Worked 800 US callsigns award

Another award from the FT8 Digital Mode Club for contacting 800 US callsigns. Most of these would have been on 10m recently. Nice award.

SIOTA - Greenway Silo VK-GRY1

Noticed recently a new silo added to Silos On The Air, located in the ACT. This is the only silo listed in VK1. Decided to check it out and activate it.

The silo is located next to Pine Island homestead in Greenway, a suburb next to Tuggeranong. Drove to Pine Island picnic area and walked along the National Bicentenial Trail, to find the silo. View looking over the fence to the silo, the homestead and silo are on private property.

A view of the silo a bit down the hill from the property.

At the bottom of the hill a sign regarding the history of the property.

Continued into Pine Island picnic area. Note the warnings about the gate being closed after 6pm, so not a spot to go late in the day...

I drove around to the picnic areas. Some tables that would have done to operate from, however they were not suitable for strapping a squid pole to. I should try to remember to take a stake I have for supporting the pole when nothing available... There was also a rather large noisy children's birthday party in progress... Decided to just set up against a fence and sit on the tarp. Operating spot, from Google Maps. Shaded area is the 1 Km activation zone.

Squid pole and antenna tied to an old fence in the reserve.

Shack on the tarp. The sun was nice as a chilly day, only around 13c... A cool wind blowing too.

Got on 40m. Band was quite good with strong signals both close by and far away. Spotted on 7.090 and called. Worked

VK1MA, VK5PAS, VK3GJG, VK5MAZ, VK1AAF, VK3OHM

A park contact with VK3OAK Mal in VKFF-2154 Mount Mercer Nature Conservation Reserve

VK2IO, VK3CAT, VK5BJF, VK5LA.

A Silo to Silo contact with VK2VH, VK4AAC Rob at VK-MRN2 Merrywinebone silo.

Getting cold as I lost the sun, packed up and headed home.

 

VKFF Hunter Honour Roll 1075 Award

 The latest VKFF Honour Roll Award for me, for working 1075 parks.

Dunlop Grasslands Nature Reserve VKFF-0839

With a nice sunny Sunday afternoon decided to do a park activation. I visited Dunlop Grasslands Nature Reserve VKFF-0839 a few years ago and thought it would be good for a repeat visit for the Boomerang award. For something different I entered it at a different point, from the end of Douglas Waterhouse Drive in Dunlop. After a short walk reached the sign for the park.

Next to the sign an entry point for horses. This is part of the Bicentennial National Trail, a horse riding track.

Followed the trail for a while in the park.

Stopped by a fence that provided squid pole support. Strung out the dipole, using a fence and nearby tree branch for support

Looking back the other direction

Set up the radio in the shelter of a nearby tree, to get out of the wind...

Got on 40m. There was a spot for VK1MIC/p Wade on SOTA summit VK2/IL-001 Mount Gibraltar, so worked him first. Then spotted myself on 7.144 and called. Several hunters called me.

VK4HMI

VK2IO

VK3FIMD

VK3PF

VK2FJG

VK2MET

VK4SMA

VK2VW, VK2HFI

VK3GJG

VK5AYL

VK1CT

VK5FANA

VK2DJP

VK2YK, VK5GA

VK2OKR

VK3ZPF

VK2PKT

VK2EXA

After callers dried up switched to 20m. As mid afternoon expected Europe to start coming in, which is what happened, an EU pileup... Some familiar calls from regular WWFF EU hunters.

EA3AGQ

VK2YK, VK5GA

VK6NU

OH1XT

VK4CZ

F1BLL

OH1MM

IW2BNA

IW2NXI

HA0ML

EA5UJ

After callers stopped tuned around and found an old mate of mine, VK5MRD Dave calling CQ, so gave him a call. He was very strong. He was also popular with EU callers.

As the sun was getting low packed up and headed home.

Worked All States 10m Award

After contacting Wyoming on 10m FT8, managed to contact all 50 US States and applied for the award from the FT8DMC club.

25 South Korean stations award

Another award from the FT8DMC club, for working 25 South Korean stations on FT8.

