WWFF Activation Cuumbeun Nature Reserve VKFF-1920

On Sunday afternoon had a contact with VK4AAC/1, Rob, in VKFF-0991, Molonglo Gorge Nature Reserve. As had spoken to him many times in different parks decided to drop in and say hello in person, and while in the area activate a new park, Cuumbeun Nature Reserve, VKFF-1920.

Caught up with Rob and his partner Doris in the Molonglo Gorge Nature Reserve, and had a good chat. He had an impressive station, a 40 m doublet on a squid pole, with the ends up high, and twin lead feed attached to the front of his 4WD. He is retired and spends his time wandering the countryside in a caravan, activating parks for WWFF in different areas. Something I'll probably eventually do when I eventually retire...

After chatting to Rob and Doris headed off to activate Cuumbeun Nature Reserve. Having travelled the Captains Flat Road before I knew where I could activate it from, not far along the Captains Flat Rd from the Kings Highway was an entrance gate to the park.

Sign for the park near the gate.

Set up in the bush, not far from the sign. Used a small gum tree sapling for squid pole support.

Operating spot in the park. Map from Protected Planet.

Shack on the table. It was a warm day, got a little bit of shade from the trees.

Got on 40 m. My first contact was of course a park to park with Rob, VK4AAC/1 in VKFF-0991 Molonglo Gorge Nature Reserve. As he was only a few Km away he was 59+...

Then worked several park hunters, keen to get this 1st activation of this park.

VK1LAJ Aaron
VK2VW Brett
VK3UH Ken
VK3ZZS/7 Tom
VK3GGG/VK3PMG Mick
VK3DAC Fred
VK3NLK Nik
VK5PAS/M Paul
VK3BBB Brian
VK4FDJL Deryk
VK4VXX/3 Greg
VK7FGRA Greg
VK2USH Steve

Another park to park with VK5HSX/3 Stef in VKFF-0973 Mount Alexander Regional Park

A few more park hunter contacts

VK5ZLT Alan
VK3VAR Howard
ZL2ALK Lamont with a very good signal from New Zealand
VK4SMA Mark

Saw a spot for VK6MB/p Mike in VKFF-0650 Midgergoroo National Park on 20 m, so changed the links and QSYed to 20. Managed a weak 52 contact with him, we were both in electrically quiet parks so no problems even though signals were weak.

Tried a few calls myself on 20 m, but no luck.

Packed up and headed home for dinner.

WWFF Activation Crace Nature Reserve VKFF-0838

With the 5th year anniversary VK5 National & Conservation Parks weekend there were heaps of portable stations out in parks, so decided to join them Saturday morning for some park to park contacts. I chose to return to VKFF-0838 Crace Grasslands Nature Reserve, which I had activated back in November last year but failed to get the 44 contacts needed for WWFF.

As per last time headed to Mitchell and headed down Hoskins St, to where it bends about to become Nirta Pl. Parked near the access gate to the Nature Reserve.

A map of the park on the gate

As per last time used a handy star picket someone had hammered in the ground near the entrance. Set up the 20/40m linked dipole, one end tied to the fence, the other to a rather spiky bush.

Looking back the other way towards the gate. The mountain in the background is Mount Majura.

Shack on the table. Got on 40 m, using about 30 W power.

Started with 3 park to park contacts before starting my own calls. VK3XV/5 Tony in VKFF-0885 Grass Tree Conservation Park.

Then VK5LA/p in VKFF-1040 Kapunda Island Conservation Park. This is an island in the Murray River near Loxton, Andy and some others were activating some small islands, so an unusual park.

VK5DW/p Danny in VKFF-1058 Media Island Conservation Park, another Murray River island near Loxton.

Found a frequency and spotted myself on ParksnPeaks, worked the following park hunters.

VK3ARH Allen
VK2IO Gerard
VK3SQ Geoff
VK2VW Brett

Another park to park with VK5WAT/3, actually Peter VK3YE using a CW QRP club call in VKFF-2031 Langwarrin Flora & Fauna Reserve Conservation Park. He was a good 59 signal.

