Yanunbeyan State Conservation Area VKFF-1400

A nice sunny Sunday morning, expected to warm up later, so decided to activate a park close by the the ACT, Yanunbeyan State Conservation Area. This is a little known park, I only knew about it as I had entered it before to activate SOTA summit Mt Foxlow VK2/ST-010 in June 2014. At that time the park was not part of the WWFF parks register, State Conservation Areas in NSW were added in July 2016.

Drove out to Queanbeyan, then the Kings Highway, turning off onto Captains Flat Road, then turning off onto Woolcara Lane. This road is unsealed but okay for 2WD cars. It is actually a fairly long road. The road goes past Woolcara station. Please note you pass through this property, don't leave the road and watch out for sheep!

I had a few close encounters with them on the road, they tended to lie down on it and I surprised them coming over the crests of hills. Just slow down and they will get out of the way.

Eventually reached the entrance to Yanunbeyan State Conservation Area. Sign on the left.

A few km past this reached Apple Box Flat picnic area. This is the only picnic area in the park, so stopped here.

A large sign telling the history of the park and Apple Box Flat. Named after an Apple Box Tree. I'm no botanist so unsure where this was...

Close by 3 picnic tables. The closest one and the one behind it had trees overhanging, not good for the squid pole, so picked the one on the right. Probably had the most shade too.

Set up the squid pole and radio shack on my chosen picnic table.

Another view of the shack.

Park radio shack on the table. Partial shade, still quite pleasant temperature mid morning.

Went to spot myself and found there was no mobile coverage here :( Hardly surprising as in a deep valley between Mt Foxlow and Corner hill. So needed to get a park hunter to spot me on parksnpeaks, and hope I would stumble across other park activators.

After a tune around on 40m came across Gerard, VK2IO/p in VKFF-1370 Parr State Conservation Area with a strong 59+ signal. Then found a spot and called CQ, hoping park hunters would spot me.

Worked the following hunters.

VK2ZGH Geoff
VK5ZGY Greg
VK2HHA Dennis
VK3AFW Ron.

Another tune around stumbled across Rob VK4AAC/5 activating VKFF-0905 Lower Glenelg River Conservation Park. Rob was low down, only a 53, he gave me a 32 report but we did make it.

Some more park hunters. The pace got better as someone had spotted me.

VK3PMG Mick
VK3GGG Mick
VK3IRM Mike
VK3SQ Geoff
VK2GAZ Gary
VK2VW Brett
VK3ELH/p Simon
VK3ARH Allen
VK5PAS Paul
Vk7CW Steve
VK3BWZ Bob
VK3OW Ewen
VK2KYO Ken
VK2FPRM Phillip
VK3FLCS Brett
VK2FAD John

After working John called several times with no answer, spun the dial around and found the whole 40 m band empty... it had just died.

Gave 20m a try. Managed to stumble across Adam, VK2YK/4 on 14.244 Mhz activating SOTA peak VK4/NH-129 on Magnetic Island. This was also in VKFF-0299 Magnetic Island National Park. He had a good 58 signal.

Packed up after working Adam and headed home after 25 contacts. Need to return to get the 44.