SOTA Mt Yarrahapinni VK2/MN-079

After activating Big Smoky and stopping in South West Rocks for lunch drove back to the Pacific Highway and continued on the Mt Yarrahapinni. Took Albert Road and the Rosewood Road. Road becomes unsealed but is okay for 2WDs. There is a good picnic area and lookout before the summit. Big Smoky mountain is visible near the ocean.

Reached the top. There is a trig, also lots of communication towers. This place is bad for QRM :(

Set up on the side of the road down from the towers, hoping to reduce some of the noise...Used a small sapling to support the squid pole.

Shack on the tarp on the side of the road

Tried 40m, S4 to S8 of electronic noise across the whole band,,,

Switched to 20m. Noise there down to about an S2 so a bit better. Managed to work John VK6NU, but no others, none that I could hear coming back anyway...so returned to 40 m.

There was a spot for Al VK1RX/3 on VK3/VC-007 Mt Macedon, but unable to hear him over the noise. Found a quieter spot with S4 noise and called CQ SOTA. Luckily most of the chasers coming back were strong S7 to S9 so able to hear most of them okay. VK2s and VK4s strong here, the VK3s a real struggle now this far North.

Got called by Al VK1RX/3 who I managed to hear with a 4 by 4 report, so eventually got him in the log. Got a spot from Peter VK3PF who was unable to copy me on 20 or 40m, wanted to try 30m. Set up the 30m dipole and worked him with a 4 by 7 report, so made it on this band.

A total of 10 contacts. Packed up and headed to Coffs Harbour for the night.