Wednesday, 15 June 2016
VKFF Diamond 50 Activations Award
Noticed on the WWFF Logsearch website that I've activated enough parks to apply for the VKFF Diamond Award for activating 50 parks. Applied for and promptly received from Paul, VK5PAS the VKFF Awards Manager. Thanks Paul. Here it is.
Sunday, 12 June 2016
Cooleman Ridge Nature Reserve VKFF-0837
After a cold -2c night had a nice sunny Sunday, so decided to get out and do another local WWFF park activation, this time to VKFF-0837 Cooleman Ridge Nature Reserve.
This is another Canberra Nature Park and easily accessible from the Western suburb of Chapman. Drove to the end of Kathner Street and parked. Usual Canberra Nature Park sign and a gate here.
There is a narrow gap on the side of the gate for walkers. Just past the gate a fairly old sign describing the walk through the park.
The road up the hill was fairly steep and a bit unsafe with loose rocks, so took a narrow foot pad to the right.
Got to the main track that runs around the Eastern edge of the reserve, called Cut-off Drain Fire Trail. Good views the the North of Canberra. Black Mountain with its tower visible.
Took a side track running up to the top of the ridge.
There is a trig a bit further along the ridge but decided this was a good enough spot to operate from anyway, this is a parks activation, not SOTA... Set up the squid pole on a small eucalyptus sapling. Strung up the 20/40 m dipole.
Set up the FT817 on a nearby rock and sat on the tarp.
Got on 40 m. A fair bit of activity with the weekend VK Shires contest. Made a park to park contact with Peter VK3PF/P in VKFF-0484 The Lakes National Park. Worked VK2, VK3, VK4, VK5 and VK7. Some signals quite strong, and getting me quite well despite the 5 w from the FT817.
Gave it away as it started to get cold, despite the sunshine only around 10c today.
Map of the park showing my operating spot. Map from Open Street Maps
This is another Canberra Nature Park and easily accessible from the Western suburb of Chapman. Drove to the end of Kathner Street and parked. Usual Canberra Nature Park sign and a gate here.
There is a narrow gap on the side of the gate for walkers. Just past the gate a fairly old sign describing the walk through the park.
The road up the hill was fairly steep and a bit unsafe with loose rocks, so took a narrow foot pad to the right.
Got to the main track that runs around the Eastern edge of the reserve, called Cut-off Drain Fire Trail. Good views the the North of Canberra. Black Mountain with its tower visible.
Took a side track running up to the top of the ridge.
There is a trig a bit further along the ridge but decided this was a good enough spot to operate from anyway, this is a parks activation, not SOTA... Set up the squid pole on a small eucalyptus sapling. Strung up the 20/40 m dipole.
Set up the FT817 on a nearby rock and sat on the tarp.
Got on 40 m. A fair bit of activity with the weekend VK Shires contest. Made a park to park contact with Peter VK3PF/P in VKFF-0484 The Lakes National Park. Worked VK2, VK3, VK4, VK5 and VK7. Some signals quite strong, and getting me quite well despite the 5 w from the FT817.
Gave it away as it started to get cold, despite the sunshine only around 10c today.
Map of the park showing my operating spot. Map from Open Street Maps
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