Worked All States 10m Award

After contacting Wyoming on 10m FT8, managed to contact all 50 US States and applied for the award from the FT8DMC club.

25 South Korean stations award

Another award from the FT8DMC club, for working 25 South Korean stations on FT8.

 

Indonesia Award YB9 Prefix Gold

 Another award from the YB6 DXC group, for contacting 40 stations with YB9 Prefixes (Gold award)

This completes award for YB1 and YB9 prefixes. So after YB0, and YB2-YB8 contacts. Finding YB4 to YB6 quite rare.

5 Lithuania stations award

New award from the European Ros Club, for working 5 stations on FT8 from Lithuania

Mt Wee Jasper VK2/ST-017

After activating Wee Jasper Nature Reserve, VKFF-2017, decided to go on and activate SOTA summit Mt Wee Jasper VK2/ST-017. Drove along Wee Jasper Rd, turning off to the left onto Wee Jasper Forest Rd. Then turned off to the left onto Pheasant Creek Rd. This used to take you through a dense pine forest. Not any more... most of the pine forest was now cleared. In fact could even see Mt Wee Jasper in the distance ahead.

Took the road on the left running around the side of Mt Wee Jasper. At the end of the road an area to turn, and a track marker for the Hume and Hovell walking track. Parked here.

After a short distance through the pines and into native forest.

Climbed along the walking track to the summit. Fairly steep but did not take long, around 15 minutes or so. Summit of Mt Wee Jasper at 1121 m.

Opposite the trig a couple of handy seats.

Set up the squid pole and radio on one of the seats and sat down to operate.

Got on 40m. Good mobile coverage so spotted myself on 7.090. Worked

VK7KPC, VK3SQ, VK2IO

A summit to summit with VK1DA/4 Andrew on VK4/SE-039 Kluvers Lookout. Weak but workable.

VK3GTV, VK5IS, VK3PF, VK5PAS, VK4NH, VK1AD

A surprising call from G0VWP, Terry in England on 40m... A good 4 by 4 signal.

VK3PMV, VK2CPO, VK3ADH, VK5AYL

Another summit to summit, with ZL4NVW Matt on ZL3/OT-413, weak but workable.

VK2CPH.

Packed up as getting cold and still some driving to do. Drove to Wee Jasper, then back to Canberra via Mountain Creek Rd, Fairlight Rd and Uriarra Rd. Got home about 6pm.

Wee Jasper Nature Reserve VKFF-2017

With a nice sunny day and a forecast of rain in the next few days decided to go out and activate a park. Wanted to go to a park I've not yet activated, Wee Jasper Nature Reserve, VKFF-2017. Drove to Yass first to fill up with cheapish fuel, then on to Wee Jasper. Stopped on the Southern outskirts of the village. 

On the map was marked the Hume and Hovell walking track, which runs through the Nature Reserve. At first could not see it, there was only a fence for the local rubbish tip... Then spotted the markers for the track, running down a path between the tip and a nearby farm fence.

Followed the path, with more track markers. At the back of the tip it followed the fence line of the farm. Disturbed a group of cows relaxing near some car wrecks...

The track eventually passed the farm and headed into Wee Jasper Nature Reserve. Walked in around 700m, following a dry creek for a while, then started climbing. As had good mobile coverage decided to set up in the bush off the track. Used a tree stump for squid pole mast support.

Operating spot. Map from Google Maps

Checked the antenna for resonance on 40m. A bit low in the band on 7.035 Mhz but fairly flat SWR across the band.

Radio on a nearby log, also a seat.

Got on 7.144 Mhz, just in time to hear VK4SMA/p Mark making final calls from park VKFF-1190 Bellthorpe National Park. Worked him for a park to park. After he went clear called CQ parks on 7.144 and got several hunters calling, most good strong signals.

VK3BBB, VK2CCP, VK2IO, VK3CA, VK7QP, VK4KC, VK4MAD, VK4DOG, VK3PF, VK3SQ, VK3MTT, VK5PAS, VK3ZLP, VK2VW, VK2HFI, VK3FIMD, VK5FANA.

