SOTA Caloma Trig VK2/CW-050

After staying overnight at Coonabarabran headed South to Gilgandra, then Dubbo, continuing on the Newell Highway towards Parkes. Just before Tomingley turned off onto Gundong Road on the left. There is a sign here for Goobang National Park. Drove along until coming to the East Boundary Trail Tanias Trail turnoff. Caloma Trig Lookout 9.5 Km ahead

Sign for Goobang National Park

Continued along East Boundary Trail until coming to more trail turnoffs. Continued straight ahead on Pipeclay Creek Trail.

The road got a bit rough after this, lots of large stones and quite rocky, although didn't need 4WD, just a bit of clearance. Got to the turnoff to Caloma Trig Lookout

The road signs in the park include map grid references, probably to aid fire fighting crews.

Got to the trig. Looking a bit battered...

Set up the squid pole on the trig, dipole wires strung out to a couple of trees.

Radio on the base of the trig

Got on 40m. Tried calling for Dave VK4DD for an S2S but he had gone to 20m. Worked some chasers, then Dave VK4DD/p came up from VK4/SE-039 for a S2S.

Worked several more chasers, VK2s, VK3s now reasonable signals this far South and some VK4s.

Tried 20m, contacted John VK6NU a weak 4x1 signal, then Rick VK4RF/VK4HA with a booming 5x9 signal.23 contacts all up.

I thought the road must go somewhere else other than to a lousy trig with no view, so continued to the end and found a car park and track to the proper lookout. Looking to the West.

Drove back to Gundong Road and on to Molong and Orange. Track log of drive