Sunday, 29 September 2019
VKFF Hunter Honour Roll 825 Award
Looking on the WWFF Logsearch web page found that I had enough confirmed contacts from activators for the VKFF Activator Honour Roll 825 parks. Here is the award.
Tuesday, 24 September 2019
VKFF Murray River Parks Award 41 parks
After some contacts recently with Mike VK6MB/3 who had activated several parks along the Murray River, able to apply for the Murray River Parks Award, for 41 parks. Here is the award.
Sunday, 15 September 2019
Mundoonen Nature Reserve VKFF-1971
After lunch in Yass headed to my next park, Mundoonen Nature Reserve. Drove East along Yass Valley Way, continuing straight ahead through the Barton Hwy roundabout and at the end of the road turning right onto the Hume Hwy. After climbing up the Mt Mundoonen hill turned off left into Sheldricks Lane. Able to park here off the old Hume Hwy. Sign for the park here.
The Highway Trail goes up to SOTA summit Mt Mundoonen, however the summit is not in the park. So entered the park just behind the sign, where there was a boundary fence. Set up close to the fence
Looking back the other way
Location in the park. Map from Protected Planet website
Shack on the table. The hill made it a bit awkward...
Got on 40 m. Unfortunately not quiet, had about an S3 of noise from the nearby power lines. At least good mobile coverage so able to spot myself on parksnpeaks. Worked the following
VK2VW
VK7QP
VK4SYD
ZL1TM
VK4NH VK4DXA ZL4TY/VK4
VK2FSAV
VK5WU
Callers seemed to dry up, so went to 80 m. A few more contacts.
VK3SQ
VK4AAC/2 VK2VH
As getting late in the day and had at least qualified the park for VKFF, packed up and headed home.
The Highway Trail goes up to SOTA summit Mt Mundoonen, however the summit is not in the park. So entered the park just behind the sign, where there was a boundary fence. Set up close to the fence
Looking back the other way
Location in the park. Map from Protected Planet website
Shack on the table. The hill made it a bit awkward...
Got on 40 m. Unfortunately not quiet, had about an S3 of noise from the nearby power lines. At least good mobile coverage so able to spot myself on parksnpeaks. Worked the following
VK2VW
VK7QP
VK4SYD
ZL1TM
VK4NH VK4DXA ZL4TY/VK4
VK2FSAV
VK5WU
Callers seemed to dry up, so went to 80 m. A few more contacts.
VK3SQ
VK4AAC/2 VK2VH
As getting late in the day and had at least qualified the park for VKFF, packed up and headed home.
Bango Nature Reserve VKFF-1884
With a nice warm sunny Sunday decided to go for a drive and activate a couple of new parks for me, Bango Nature Reserve and Mundoonen Nature Reserve, both close to Yass.
Drove to Yass, then from the main street, Laidlow St, turned off onto Orion St, at the end of the street turned off onto Cooks Hill Rd. Followed this for several Km North, then turned off to the NE onto Blakney Creek Rd S, until coming to Bango Park on the right. Sign for the park.
The park is accessed through some gaps on the side of an old gate.
Near the park sign a star picket made an ideal support for the squid pole. Set up the table next to it. Dipole legs out to a nearby tree and down to the park fence.
Looking back the other way
Operating spot in the park. Map from Protected Planet website.
Shack on the table
Got on 40 m. Went to spot myself, found no mobile coverage... I had a chat to a local farmer later who came up to see what I was doing, he told me phone coverage drops once you come down from Cooks Hill Rd. So with no coverage called on 7.140 Mhz. There is usually a WIA broadcast on Sunday on 7.146 Mhz so wanted to avoid this.
Managed to get heard and called by Linda VK7QP who kindly spotted me, so off with a queue of park hunters calling me. Worked
VK5AR/m
VK5HS
VK2VW
A weak park to park with John VK5FLEA/p in VKFF-0778 Cleland Conservation Park and also SOTA summit VK5/SE-005 Mt Lofty. He was quite weak but got stronger with time.
VK4CZ
VK5NJ
VK4RF VK4HA
VK4NH VK4DXA ZL4TY/VK4
VK3JP VK3CA
VK3FSPN
VK5FANA
A non SOTA contact with VK1XP/m on Mt Ainslie, in the car so not valid, still a good copy from the mobile to this park.
VK3XXY
VK5IS
VK4SMA
VK5PL
VK3PF
VK7EE
ZL1TM
Was good to work a few VK3s, short NVIS skip has been poor lately on 40 m.
With no spotting did not try other bands. Around noon packed up and headed back to Yass for lunch.
Drove to Yass, then from the main street, Laidlow St, turned off onto Orion St, at the end of the street turned off onto Cooks Hill Rd. Followed this for several Km North, then turned off to the NE onto Blakney Creek Rd S, until coming to Bango Park on the right. Sign for the park.
