powerpoles

FT8 ERC Asia and European Awards

The European ROS Club (ERC) recently released a heap of new awards, for working Asia and European stations on digital mode. For Asia, 25 different stations award

Asia 50 stations

Asia 75 stations

Asia 100 stations

Asia 150 stations

Asia 200 stations

Asia 300 stations

Asia 400 stations

Asia 500 stations

For European awards, not as many, not that easy to work Europe from VK... 50 Europe stations

Europe 100 stations

Europe 250 stations. This is the highest award for me with Europe contacts so far.