Worked 600 United States Stations Award

After working several US stations on 10m before the new year, managed to reach 600 stations and applied for the FT8DMC 600 US stations award.

 

10 Hungarian Stations Award

Latest award for me, for contacting 10 Hungarian stations on FT8 mode. 

SOTA Isaacs Ridge VK1/AC-041

With a sunny day on Wednesday decided to to a SOTA activation of Isaacs Ridge, VK1/AC-041. There was an alert for Compton VK2HRX to activate Mount Canobolas at 2300z, or 10am local time. Plus needed to finish completing 44 contacts for the WWFF award. The summit is in VKFF-0845, Isaacs Ridge Nature Reserve.

Parked off  Long Gully Road and walked up to the gate entering the reserve.

A short walk and joined up to another track heading up the hill. 

Near the top the track bends to the left, took another minor track that heads straight up the hill, steep but not too bad.

Reached the top. Track log of walk, taken from Garmin Connect off my Garmin watch. A distance of 0.7 Km taking 15 minutes to walk. 

Set up on my usual spot, a concrete post near one of the transmitting towers. Got some shade off an nearby pine tree, which was good as the day heated up. I did lose the shade later on.

Initially set up just 2m, but then found spots on ParksnPeaks for Compton on 40m, he had got on air early... so quickly set up the 40m dipole. Set up my FT857D on a rock

While operating spotted a lizard sunning itself on a nearby rock, type of skink I think.

Got on 40m and worked Compton, VK2HRX/p on Mount Canobolas VK2/CT-001, VKFF-1353 with a good signal. I switched to 2m FM and tried calling, got Andrew VK1AD close by. No other callers so went back to 40m and put up a spot up on SOTAwatch/ParksnPeaks. Got several callers pre UTC rollover

VK2YW, VK2WP, VK1AD, VK2IO, VK2VW, VK2HFI, VK5IS, VK3PF/m, VK1MIC, VK2NP, VK3ZPF, VK3SQ, VK2VH, VK4AAC/2, VK3ARH, VK3HRA.

Briefly tried 20m, worked ZL1TM and VK1AD.

After UTC rollover worked Compton, VK2HRX/p on Mount Canobolas VK2/CT-001 VKFF-1353 again for another S2S/P2P contact. Worked a few more chasers.

VK1AD, VK3GTV, VK5HAA, VK2YAK, VK4YAK, VK3AMO, VK2VW, VK2HFI, VK3ZPF.

Briefly tried 2m FM again, working VK1AD and VK1MIC.

VK3PF, who I had worked mobile pre rollover, had reached his summit, so worked him for a S2S/P2P.

He was on VK3/VE-192 Hore Hill in park VKFF-0767.

Starting to get warm as no longer had the tree shade, packed up and headed back down to have lunch in Woden. 

VKFF Hunter Honour Roll 1025 Award

Checking Logsearch recently found I had reached another milestone, 1025 different VKFF parks hunted. Here is the award. 

700 Japanese stations award

 New award for me, for contacting 700 different Japanese stations on FT8.

10 England Stations Award

 New award from the European Ros Club, for working 10 stations from England on digital modes.