The park is accessed through some gaps on the side of an old gate.
Near the park sign a star picket made an ideal support for the squid pole. Set up the table next to it. Dipole legs out to a nearby tree and down to the park fence.
Looking back the other way
Operating spot in the park. Map from Protected Planet website.
Shack on the table
Got on 40 m. Went to spot myself, found no mobile coverage... I had a chat to a local farmer later who came up to see what I was doing, he told me phone coverage drops once you come down from Cooks Hill Rd. So with no coverage called on 7.140 Mhz. There is usually a WIA broadcast on Sunday on 7.146 Mhz so wanted to avoid this.
Managed to get heard and called by Linda VK7QP who kindly spotted me, so off with a queue of park hunters calling me. Worked
VK5AR/m
VK5HS
VK2VW
A weak park to park with John VK5FLEA/p in VKFF-0778 Cleland Conservation Park and also SOTA summit VK5/SE-005 Mt Lofty. He was quite weak but got stronger with time.
VK4CZ
VK5NJ
VK4RF VK4HA
VK4NH VK4DXA ZL4TY/VK4
VK3JP VK3CA
VK3FSPN
VK5FANA
A non SOTA contact with VK1XP/m on Mt Ainslie, in the car so not valid, still a good copy from the mobile to this park.
VK3XXY
VK5IS
VK4SMA
VK5PL
VK3PF
VK7EE
ZL1TM
Was good to work a few VK3s, short NVIS skip has been poor lately on 40 m.
With no spotting did not try other bands. Around noon packed up and headed back to Yass for lunch.
Sunday, 8 September 2019
ERC Worked 50 Different Japanase Stations on 17 m award
After a few Japanese contacts on 17 m today in FT8 mode found I had reached 50 Japanese stations, so applied for the award issued by the European Ros Clob (ERC). Here is the award
Sunday, 1 September 2019
Mulligans Flat Nature Reserve VKFF-0855
National Wattle Day in Australia is celebrated on the 1st September each year. In recognition there is an award available for any VKFF activation made on this day. With a nice sunny Sunday went out to activate a park, picked nearby Mulligans Flat Nature Reserve VKFF-0855.
Last time I activated Mulligans Flat Nature Reserve was off Duke Road at the Northern end of the park. For a change decided to try another access point, near a style over a fence off Blizzard Circuit in Forde. Sign for the park near the style
The style over the fence. Rather fancy
Decided to set up near the fence away from the style and pedestrians, using a fence post for squid pole support. Was able to pass tables, chairs and pack over the fence. Notice the houses just over the road...
Operating spot. Map from Protected Planet
Shack on the table.
Turned on 40 m to find S7 of noise... Most likely from the houses across the street from the park. As a pain to pack up everything and move decided to just put up with it and work the stronger stations.
Spotted myself on ParksnPeaks, made a park to park with VK5KLV/p Les in VKFF-1757 Upper Spencer Gulf Marine Park.
Went on to work park hunters
VK4NH VK4DXA Zl4TY/VK4
VK4SMA
VK4FARR
VK4TJ VK4/AC8WN VK4/VE6XT VK4SSN
VK4CZ
VK3FADM/1 in nearby Gungahlin
VK5KSW
As shown mainly VK4s and some VK5s, nothing at all from VK3. There were some VK3s activating but unable to hear them, just no NVIS short skip to nearby VK2 and VK3 today.
Packed up after 13 contacts and headed home.
Last time I activated Mulligans Flat Nature Reserve was off Duke Road at the Northern end of the park. For a change decided to try another access point, near a style over a fence off Blizzard Circuit in Forde. Sign for the park near the style
The style over the fence. Rather fancy
Decided to set up near the fence away from the style and pedestrians, using a fence post for squid pole support. Was able to pass tables, chairs and pack over the fence. Notice the houses just over the road...
Operating spot. Map from Protected Planet
Shack on the table.
Turned on 40 m to find S7 of noise... Most likely from the houses across the street from the park. As a pain to pack up everything and move decided to just put up with it and work the stronger stations.
Spotted myself on ParksnPeaks, made a park to park with VK5KLV/p Les in VKFF-1757 Upper Spencer Gulf Marine Park.
Went on to work park hunters
VK4NH VK4DXA Zl4TY/VK4
VK4SMA
VK4FARR
VK4TJ VK4/AC8WN VK4/VE6XT VK4SSN
VK4CZ
VK3FADM/1 in nearby Gungahlin
VK5KSW
As shown mainly VK4s and some VK5s, nothing at all from VK3. There were some VK3s activating but unable to hear them, just no NVIS short skip to nearby VK2 and VK3 today.
Packed up after 13 contacts and headed home.
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