VKFF Hunter Honour Roll 650 Award

After some park hunting both from home and while out activating, managed to confirm 650 unique VKFF park references. Applied for the award. Thanks to park activators for helping me achieve this.

WWFF Wanna Wanna Nature Reserve VKFF-2016

My last activation of Wanna Wanna Nature Reserve was interrupted by rain, so returned today to finish it. Drove to the gate leading into the park off Pony Pl Carwoola.

Climbed over the gate and walked along the road between properties. Despite the sign the reserve does not begin until clearing the property on the left. Just within the park boundary spotted a large log suitable for squid pole support and sitting on. Set up here.

Operating spot. Map from Protected Planet website.

Looking back to the East and the road in to the park.

FT-857D radio perched on top of the log.

Got on 40 m. Started with calling another park station, VK4SMA/p Mark in VKFF-1469 Bayview Conservation Park.

Spotted myself on ParksnPeaks. A pileup of park hunters followed.

VK3PF/m
VK2VW
VK3GGG, VK3PMG
ZL1TM
VK2LX
VK4AAC/5
VK5PAS

Another park to park with VK3TKK Peter, also using a special event call sign VI50IARU3 in VKFF-0972 Macedon Regional Park

VK4CPS
VK5LA

VK4FW Bill also using a special event call VI70MI in VKFF-0359 Mount Pinbarren National Park

VK5FMAZ
VK5PAS/m
VK5KLV
VK4FARR
VK4BR
VK4FDJL
VK4HNS
VK5CZ
VK4CZ
VK3NLK
VK3UH

Tried 20 m but no replies.

As had 46 contacts when combined with my first activation of this park packed up and headed home.

WWFF Gungaderra Grassland Nature Reserve VKFF-0843

Saturday afternoon the weather was not too bad for winter, around 10c and fine and sunny, so headed out to do a nearby park, Gungaderra Grassland Nature Reserve. I have activated this previously and just needed a dozen contacts to reach 44 QSOs and complete it.

Last time I had set up in the NE corner of the park, close to Gungahlin Drive. I found this site noisy with traffic noise and also nearby powerline noise, so tried a different spot this time. Drove to the end of Bollard St in Palmerston. At the end was a gate, and after a short walk reached a stile to cross a fence into the park.

Over the fence a sign showing endangered species of flora and fauna in the park.

Set up my squid pole on the sign, dipole legs out to some nearby fences.

Operating spot on a map from Open Street Map

View to the West

View to the East

Shack on the table near the sign.

Got on 40 m. The band was quite good with strong signals. Worked a heap of park hunters

VK3VAR
VK2MOP
ZL1TM
VK3GGG VK3PMG
VK7JON
VK5FANA
VK3PAT
VK2VW
VK4SMA
VK3TKK/M
VI70MI VK5PAS
VK4NH VK4DXA ZL4TY/VK4
VK5FMAZ
VK3UH
VK7QP
VK4TJ VK4/AC8WN VK4/VE6XT
VK4FDJL
VK5PL
VK2IO/P
VK5LA
VK5HS/M
VK4CPS
VK5NFT
VK5MR
VK3FT
VK3FSPG VK3MPR
VK5MRE
VK4FARR
VK5TT
VK2STO
VK2YK
VK2DMS
VK5KLV
VK3VGB
VK3PGK
VK1AT
VK4RF VK4HA

As I had 46 contacts I had qualified the park, even without the last activation...

Tried 20 m before packing up, got a surprising call from VK6XN/p Hans just about to activate a park VKFF-0553 Yanchep National Park near Perth. He was still tuning up, after finishing he was a good 58 signal.

By a co-incidence I worked all the other VKFF representatives from each state

VK2IO Gerard
VK3GGG Mick
VK4SMA Mark
VK5PAS Paul
VK6XN Hans
VK7JON Jonathon

30 Meter Digital Group ZL Award

The 30 Meter Digital Group offers an award for working stations in digital modes for all 4 of the main New Zealand Prefixes, ZL1, ZL2, ZL3 and ZL4 on 30 m.

ZL1 and ZL2 in the North Island are fairly easy to get, but ZL3 and especially ZL4 seem quite rare. All I needed was ZL4 to complete this award, and on Sunday finally worked ZL4TT in FT8 mode.

ZL1BDW*         2017-09-16  04:39  30M   FT8      ZL1
ZL2IFB              2018-05-12  05:55  30M   FT8      ZL2
ZL3RCK            2014-05-11  07:54  30M   JT65     ZL3
ZL4TT               2018-06-17  05:21  30M   FT8      ZL4

Result:

ZL:                           4/4 ZL prefixes

Applied for the award via Ultimate AAC software and got emailed the link to the award by the awards manager Don KB9UMT.

