WWFF Batemans Marine Park VKFF-1406

With a public holiday Monday in Canberra headed down to Batemans Bay for a long weekend. After stopping overnight at Batemans Bay headed South East along the bay to Caseys Beach. There were picnic tables here and a convenient fence just near the beach, to be within 100 m of the high tide mark for a marine park activation. Set up the squid pole on a fence post, dipole legs running along the fence.

FT857D radio on a nearby picnic table.

Got on 40 m. Disappointingly about S8 of noise on the band from nearby power lines.

Started with park to park contacts with Helen VK7FOLK/p and Jonathon VK7Jon/p in VKFF-1836 Trowutta Caves State Reserve. Luckily both good S9 and over the noise.

Then usual park hunters. VK3GGG-VK3PMG, VK5FANA, VK2VW, VK4SYD, VK4NH-VK4DXA -ZL4TY/VK4, VK3PF.

Another park to park with VK3ZPF/p Peter in VKFF-2109 Hurdy Gurdy Creek Nature Conservation Reserve

Worked VK3ZZS/7, then VK3YE/p Peter as usual portable Chelsea Beach, testing low power using an FT817 running from 8 x NiMH AA batteries. Managed to copy him using only 3w despite my high noise level. I'm briefly heard on his YouTube video

Went on to work VK3FLCS, VK4SMA, VK2ZVG, VK3ZMD and VK4TJ-AC8WB/VK4-VE6XT/VK4.

As getting cold in the shade gave it away and packed up. Made 21 contacts, so with my last activation of the park now only need 4 to complete the 44 for a WWFF point.