SOTA Mt Majura VK1/AC-034 and SOTA Goat

With just 1 activation point needed to reach 1000 points and SOTA Goat, decided to activate Mount Majura, VK1/AC-034. This was the first VK1 summit that I activated when VK1 went live on 1st February 2013, seemed appropriate to do this again to complete it.

As per my previous activations started from the Horse paddocks car park off Antill St Hackett. From here its about a 2.5 Km, half hour walk to the top. Mount Majura is in the Canberra Nature Park, Mount Majura Nature Reserve, WWFF reference VKFF-0851.

The first part of the walk is easy enough, until you get to the base of the mountain and the climbing starts...

This track eventually joins the main track along the ridge to the top. Parts of this quite steep as you climb up to the summit. Looking back down the track, Canberra airport in the distance.

Eventually reached the gate just before the access road to the top. Note this is locked further down so can't drive up here.

Set up the squid pole on the usual round metal thing up here by the trig, running out the 40m dipole. Also the 2m Jpole ribbon antenna.

Looking back the other way.

Set up the SOTA shack on the concrete base. Offered a bit of shade, but was not too hot yet anyway mid morning.

Got on 2m FM as I wanted the local VK1s to work me 1st. Needed 4 contacts to qualify the summit and SOTA Goat :)

1st contact Andrew VK1AD/m near Woden, a good 59 signal.
2nd contact Andrew VK2MWP out at Warwoola, also good 59
3rd contact Andrew VK1MBE, 59

And 4th contact to qualify was Matt VK1MA, 59+ as per usual. SOTA Goat accomplished 😊

After working Matt a stream of various goat noises heard, thanks guys :)

A few more calls and a chat with the VK1s moved to 40m. Plenty of the usual chasers from VK2, VK3, VK4, and VK5 worked with good signals. A park to park contact with VK3PF/p Peter in VKFF-0742 Warby Ovens National Park. VK1DA/p Andrew came up on VK1/AC-037 Mt Taylor for a S2S contact.

After 40m quietened down put up a 10m dipole to try 10m, as some sporadic e about, could hear the VK4RC Brisbane beacon.

Worked the following on 10m
VK4KUS Steve
VK4RF/VK4HA Rick
VK2LX Grant out at Bungendore on ground wave.
VK4JK Jay
VK1MA Matt,
VK2FENG Helen and VK2IG Mike out at Gundaroo on ground wave.

Managed to qualify Mount Majura Nature Reserve VKFF-0851 as only needed a dozen contacts for 44 for a WWFF point.

When I got home did a count of total activation points in different regions for interest.

VK1/AC - 206 points
VK2/SM - 184 points
VK2/ST- 269 points

The rest - 547 points.

So more than half the points gained from excursions outside VK1 and VK2/SM and VK2/ST, namely VK2 other regions, VK3, VK4 and VK5. I did a bit of travelling getting there...

Most of the easily obtainable points came from nearby VK2/ST Southern Tablelands. Then VK1 and VK2/SM Snowy Mountains.

For those chasing SOTA Goat, keep at it, you will reach it eventually. Good luck!