WWFF Hunter 644 Award

Noticed on the WWFF Logsearch website that I'd managed to confirm over 644 park references hunted, so applied for the award. Most of the contacts were with VKFF parks. Received promptly from the Awards manager Karl DL1JKK.

WWFF Livingstone National Park VKFF-0292

After activating The Rock Nature Reserve in the morning, had lunch at The Rock township then drove to Livingstone National Parkn South of Wagga Wagga.

Set up in the park not far from the entrance, in a clearing by the car park.

No photos sorry. Started on 40 m with a park to park contact withVK5PAS Paul and VK5FMAZ/p Maria in VKFF-0927 Piccaninnie Ponds Conservation Park.

I found I had no mobile internet access, so unable to spot myself, just had to rely on hunters finding me.

The band was very poor. only 3 more contacts, VK2KTG Kevin, VK7QP/p Linda and ZL1TM Andrei. Slow going. As getting dark decided to pack up and try this park another day with better conditions. Next time here might try driving in further onto one of the higher peaks to get mobile internet access.

WWFF The Rock Nature Reserve VKFF-2002

With a long weekend and Monday off headed to Wagga Wagga with my partner for a break. Drove down on Saturday, on Sunday headed out to activate The Rock Nature Reserve, VKFF-2002. I have activated The Rock Hill SOTA summit before but not the park. Arrived at the entrance to the park.

Drove a short distance to the main car park. Signs for the walks here. A new alternative to the summit since I climbed it last, Yugay Track. Last time I used the Yerong Track.

Another sign nearby about the park, Kengal Aboriginal Place, describing the native Aborigines history here.

My partner wasn't feeling up to the walk to the summit so we decided to just do a park activation instead. There was a picnic table near the car park, but in use and not suited to activating from, so drove back to the entrance and found a spot in the scrub to operate from. A fallen log that made a seat and squid pole support.

Location in the park. Map from Protected Planet website.

FT857D radio perched on a branch on the log.

Got on 40 m. Quite active as this was also the VK Shires contest weekend. Worked the following:

VK5BJE
VK4VXX/5
VK5PAS/3 Paul driving to a park to operate.
VK5FMAZ/3
VK5MK
VK2VW
VK2IO/m
VK7FCIA
VK5FANA
VK4TJ, VK4/AC8WN, VK4/VE6XT
VK4SMA

Made a park to park with VK3XV/p Tony in VKFF-0629 Kara Kara (St Arnaud Range) National Park

Another park to park with VK2JNG/p Gerard in VKFF-1277 Beni Coordinated Conservation Area near Dubbo. Quite weak as NVIS short skip not working.

VK5PAS/3 Paul in his destination park VKFF-2161 Mumbannar Nature Conservation Reserve

And a park to park with VK4HNS/p Neil in VKFF-0336 Mount Archer National Park.

Ended with a contact with VK5LA/p.

As lunch time packed up and headed to the nearby The Rock township to have lunch at a picnic table.

WWFF Activator 44 Award

After completing VKFF-0858 Oakey Hill Nature Reserve on Sunday I had completed 44 parks with at least 44 QSOs in each, giving me the WWFF Activator 44 Award. Thanks to Park hunters for helping me achieve this award.

WWFF Oakey Hill Nature Reserve VKFF-0858

On Sunday headed out to try and finish another WWFF park I needed more contacts from, VKFF-0858 Oakey Hill Nature Reserve. As per last activation parked near the Woden substation off Devonport Street in Lyons, where there is a locked gate entry to the park.  Sign for the park.

Walked up the hill to Oakey Hill. Some good views to the North. Black Mountain on the left, Canberra City and Mt Ainslie to the right.

Set up the squid pole on the trig. There was some rain on the horizon but it did not come my way.

Close to the trig a seat. This wasn't here on my last visit. From the sign on the seat a thank you from the ACT Parks and Conservation Service to the Oakey Hill ParkCare Group for 25 years of help.

As no one else using it I used the seat :) I placed the FT-857D on top of my pack on the ground so I could read the display easily.

Got on 40 m. First contact ZL1TM, Andrei, now a regular park hunter from New Zealand. Then VK7DW Andrew, and a park to park with VK4FW/p Bill in VKFF-1634 Reinke Scrub Conservation Park.

Continued working my way through park hunters, most with good signals.

VK2VW Brett
VK4FDJL Deryk
VK2YK Adam
VK4TJ-VK4/AC8WN-VK4/VE6XT John
VK5PAS Paul
VK7QP Linda
VK3FSPG-VK3MPR Steven
VK5FMAZ Maria
VK3GGG-VK3PMG Mick
VK4NH-VK4DXA-ZL4TY/VK4 Ray
VK5VC Charlie
VK5FGRY Gary

The hunters with multiple callsigns helped. As had enough contacts to qualify the park, and it was a cold day, packed up and headed home.