SOTA Activation One Tree Hill VK1/AC-035

Andrew VK1NAM had organized a 6 month celebration of VK1 SOTA with several summit activations around VK1, so decided to join the party with a joint activation with Andrew VK1DA of One Tree Hill Vk1/AC-035, a new peak for me.

One Tree Hill lies on the ACT/NSW border at the Northern End of the ACT, just near the village of Hall. It is accessed through private farm property. Met up with Andrew VK1DA at the farm gate, after a call to the farmer by Andrew we were clear to go.

Climbing up the road towards the summit. Foggy below but nice and sunny on the way to the peak.

Looking behind you can see the fog between us and the Brindabellas.

My shadow on the left (with my squid pole) and Andrew's on the right.

After about a 45 minute walk, a bit over 3 Km, reached the top. There is a fire tower, with locked ladder access, and a trig point behind it, but on the wrong side of a barbed wire fence to use.

So dropped down the hill a bit and used the fence posts for our antenna supports. My squid pole with 40m dipole closest, with Andrew VK1DA operating, Andrew's squid pole with a 20m vertical behind it.

Looking South from one leg of the dipole to Canberra. New Gungahlin suburb of Bonner below.

Set up the radio on top of my lunch box. First tried 40m, worked Peter VK3YE pedestrian mobile on the beach in Melbourne with a good signal, always good to hear Peter QRP pedestrian.

Then got the usual frantic pileup of chasers before UTC changeover, 19 contacts. Another 36 more afterwards. Made several S2S contacts, some on the 2M HT with VK2LC/1, VK1MDC, VK1IRC, VK1RX, VK1DR, VK2JI/1, VK1MA, VK1NAM. Interstate S2S with VK5PAS/VK5CZ, VK3MRG, VK5EE.

Later on added the 12m dipole in below the 40m one. Tuned up okay but nothing heard :( Tried a few calls with no luck. Think Andrew didn't have much luck on 20m CW either...Higher HF bands seemed dead. He tried a 6m SSB contact too with VK1NAM, no joy.

Waited until midday for Allen VK3HRA to activate, but not heard until we had packed up and were on the way down.

GPS track log of walk

Headed off to Kingston afterwards, met up with the other activators for a late lunch at an outdoor cafe An enjoyable day playing SOTA and catching up with fellow activators.