Stony Creek Nature Reserve VKFF-0986

With a nice sunny Sunday afternoon decided to do another WWFF park activation. Chose a park where I still needed to make up the remaining contacts for the required 44, and returned to activate Stony Creek Nature Reserve which I had activated in November last year.

Entered via the rangers access gate off Brindabella Road as per my last activation.

Last November it was warm so set up in the shade, this time of year wanted to get in the sun... set up the squid pole on a small gum tree sapling in the middle of the cleared area just off the road. Bit of a lean on the pole but still a solid support. Dipole legs tied to some nearby saplings. A bit of a noisy location from traffic on the nearby road, seemed to be a race track for Sunday motor bike riders...

Park radio my TS-480, running 40 w off my 8400 mAH LifePO4 battery.

Got on 40 m. As usual grabbed any activators first for park to park contacts on 7.144 Mhz, getting Rob VK4AAC/3 in Wilsons Promontory National Park VKFF-0539, and Les VK5KLV/p in Winninowie CP VKFF-0820.

Followed this with another park to park contact with John VK6JON/7 in VKFF-1137 Gunn Plains Cave State Reserve VKFF-1137.

Spotted myself on 7.110 Mhz and started working the usual park chasers. Good signals from VK1, VK2, VK3, VK4 and VK5.

Made another park to park contact with Roald VK1MTS/p on SOTA summit VK1/AC-040 Mt Ainslie, also in Mt Ainslie Nature Reserve VKFF-0850. He was using a recently constructed home brew radio, running just 2 W, and was S9 with me...

Saw a spot from Mike VK6MB on ParksnPeaks that he was not receiving me on 40 m, could I try 20 m, so switched the links to the 20 m band and spotted myself on 14.315 Mhz.

This was then I discovered the band was open to Europe :) Worked some of the regular EU chasers, Max IK1GPG, Marek SP3FHV, Slava RU3GB, and Luigi IK1QFN. A few more EU hunters, Luciano I5FLN, Hinko S52KM.

Also worked Mike VK6MB, some deep QSB but made it okay. Then the band seemed to close to EU... odd as only worked Southern and Eastern EU countries, nothing from France, Spain or Belgium stations, who are keen chasers.

Returned to 40 m and worked 3 more chasers, then another park to park with Stef VK5HSX/p in VKFF-1031 Fort Glanville Conservation Park.

Getting cold and dark so gave it away after 27 contacts. With the 20 contacts in November this put me over the 44 contacts needed for a WWFF point.

Stations worked on 40 m

1. VK5KLV/p Les in VKFF-0820
2. VK4AAC/3 Rob in VKFF-0539
3. VK6JON/7 John in VKFF-1137
4. VK3ARH Allen
5. VK4RF Rick
6. VK4HA Rick
7. VK3PMG Mick
8. VK3GGG Mick
9. VK1MTS/p Roald in VKFF-0850
10. VK3SQ Geoff
11. VK2KYO Ken
12. VK2LDN Glenn
13. VK3NCR/p Craig
14. VK2HHA Dennis
15. VK5PAS Paul

Stations worked on 20 m

1. IK1GPG Max
2. SP3FHV Marek
3. RU3GB Slava
4. IK1QFN Luigi
5. I5FLN Luciano
6. S52KM Hinko
7. VK6MB Mike

Stations worked on 40 m

1. VK5FANA Adrian
2. VK4JK Jay
3. VK3BSG Erik
4. VK3UCD David
5. VK5HSX/p Stef in VKFF-1031