The Pinnacle Nature Reserve VKFF-0862

Noticed a few WWFF activations happening on Friday after work, so decided to also activate a local WWFF park. Returned to "The Pinnacle", a Canberra Nature Park only a few Km from home. I had activated it once before and made 35 contacts, so should be easy enough to make up the 44 needed.

Sign for the park off Springvale Drive.

Last activation I made was just down from the Pinnacle itself, a rocky hill, however would have been too warm in the sun there this time, so looked for another operating spot in the shade. Picked a access spot off Springvale Drive for accessing some water reservoirs.

Map from www.protectedplanet.net. A locked gate, but with a large gap in it for walkers to fit through. One of the water tanks visible.

Carried my camping table, chair and radio through the gate and set up beside a track marker for a horse riding trail through the park. Dipole legs tied to a couple of nearby trees.

Shack on the camping table in the shade. Using my TS480 radio with 10-20 watts output power.

Got on 40m. Headed for 7.144 Mhz, the WWFF calling frequency, to hear Stef VK5HSX/p in VKFF-0780 working Paul VK5PAS/p in VKFF-0897. Paul had some antenna problems but sorted it out. He was a good S9. Worked them both easily for park to park contacts.

Tuned about and worked David VK5HDW/p in VKFF-0785, then got called by John VK5BJE/p in VKFF-0825. So a good start, the first 5 contacts all park to parks :)

Found a spot and called CQ parks. Once spotted on ParksnPeaks started a small pileup of callers. Some very strong VK2, VK3, VK5 and VK7 stations, also Rick VK4RF/VK4HA, who was initially weak, then S9 after he switched from the wrong antenna...

Saw another 2 activations on ParksnPeaks, Les VK5KLV/p in VKFF-0820, and Adrian VK5FANA/p in VKFF-0819. Both good strong signals.

Had problems with the wind, the squid pole detelecoped on me twice, having to raise it up again.
Around 7:20pm local time starting to get dark and it fell down yet again, so decided a good time to pack up.

Made 20 contacts, including 7 park to parks, taking me to 55 contacts from this park and qualifying it for WWFF.