Packed up and walked back to the car. As in the area decided to go activate SOTA summit Mt Wee Jasper, VK2/ST-017 next.
 

 

2 more Indonesian Awards

A couple more awards from the YB6DXC club. For working 30 YD/YG Prefixes

And for working 40 YB1 area stations. YB1 seems fairly easy to work in VK

2 Costa Rica stations award

Another award for working 2 Costa Rica stations, from the European Ros Club. Both worked on 10m, 1 in March and the next just recently. My only other contacts with Costa Rica were 2 on SSB back in 1989!

Turallo Nature Reserve VKFF-2750

With several stations out portable on Anzac day decided to also go out and activate a park. Returned to Turallo Nature Reserve, VKFF-2750 as only needed a few more contacts to reach 44 for a WWFF point.

Drove to Bungendore, then headed South on Ellendon St, which becomes Hoskinstown Rd as you leave town. The park is grassland on the right as you head South. Parked and walked through a gap in the fence into the park.

As per other activations used a park sign for squid pole support, with dipole ends tied to the nearby fence.

A quick check of the SWR using the Rig Expert Stick analyser, resonant close to 7.144 at 7.175Mhz, good to go.

Shack on the table.

Got on 40m. Band quite good. Started by chasing other parks first for park to park contacts

VK3TKK, AX3TKK Peter in VKFF-0972 Macedon Regional Park

AX3DL Dean inVKFF-2397 Mount Erip Flora Reserve

VK1ACE Rod on SOTA summit  VK2/SM-093 Livingstone Hill

VK2YK/5 Adam in VKFF-1683 Anstey Hill Recreation Park

Spotted myself on Parksnpeaks and got a steady stream of park hunters.

VK3FD, VK2IO, VK2LP, VK2EMS, VK2APC, VK3BBB, VK2CCP, VK2MET, VK1RF, VK2YAK, VK4YAK, VK2OKR,VK4KC, VK4MAD, VK4DOG, ZL1BQD, VK3ZPF, AX5PAS,VK4SMA, VK3CRG, VK3DEB, ZM1BQD, VK3CA, VK3GL/P, VK3VIN, VK3PF, VK2MI, VK7QP

Another park to park with VK2YK/5 Adam in a new park, VKFF-0867 Angove Conservation Park

VK5FBIC, VK3GJG, Vk2IJS, VK5HS, AX5HS, VK3ADH

By mid afternoon the weather had become quite overcast and looked ready to rain, so packed up and headed home.

VKFF Hunter Honour Roll 1050

Checked wwff.co website to find had reached 1050 different VKFF parks hunted. Here is the award.

Ulandra Nature Reserve VKFF-2009

After spending the Easter long weekend at Junee headed home to Canberra, on the way home stopped to activate a park, Ulandra Nature Reserve VKFF-2009. This is located near the locality of Bethungra.

Heading East, just before Bethungra, Burley Griffin Way turns to the North East, just before crossing a railway line. If you continue straight ahead to the East on a dirt road, Mahomets Road, you will reach a locked gate and the entrance to Ulandra Nature Reserve. Parked just before the gate. There is a side gate for pedestrians.

 Sign for the park just after the gate.

The track is Eulolo Trail

It was warm in the sun... Walked for a while up the hill looking for a suitable shady spot to operate from, stopped on the top of the hill where there was a shady area on the right.

Attached the squid pole to an old tree stump, where there was also a nearby log to sit on.

Operating spot. From Google Maps satellite view

Shack on the ground near the log seat

Got on 40m. First worked a couple of park to parks, VK2PCT Paul in VKFF-0558 Yellomundee Regional Park. Then VK2YAK Gavin in VKFF-2697 Pambalong Nature Reserve.

Able to spot myself on Parksnpeaks okay on 7.150. Conditions good. Worked

VK2BYF, VK2MOE, VK3BBB, VK2CCP, VK3ZPF, VK3JW, VK4SMA, VK5HAA, VK3ADH, VK2VH, VK4AAC, VK3ELH, VK3CA

Another park to park with VK3PF, Peter in VKFF-2200 Sweetwater Creek Nature Conservation Reserve.