Then several more park hunters

VK2YK Adam
VK3PF Peter
VK3FLCS Brett
VK3BBB Brian
VK2KYO Ken
VK3FADM/1 Wayne in nearby Harrison
VK4NH, VK4DXA, ZL4TY/VK4 Ray
VK7EV/m Eric
VK4TJ, VK4/AC8WN, VK4/VE6XT John
VK2USH Steve

Then some more park to park contacts

VK5KLV/p Les in VKFF-0812 Clements Gap Conservation Park
VK5PAS/p Paul in VKFF-0904 Little Dip Conservation Park
VK5FMAZ/p Marija in VKFF-0904 Little Dip Conservation Park
VK4AAC/2 Rob in VKFF-0478 Tarlo River National Park

VK4HL/3 Kerin

Another park to park with VK3ANL/p Nick in Gresswell Forest (part b) Nature Conservation Reserve

VK2FABE Gary
VK7QP Linda
VK3MRG/p Marshall.

As getting close to lunch time and had qualified the park headed home for lunch.

Old Naas Travelling Stock Route VKFF-0992

After activating Crace Nature Reserve in the morning it was such a nice day that I decided to activate another park. Chose Old Naas TSR as I had not made the 44 contacts last time, due to a flat battery. After having lunch at home drove South through Canberra to Tharwa, then continued South on Naas Rd, stopping at the park just before the turnoff to Top Naas Rd and the bridge over the Gudgenby River. This is only a small nature reserve, with little shade, so like last time set up in the remnant vegetation section just off the road.

Set uo the squid pole on the sign, one leg of the dipole tied to a nearby bush and the other to an old fence.

Set up the operating table behind the bush to the right of the sign, in some shade.

Got on 40 m, running 30 w and powered by my LifePO4 battery. Found the band surprisingly good, full of S9 plus signals.

Started by working a few park to park contacts

VK3PF, Peter in VKFF-2094 Glenmaggie Nature Conservation Reserve
VK2IO/P, Gerard in VKFF-0232 Heathcote National Park

VK2USH, Steve

then another park to park with VK5PAS/p Paul and VK5FMAZ/p Maria in VKFF-1047 Lake St Clair Conservation Park

VK2YK Adam

Another park to park with VK3DAC/P, Fred in VKFF-0763 Lerderderg State Park

Spotted myself on parksnpeaks as had good mobile coverage. Worked several more park hunters

VK3SQ Geoff
VK2NP Cliff
VK7QP Linda
VK2LEE Lee
VK2VW Brett
VK3UH Ken
VK3ANL Nick
VK2KYO Ken
VK4TJ John
VK7DIK Dick
VK3ARH Allen
VK2KNV Peter
VK4AAC/2 Rob
VK2UH Andrew
VK3VAR Howard
VK5PL David
VK3FCMA Byron
VK3BSG Erik
VK5FMWW Mike
VK4FDJL Deryk
VK4NH, VK4DXA, ZL4TY/VK4 Ray
VK3PNG Bruce
VK2PKT  Keith

Another park to park contact with VK5HSX/3, Stef inVKFF-0964 Creswick Regional Park

VK4SMA Mark
VK2NAI Matt
VK3FLCS Brett

Another park to park with VK5KLV/P, Les in VKFF-1105 Telowie Gorge Conservation Park

VK2APL Philip
VK2VGB Colin
VK3OAK Malcolm
VK3AXH Ian
VK3BBB Brian
VK5HS Ivan
VK5NJ John
VK3UCD David

A park to park contact with VK1MIC/p, Wade, actually a SOTA contact as well on SOTA summt Mt Ainslie, VK1/AC-040, which is also in VKFF-0850 Mount Ainslie Nature Reserve. Wade was setting up for the evening VK-EU S2S event.

Worked a few more park hunters.

VK4VXX/3 Greg
VK3FSPG Steve
VK3MPR Steve
VK3MJP Martin

As had made 50 contacts had actually qualified the park on this activation alone, plus the contacts from my last activation here... Plus 8 park to park contacts :) Packed up and headed home for dinner.

VKFF Hunter Honour Roll 550 Award

Following a series of new VKFF park activations recently I managed to reach 550 park references confirmed on Logsearch, and applied for the VKFF Hunter Honour Roll 550 award

For interest tallied up the number of parks worked in each VK call area in Excel.

