SOTA South Black Range VK2/ST-006

SOTA summit South Black Range VK2/ST-006 was one of the summits hit by the 2019-2020 summer bushfires, and access was closed for some time. This was followed by Covid lockdown for VK1, so even if the roads opened up could not leave the ACT anyway until recently. With a sunny Sunday predicted and several other activations planned headed out to check out the summit.

Headed out via Queanbeyan, Hoskinstown, Forbes Creek, enterinng Tallaganda National Park on Forbes Creek Rd. This is WWFF reference VKFF-0474.

Continued on to the junction of North Black Range Fire trail. I was worried that this might have been closed due to fire damage, but it was open.

Continued along North Black Range Fire Trail. A few muddy spots but nothing to worry about. Reached the track on the left up to the summit. I could have driven up this, but looked a bit muddy so just parked near the track junction and walked.

Some muddy spots on the track

After about 10 minutes walking reached the end of the track, after a short walk was on the summit. Good to see the trig on a large rock had survived the fire.

Around the side of the rock found the old ladder for accessing the trig thats been here for years, good to see it not burnt, although not planning to use it...

Set up the squid pole on a burnt stump to the North of the trig, using a rock for a radio table. Initially just the 2m Jpole antenna on top

Radio on the rock.

Spotted myself on 2m FM and called. First contact Peter VK1PDW portable in Melba.

Then several S2S contacts...

VK1MIC/p Wade on VK1/AC-036 Goorooyarroo, strong. Also P2P with VKFF-1932

VK1AD/P Andrew on VK1/AC-026 Booroomba Rocks, also strong. Also P2P with VKFF-0377.

VK1MCW/2 Bill on nearby VK2/ST-034 Mt Gillamatong, strong

VK1DA/2 Andrew on VK2/ST-053 Mt Mundoonen

VK1MA Matt, strong

VK1MF, Mat, in OConnor, a bit weak but he was QRP on 10w

Set up 40m and spotted there. Pre Roll over at 11am worked VK3PF, VK2VW, VK2HFI, VK2YAK, ZL1BQD, VK5IS, VK3BEL

After rollover worked VK2MET, VK5PAS, VK2YAK, VK3PF

Returned to 2m to work

VK1DA/2 Andrew on VK2/ST-053 Mt Mundoonen

VK1MF Mat

VK1MCW/2 Bill on VK2/ST-034 Mt Gillamatong

VK1AD/p  Andrew on VK1/AC-026 Booroomba Rocks

VK1MA Matt

Good to see this summit survived the fire okay. Going by the black looked like the fire passed by quickly at ground level and did not get into the canopy much, so should recover quickly.