SOTA Big Badga Hill VK2/SM-059

After stopping overnight at Jindabyne drove NE to Cooma, then continued heading NE to the small town of Numerella, onto the Countegany Rd then Badga Rd. This road is unsealed however well graded and able to travel at a good speed. Continued on to Pikes Saddle, where there was an unsealed dirt road on the right.

A short distance along this road there was a turnoff to the right, this is the Badga Firetrail.

Last time I used this road I struck a couple of fallen trees, requiring detours onto temporary side routes around them. Since then Compton VK2HRX had cleared the trees, thanks Compton. After a fairly easy drive in my Nissan Xtrail reached the Badga Trig parking area.

From here an easy walk to the trig. As per last time good views. View West to Bald Mountain, VK2/SM-052, my next summit.

View East to the coast. A bit hazy today, Tabletop Mountain in the distance.

Set up the squid pole on the trig, running out the dipole legs to some small bushes nearby.

Shack on the tarp at the base of the trig.

Got on 40m. As seemed to be the pattern lately another S2S with Mitch VK7XDM on VK7/WC-013.

NVIS signals were down, making close by stations weak, but did however manage to work Andrew VK1MBE/p on VK1/AC-048, Mt McDonald, having just made Mountain Goat, well down Andrew!

Usual chasers followed from VK2, VK3 and VK5. Worked David VK3IL/p doing a WWFF park activation of VKFF-0947. A very weak contact with Paul, VK5PAS/p doing a WWFF park activation of Red Banks Conservation Park VKFF-1086.

A good copy on Ron VK3AFW/p on VK3/VE-008 Mt Buller.

I saw a spot for Peter VK3PF/p on VK3/VE-237 Huon Hill, but too weak to work. He eventually called me when the band improved a bit later.

Tried switching the links to 20m. I immediately found Paul VK5PAS/p in park VKFF-1086, a lot better on 20m, peaking S3.

Stayed on 20m as it seemed to be working better than 40m, working VK2, VK4, VK4 and VK5, even Matt VK1MA made it from North Canberra on 20m. Also worked ZL1BYZ John and Jacky  ZL1TZW.

Note I was also in a park here. VKFF-0138 Deua National Park. Combined with my previous activation had more than 44 contacts so Deua NP now finished for a WWFF point.