SOTA Reactivation Mt Rob Roy

I first activated Mt Rob Roy in May last year. This is a good time of year to activate it, as it is a steep climb at first with no tree cover in the summer and at 1100m not quite high enough to attract winter bonus points.

Parked on a side road off Orange Thorn Crescent in Banks and started walking up the steep road.

This first part of the walk is on private property but the owner allows foot traffic okay.

Came to a property gate, found it open. As per usual convention on properties left it open. I found it closed on my return

Followed the road up to a junction, turned off onto the Rob Roy link track. Mt Rob Roy behind the sign.

This takes you to a gate and into Rob Roy Nature Park

The road climbs up still more and joins the Rob Roy Eco Track

Followed the track up to a high point, then took a side route in the scrub up to the summit. Note the rocky marker cairn started by Andrew, VK1NAM. Added a few more rocks to the pile.

A short, easy scramble up to the summit. This trig is unusual, wooden with a metal collar and side struts. Most ACT trigs are all metal. Used the trig for squid pole support and hoisted up the 40/20m linked dipole.

Started on 2m FM on the hand held before UTC changeover working Andrew, VK1NAM on VK1/AC-040 and Andrew VK1DA close by on VK1/AC-033 Bullen Range. Also Matt VK1MA with a strong signal.

Got on 40m, worked VK2QW on VK2/HU-054. Briefly switched dipoles to 12/30m linked dipole to work Andrew VK1DA on 12m along with Matt VK1MA. Both very strong.

Returned to 40m, started a pile up...Many chasers from VK2/VK3 and VK5 with good signals. Another S2S with Julie, VK3FOWL on VK3/VC-030, Flinders Peak.

Returned to my 12/30m linked dipole to try my luck on 30m. Worked Matt VK1MA and Gerard VK2IO but otherwise very quiet.

Heard Peter VK3YE pedestrian mobile calling from Chelsea beach, wading through the water using a squid pole FT817 in a backpack ground wire in the water setup. Always interesting to work Peter trying these pedestrian portable contacts. Check out his YouTube videos. He was initially a very weak 4x1, but then the band changed and he came up to a strongt 5x8 signal!

My station at the base of the trig. The 4AH LifePO4 battery worked well. Stayed around 13.14v most of the time, and had heaps of charge left.

Headed back down for lunch. Southern suburbs of Canberra below

Track log of walk