VK1 21
VK2 150
VK3 135
VK4 70
VK5 138
VK6 13
VK7 22
VK8 0
VK9 1
Total 550

So VK2 provides the most parks, not surprising as it now contains over 500 parks and is close by.
VK3 and VK5 parks are still quite well worked. VK4 has become a lot more active lately, the main challenge is distance from me, as per VK6. VK1 and VK7, not having a lot of parks and activators have lower numbers.

Bimberi Nature Reserve VKFF-1890

With a warm Sunday of 35 c predicted for Canberra decided to head for the mountains to escape the heat, and activate a recently added WWFF park, Bimberi Nature Reserve VKFF-1890.

Drove up the Brindabella Road and turned off onto the Mount Franklin Road. A short drive a sign for Bimberi Nature Reserve on the right.

Bimberi Nature Reserve is on the Western side of the Brindabella Ranges in NSW, between Kosciuszko National Park and Namadgi National Park in the ACT. It is a large reserve of 10,868 ha. Map of the park from Protected Planet website.

I looked at Bulls Head picnic area on a map, but this is just outside the park, a pity as it would be a good spot to operate from. Continued South, looking for a place to park off the road and easy access to the park, also not too steep... Found a spot with a turnoff to a water tank used for fire fighting, very close to the park boundary of the ACT/NSW border. Parked here.

A short walk and I was in NSW and inside the reserve. The ACT/NSW Western border is defined by the Brindabella mountains water catchment, so simply looked for where the ground started to slope down to the West.

Used a burnt out tree stump for squid pole mast support.

Operating spot, from Protected Planet website. I was between the Bendora Arboretum and Mount Franklin.

Looking back the other way. Think one leg of the dipole may have partly been in VK1!...

Shack on the table. It was quite pleasant here, around 25 c. My altitude was around 1,400 m.

Got on 40 m. Started by chasing another park activation on 7.139 Mhz, VK7QP/5 Linda in VKFF-0802 Penambol Conservation Park, near Mount Gambier. Took a while to get over the park hunters but got called in the end.

Worked the following park hunters. Thanks to Peter VK3ZPF for spotting me on ParksnPeaks, there was no mobile coverage here.

VK2FDJL Deryk
VK3ZPF Peter
VK3SQ Geoff
VK4TJ, VK4/AC8WN/VE6XT John
VK2IO Gerard
VK4FMHT Matt
VK2HHA Dennis
VK4NH/VK4DXA/ZL4TY Ray
VK2VW Brett
VK2BBB Brian
VK3BSG Erik
VK3DAC Fred
VK2AR Andrew
VK5FMWW Micheal
VK5FANA Adrian

Got called for another park to park, with VK2JNG/p in VKFF-1989 Queens Lake Nature Reserve near Port Macquarie.

VK4FARR Glen
VK3CM Brenton
VK3PF Peter
VK3HN Paul
VK3FSPG/VK3MPR Steve
VK3ARH Allen

When 40 m dried up switched to 20 m. Had a weak signal contact with VK6GLX, Garry, then a very strong signal from VK2HOT Bruce in Port Macquarie,

Packed up. Headed South to visit the Mount Franklin Ski Chalet memorial. This was lost in the Canberra January 2003 fires. An old photo I took of the chalet in July 2001. Scanned from a print.

The chalet memorial now. Only the wood shed stone foundation and tank stand remain...

The outdoor toilet also survived.

Sign nearby. The toilet and part of the Chalet are in Bimberi Nature Reserve, so could return here for the next activation of the park. There was mobile coverage here.

WWFF Hunter 544 Award

Noticed on the WWFF Logsearch website I'd managed to confirm working 544 park references, so eligible for the WWFF Hunter 544 references award. These are issued every 44 references confirmed.

Award received promptly from the awards manager, Pit YO3JW

WWFF 33 Activator Award

After reactivating some of the local WWFF parks and getting 44 contacts or more total managed to get 33 references activated, and claim the certificate. These are issued every 11 parks activated and completed, ie 11, 22, 33. The next one will be for 44. Thanks Pit YO3JW for the certificate.