 

Indonesia Award YB9 Prefix Gold

 Another award from the YB6 DXC group, for contacting 40 stations with YB9 Prefixes (Gold award)

This completes award for YB1 and YB9 prefixes. So after YB0, and YB2-YB8 contacts. Finding YB4 to YB6 quite rare.

5 Lithuania stations award

New award from the European Ros Club, for working 5 stations on FT8 from Lithuania

SOTA Mt Wee Jasper VK2/ST-017

After activating Wee Jasper Nature Reserve, VKFF-2017, decided to go on and activate SOTA summit Mt Wee Jasper VK2/ST-017. Drove along Wee Jasper Rd, turning off to the left onto Wee Jasper Forest Rd. Then turned off to the left onto Pheasant Creek Rd. This used to take you through a dense pine forest. Not any more... most of the pine forest was now cleared. In fact could even see Mt Wee Jasper in the distance ahead.

Took the road on the left running around the side of Mt Wee Jasper. At the end of the road an area to turn, and a track marker for the Hume and Hovell walking track. Parked here.

After a short distance through the pines and into native forest.

Climbed along the walking track to the summit. Fairly steep but did not take long, around 15 minutes or so. Summit of Mt Wee Jasper at 1121 m.

Opposite the trig a couple of handy seats.

Set up the squid pole and radio on one of the seats and sat down to operate.

Got on 40m. Good mobile coverage so spotted myself on 7.090. Worked

VK7KPC, VK3SQ, VK2IO

A summit to summit with VK1DA/4 Andrew on VK4/SE-039 Kluvers Lookout. Weak but workable.

VK3GTV, VK5IS, VK3PF, VK5PAS, VK4NH, VK1AD

A surprising call from G0VWP, Terry in England on 40m... A good 4 by 4 signal.

VK3PMV, VK2CPO, VK3ADH, VK5AYL

Another summit to summit, with ZL4NVW Matt on ZL3/OT-413, weak but workable.

VK2CPH.

Packed up as getting cold and still some driving to do. Drove to Wee Jasper, then back to Canberra via Mountain Creek Rd, Fairlight Rd and Uriarra Rd. Got home about 6pm.

Wee Jasper Nature Reserve VKFF-2017

With a nice sunny day and a forecast of rain in the next few days decided to go out and activate a park. Wanted to go to a park I've not yet activated, Wee Jasper Nature Reserve, VKFF-2017. Drove to Yass first to fill up with cheapish fuel, then on to Wee Jasper. Stopped on the Southern outskirts of the village. 

On the map was marked the Hume and Hovell walking track, which runs through the Nature Reserve. At first could not see it, there was only a fence for the local rubbish tip... Then spotted the markers for the track, running down a path between the tip and a nearby farm fence.

Followed the path, with more track markers. At the back of the tip it followed the fence line of the farm. Disturbed a group of cows relaxing near some car wrecks...

The track eventually passed the farm and headed into Wee Jasper Nature Reserve. Walked in around 700m, following a dry creek for a while, then started climbing. As had good mobile coverage decided to set up in the bush off the track. Used a tree stump for squid pole mast support.

Operating spot. Map from Google Maps

Checked the antenna for resonance on 40m. A bit low in the band on 7.035 Mhz but fairly flat SWR across the band.

Radio on a nearby log, also a seat.

Got on 7.144 Mhz, just in time to hear VK4SMA/p Mark making final calls from park VKFF-1190 Bellthorpe National Park. Worked him for a park to park. After he went clear called CQ parks on 7.144 and got several hunters calling, most good strong signals.

VK3BBB, VK2CCP, VK2IO, VK3CA, VK7QP, VK4KC, VK4MAD, VK4DOG, VK3PF, VK3SQ, VK3MTT, VK5PAS, VK3ZLP, VK2VW, VK2HFI, VK3FIMD, VK5FANA.

Packed up and walked back to the car. As in the area decided to go activate SOTA summit Mt Wee Jasper, VK2/ST-017 next.
 

 

2 more Indonesian Awards

A couple more awards from the YB6DXC club. For working 30 YD/YG Prefixes

And for working 40 YB1 area stations. YB1 seems fairly easy to work in VK