Friday 8 January 2016

SOTA Mt Big Ben VK3/VE-105

After stopping overnight at Beechworth drove to Yackandandah, then the Dederang Rd, turning off onto Mt Big Ben Lane on the left.



Unsealed but not requiring 4WD. The track passes through a property, you enter State Forest after passing through an unlocked gate.



The road climbs up to the summit. Mt Big Ben summit. Think the tower on the right has the antennas for the Wodonga 2 m repeater VK3RNE on 147.000 Mhz



Set up the squid pole on a sapling on the edge of the clearing, shack in the shade



Got on 40 m. Band not too bad with good signals from VK2, VK3 and VK4. A couple of S2S contacts with Andrew VK1AD/2 on VK2/ST-036 Spring Hill, and Al VK1RX/2 on VK2/SM-014 The Cascades. Had a good chat to Ron VK3MRH nearby in Albury, he used to live in Yackandandah and knew Mt Big Ben well. Also a local mobile Brenton VK3CM/m near Wodonga, and VK2HHA Dennis in Albury.

Tried 20 m but not luck. As still a long drive home and the weather heating up packed and headed off after 17 contacts.

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