VK3MCK, VK3MTT, VK3UCD.

My battery was getting low, so packed up. Headed home to Canberra.

Ingalba Nature Reserve VKFF-1940

While stopping at Junee over the Easter long weekend decided to activate a couple of parks close by. The first was Ingalba Nature Reserve, VKFF-1940. This is located about 8 Km West of Temora off Burley Griffin Way. There appear to be 3 tracks into the reserve, I took the one closest to Temora as seemed to be the most used. Sign for the park

 

After a short drive spotted a suitable stump for attaching the squid pole to. Satellite map of the operating spot, taken from Google Maps. The track is known as Entrance trail.

Station, squid pole mounted on a tree stump

Shack on the tarp

There were some mosquitoes around, but had some Rid repellant for protection.

Got on 40m. Found the band fairly quiet, suspect a CME had wiped out a lot of the close by signals, as most were distant.

Found VK2YK Adam activating a silo, VK-MGL5, Magill silo, weak but workable.

Had good mobile coverage here so able to spot on Parksnpeaks. Worked on 40m

ZL1BQD,

VK2VW, VK2HFI

VK3BBB, VK2CCP

VK3PF

VK5FANA

VK4KC, VK4MAD, VK4DOG

As had another park to do nearby, Combaning SCA ,VKFF-1305, packed up and headed off to this park. Sorry forgot to take photos so no blog for this park.

SIOTA - Harden Silo VK-HRN2

While travelling to Harden for the Easter long weekend, stopped at Harden to do a Silo activation. SIOTA, or Silos on the Air is a fairly new portable radio activity, requiring getting in a 1 Km radius of a Silo and activating it on the radio. The ACT where I live has no Silos... so something new for me.

Found the Harden silo easily enough off Albury St, the main street of Harden. This Silo is painted with  silo art. The SIOTA reference is VK-HRN2

A better view of the art from the side street. Note there is a fence, you cannot walk right up to the silo as private property.

Looked for a nearby place to operate from. Just over the road a sports oval, Roberts Park. This was easily in the 1 Km radius of the silo. Map from the Silos on the Air website.

 Set up on the edge of the oval. Dipole tied up to a railing.

Shack on the tarp. Nice but did get warm out in the sun as no shade.

Got on 40m. As expected in a town quite a bit of electrical RF noise, around S7. Probably should have moved...

Spotted myself on ParksnPeaks, worked

VK2IO, VK3PF

VK2HRX/7 Compton on SOTA summit VK7/NE-001

VK2KBB, VK2MOE, VK5FB, VK5HAA, VK5WG, VK3AMO, VK2FW, VK4NH, VK4DXA, VK2NN. Most good strong signals, just as well as had to copy them over the noise.

As getting warn in the sun and travelling with my partner, did not want to spend too long, so packed up and continued driving on to Junee for the Easter break.

5 Cuban stations awards

Some more awards, for working 5 Cuban stations on digital mode. From FT8DMC Digital Mode Club

From the ERC, European Ros Club

Indonesian YB6_DMC Digital Modes Awards for YB Prefixes

Received a heap of new awards offered by the YB6_DMC Digital Modes Club. There are awards for each Indonesian Call Area, YB0 to YB9

For YB0 (Jakarta) 10 contacts

YB1 (West Java / Banten) 10 contacts

YB1 (West Java / Banten) 20 contacts

YB1 (West Java / Banten) 30 contacts

YB2 (Central Java) 10 contacts

YB2 (Central Java) 20 contacts

YB3 (East Java) 10 contacts

YB4, YB5 and YB6 are on the island of Sumatera. I don't have enough contacts yet to qualify for their awards.

YB7 (Borneo) 10 contacts

YB8 (Celebes,Moluccas) 10 contacts

YB8 (Celebes,Moluccas) 20 contacts

YB9 (Bali, West Nusa Tenggara, East Nusa Tenggara, Papua 10 contacts

YB9 (Bali, West Nusa Tenggara, East Nusa Tenggara, Papua 20 contacts

YB9 (Bali, West Nusa Tenggara, East Nusa Tenggara, Papua 30 contacts