SOTA Mt Palerang VK2/ST-009

After activating SOTA summit South Black Range VK2/ST-006, drove on Forbes Creek Road which becomes Mulloon Fire Trail. Managed to cross the ford at Mulloon Creek okay, the water wasn't too high. As per other activations of Mt Palerang parked at the junction of Mulloon Fire Trail and Palerang Fire Trail.

After a few minutes walking on the fire trail turned off onto the track on the right up to the summit.

This track is steep, especially just after leaving the road, and a bit treacherous with loose rocks underfoot. Followed the track until it headed off to the right, then bush bashed straight up to the summit, following the rocky ridge.

After about 50 minutes of walking reached the summit trig.

Climbed up onto the rocky platform on top.

The trig vanes serve as an unofficial log of walkers who have visited. One of the local SOTA activators had left his mark :) Hi Rob!

Around the back some more amateur radio graffiti...

Set up the squid pole on the trig, shack on the rocky platform base.

Got on 40 m. A large pileup of strong signals from VK1, VK2, VK3, VK5 and VK7. An S2S with Andrew VK1MBE/p on VK1/AC-021 Pheasant Hill. He had deep snow there and it was slow going...Also another S2S with David VK3MAY/p on VK3/VC-014 Mt Disappointment.

After 40 m died down tried swapping to my 6/10 m linked dipole, however the plastic sistema box I use for the dipole centre fell apart, having cracks in it from falls in the past, so the activation was ended...Still had 26 contacts in the log for 40 m so happy to pack up and head home.

Took about 40 minutes to get back down.