Thursday 1 January 2015

SOTA VK2/SM-036 Unnamed peak off Tantangara Road

After staying overnight in Jindabyne drove to Berridale, then across to Adaminaby, then followed the Snowy Mounatins Highway heading for Tumut. Turned off onto Tantangara Road


Drove on Tantangara Road for about 5 Km, then turned off to the right on an unnamed dirt track


This is where the fun began...It was a narrow overgrown 4WD track. Even with the fairly good clearance of my Nissan Xtrail had bushes between the wheel tracks scraping underneath. The track wandered up the side of the mountain, squeezing in between trees. Think I picked up a few extra scratches to the car doors on the way. Not really too steep, just a bit overgrown. To my surprise made it right to the top of the plateau...The road swung South here so parked. Looking South.


The top was swarming with March flies...They seemed to like my car a lot for some reason. Walked out of and back into the activation zone, then along the plateau to the highest point, about 500 m away. Easy walking. After a few minutes walk reached the top of the mountain. A nice open meadow with some rocks and fallen trees.


Set up the squid pole on the largest log and ran the dipole legs out to a couple of trees. The wind here was quite strong, so got some shelter from it and the sun behind the log


Another view of the station


SOTA shack in the shade of the trees. Windy with March flies...


Got on 40 m just past 2300z. The band was full of activators making S2S contacts...I managed to get a spot on 7.090 Mhz and started working them...After a while moved around hunting activators across the band, plus several of the usual chasers.

Pre UTC 2014 New Year rollover S2S with

VK2HRX/p on VK2/CT-012
VK3PF on VK3/VG-001
VK2IB/p on VK2/RI-004
VK7TW/p on VK7/SC-003
VK3YY/p on VK3/VT-040
VK3EK/p on VK3/VG-114
VK3CAT/p on VK3/VN-012
VK2CDS/p on VK2/HU-020
VK1MA/2 on VK2/ST-036
VK3BQ/2 on VK2/SM-053
VK5PAS/p on VK5/SE-001
VK7FREU/p on VK7/SC-003
VK3ARR/p on VK3/VC-002
VK2IO/p on VK2/HU-093
VK1NAM/2 on VK2/SM-049
VK1DA/2 on VK2/SM-049
VK2QR/p on VK2/SW-004
VK3MCD/2 on VK2/SW-004

Post UTC 2015 New Year

VK3YY/p on VK3/VT-040
VK3ARR/p on VK3/VC-002
VK3ANL/p on VK3/VC-025
VK3PF/p on VK3/VG-001
VK1NAM/2 on VK2/SM-049
VK1DA/2 on VK2/SM-049
VK3CAT/p on VK3/VN-012
VK5PAS/p on VK5/SE-001

I very weakly heard VK6MAC on 40 m, not strong enough to make out though. We were both activating on 7.095 Mhz...

Switched to 20 m. Worked VK6NU, VK6MB, another S2S with VK5FO on VK5/SE-013, VK5CZ on VK5/NE-058 and worked Paul VK5PAS/p on VK5/SE-001 again with a good signal.

Packed up and drove back down the 4WD track, then on to Wares Camp for lunch and the next summit, VK2/SM-033 Blackfellows Hill.

Track log of drive/walk







2 comments:

  1. Hi Ian,

    What a great morning it was. Pleased I was able to get you both before & after the UTC rollover, and on a few bands. You had a good signal to the Mid North of South Australia.

    Best wishes & HNY 2015,

    Paul,
    VK5PAS.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Paul,

    Yes nice to work you on both 40 and 20 m with a good signal.

    All the best for the new year

    Ian VK1DI

    ReplyDelete