Parma Creek Nature Reserve VKFF-2698

After activating Jerrawangala National Park continued driving NE along Braidwood Rd, turning off onto Hell Hole Fire Trail. The road was not as bad as it sounds, reaching the boundary of my next park, Parma Creek Nature Reserve VKFF-2698

Continued into the park. Looked for spots to turn off. There were some clearings off the road, however these were full of bee hives. Not keen to share my activation with bees... Eventually reached the junction with Parma Fire Trail and followed this back towards the Braidwood Rd. Found a turnoff to Sandy Creek Fire Trail, with a locked gate, decided that was a good spot to set up the shack as would be no traffic to worry about.

Attached the squid pole to the gate and set up the table in front.

Operating Spot. Map from Protected Planet website

Shack on the table. Set the FT-857D to around 40 w output.

Got on 40 m. Found 7.144 occupied with VK3FRC chatting to a ZL station, he indicated he was going clear so waited for a while until he signed off and put out a call. He was the first to come back to me. Worked several other park hunters after him. Most with good strong signals. The band seemed to really come to life as approaching sunset, even close by VK2s in Sydney coming in strong.

VK3FRC
VK3XPT
VK4FDJL
VK3ZPF
VK5CZ
VK3TKK
VK4HA
VK4RF
VK4CZ
VK2HHA
VK4NH
VK4DXA
ZL4TY/VK4
VK2JXA
VK5FANA
VK2NN
VK4DA
VK4TJ
VK4/AC8WN
VK4/VE6XT
VK2HRX
VK2ARL
VK2IWU
VK4SMA/P
VK4SOE/P
VK4ERM/P

Another park to park with VK2MG/p Alan in VKFF-0596 Karuah National Park. He was a good 59 at this time.

Worked a few more park hunters.

VK2ARI
VK2PCH
ZL1TM

At this stage the sun had set and getting dark, so packed up while still enough light and headed back along Parma Rd to Braidwood Rd. Drove on to nearby Nowra for the evening.