Cuumbeun Nature Reserve VKFF-1920

Saturday afternoon in Canberra was fine and sunny with no wind, so decided to do another WWFF park activation. Chose a park I needed to complete for 44 contacts, Cuumbeun Nature Reserve VKFF-1920.

Headed out to the park, stopping briefly in Queanbeyan for fuel as it was 4 c per litre cheaper than in Canberra... Drove out on the Kings Hwy, then turned off onto the Captains Flat Road. The park is on either side of the road for several Km. Stopped in front of a locked gate with the park sign just behind it

Note the power lines to the right of the sign. I initially set up the antenna near the sign, and found S9 of power line noise over most of 40 m :( So packed up and moved further into the park, away from the power lines. Followed "Shed" trail until finding a suitable sapling for squid pole support, set up just off the trail.

Operating spot, map from Protected Planet website.

Shack on the table.

Got on 40 m. The band seemed very quiet, apart from a few EU signals coming in. I could just hear VK3PF/p Peter in a park on 7.144 too weak to work, so headed up the band and spotted myself on 7.150 Mhz. This did have some weak EU stations on later but the callers were well over them.

Surprisingly was open, mainly to VK4 and Northern VK2, VK5, ZL. So no short NVIS skip. Some good signals. Worked the following

VK4FDJL
VK4TJ, VK4/AC8WN, VK4/VE6XT
VK2FSAV
VK4RF, VK4HA
VK4SMA
VK5DW
VK2VW
VK4NH, VK4DXA, ZL4TY/VK4
ZL1TM
VK4FARR
VK6BSA/5
ZL2IFB
VK5TN
VK3ARH
VK5FMWW
VK3VLY/p

VK6MB/3 for a P2P contact in VKFF-0968 Hepburn Regional Park

VK4CZ
VK3BSQ

As poor close in on 40 m went to 80 m to give close by park hunters a contact. On 80 m worked

VK2NP

VK3PF/p for a P2P in VKFF-0749 Shallow Inlet Coastal & Marine Park.

No further contacts on 80 m. As the sun was setting and started getting cold, packed up and headed home.