Aranda Bushland Nature Reserve VKFF-0833

With a nice sunny Saturday afternoon decided to activate a nearby WWFF park. I chose Aranda Bushland Nature Reserve VKFF-0833, as it is close by and only needed 9 contacts to complete for a WWFF activation point.

Last time I activated it walked up Aranda Hill, so for a change picked a spot off Bindubi Street, where there was an access gate off the road.

This gate is in the South West corner of the park, at the end of Old Weetangera Road, an old road from a time when Canberra was a group of sheep stations... Map courtesy of Openstreetmap

Note this is not very far away from Black Mountain, SOTA summit VK1/AC-042 and Telstra Tower. Walking a bit to the South I could see it quite well.

Set up the squid pole on the park sign, running one of the dipole legs out to the fence

The other leg to a nearby tree. The dipole cleared the road okay, did get some use by joggers, walkers and mountain bike riders.

Radio shack on the table, my TS-480SAT set to 40 W output.

Got on 40 m. The band was in good shape, nice to hear as has been poor conditions lately with nearby NVIS signals missing.

Started with a couple of park to park contacts, Ken VK2KYO/3 in VKFF-0620 Chiltern-Mt Pilot NP, and Rob VK4AAC/3 in VKFF-0627 Organ Pipes NP.

Got on 7.144 Mhz and got spotted, a steady stream of hunters followed.

Another couple of park to park contacts, Neil VK4HNS/p in VKFF-0702 Pidna NP, and Stuart VK5STU/p in VKFF-1739 Para Wirra Recreation Park.

After hunters dried up on 40 m briefly tried 20 m, but no contacts. Saw a spot on 40 m for John VK2AWJ/p in VKFF-0373 Murray-sunset NP, and made my 5th park to park contact.

Had made 26 contacts so qualified the park okay. Headed home for afternoon tea.