SOTA Mt Rob Roy VK1/AC-031

I  hadn't activated Mt Rob Roy VK1/AC-031 since it also became a WWFF park, VKFF-0861, so decided to revisit it.

As per other activations parked in a side lane off Orange Thorn Crescent in Banks and started the very steep climb at the start of the walk. It did eventually level off. Reached the gate for the section of farmland you need to cross to get to the park. The park gate was open so left it that way, found it shut on returning.

Reached the turnoff to Rob Roy Link track, taking this up the hill.

 Climbed over the gate to enter Rob Roy Canberra Nature Park, WWFF park number VKFF-0861

The link track joined up to Rob Roy Eco Track.

After around 4 Km the track reached the highest point and started descending, here on the left a rough track to the summit. Note the rock pile marker here started by Andrew VK1AD.

Reached the summit trig, or what was left of it...There used to be a wooden trig pole here supported in a metal tripod, only the tripod remained...

This used to be a squid pole support...Headed back down the hill, finding a suitable tree stump for the squid pole not too far away from the summit.

A large flat rock nearby provided a spot to operate from.

Got on 40m. Started with an S2S with Al VK1RX/2 on VK2/ST-015 Mt Budawang. Then another 2 more S2S contacts, with Phil VK2HPN/1 on nearby VK1/AC-041 Isaacs Ridge, and Andrew VK1AD/2 on VK2/ST-044 Bobbara Mountain near Yass.

A bit later worked another S2S with Mitch VK3XDM/P on VK3/VC-007 Mt Macedon.

Usual chasers chased me once finding a spot and getting spotted. Signals from VK1, VK2, VK3, VK4 and VK5. Rick VK4RF/VK4HA called me 3 times before getting through, lots of QSB.

A park to park contact too. Rob VK4AAC/3 in VKFF-0959 Baranduda Regional Park.

Nev VK5WG called me, he was very weak and couldn't copy me well enough for a contact, he was barely S1 with me. So switched to 20 m

On 20 m he was a good S8, I was S7, so worth changing bands. Also got Mike VK6MB with a fair signal.

After 29 contacts the bands seemed to have died out, so packed up. Had a look near the summit for the trig pole, eventually found it in the bushes down the side of the hill, and dragged it back to the top, leaving it under the tripod.

I could see no way the wind could have moved it to where I found it, can only think someone decided to lift it out of the tripod support as some odd challenge? I had a go at inserting it back in the tripod from below, but not enough clearance to do so. Lifting it up unable to lift the end high enough to get it in. Hopefully can be fixed as probably an historic trig, an unusual design.

Headed back down for lunch.