Another award from the FT8 Digital Mode Club, for Working 20 Chinese Provinces.
A blog about Amateur Radio callsign VK1DI Ian's activities on the Amateur Radio bands, mostly Summits On the Air (SOTA) and World Wide Flora and Fauna (WWFF) portable activities.
Friday, 30 September 2022
Tuesday, 27 September 2022
US Counties map on Gridtracker
Recently the 10m band has had good openings to the USA, and as have Worked All States now looking for contacts into new US Counties.
Discovered the program GridTracker allows you to view maps of different awards, including US Counties.
Here is my map of US counties worked. 626 counties worked, 599 confirmed. Need 2594...
Note the large counties on the West coast, fairly easy to work in VK. The East coast is spotty, places like Florida filling in nicely. I have also completed the 3 counties in Delaware. There is a line in the middle of the USA where I have worked few counties. It runs through North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma and Western Texas. This is more to do with a small population density rather than a lack of amateurs. Im guessing a rain shadow from the West Coast mountains blocks rainfall to this area, and not much rain comes across from the East, so hard to farm. A bit like central Australia.
A map of average precipitation shows the same line down the middle of the US. Map from Wikipedia
I get the same pattern looking at US Grids. Some rare ones to look out for.
Sunday, 25 September 2022
Jarramlee Grassland Nature Reserve VKFF-3180
Sunday afternoon was nice and sunny, so decided to head out and activate a park, before more rain later in the week. Returned to Jarramlee Grassland Nature Reserve VKFF-3180. Last activation I made 18 contacts, so needed another 24 to qualify for WWFF.
As per last activation parked off Hugh Mackay Cres in Dunlop and walked past a locked boom gate along the road to the park. On the way I stuck a bit of an obstacle, more on that later...
Sign for the park
I headed to the trees on the left, going a bit further away this time from the power lines as they generated some noise last spot. Set up the squid pole on a stump.
Saturday, 24 September 2022
Tuesday, 20 September 2022
Molonglo River Reserve VKFF-3184
With a nice sunny afternoon decided to do a park activation, as forecast of rain for the next few days. Returned to nearby Molonglo River Nature Reserve, VKFF-3184. Last activation made 30 contacts, so just needed another 14 contacts for the 44. For something different accessed the park at another point off Stockdill Dr in Holt. A new looking sign for the park.
Access point into the park, a gate for walkers and a management road running along the boundary of the reserve.
Followed the road for a while, when I reached a bend set up the dipole on one of the fence posts. Note my replacement squid pole from Haverford, a 6m white pole. The 7m ones were sold out so this will have to do until they get more stock.
Looking back the other way. Dipole legs supported on a small gum tree and the fence.
Looking down the slope to the West and the Molonglo River below.
Operating spot. map from Openstreetmaps
Tested the 40m dipole, good SWR at 7.113 Mhz.
Shack on the tarp. FT857 set to 30W.
Got on 40m. Worked VK4FW/VK8MM, VK4TJ, VK2MET/VK1AO, VK2AX, VK3ZPF/VK3JW.
A park to park with VK3BEZ, Peter using a club call in VKFF-0626 Morwell National Park. Also another call of his, VK3KAI
VK3MCA, VK2NJR, VK2IO, VK1AD/VK1NAM, VK3FABS/P
Tried 20m, but no calls.
Returned to 40m, and worked a few more
VK2HDN/P, VK2HHA. Made 18 contacts so with the 30 before qualified for WWFF.
As time for afternoon tea, packed up and drove home, about 10 minutes away.
Sunday, 11 September 2022
Melrose Nature Reserve VKFF-3183
With a sunny Sunday decided to get out and activate another WWFF park. Went to a newly added park, Melrose Nature Reserve
The park is located on the Eastern side of the Monaro Highway opposite Chisholm, Calwell and Theodore. Looking on a map, the easiest access appeared to be from a car park at the start of Old Tuggeranong Rd, where there is a Paintball game area. There is a locked gate across Old Tuggeranong Rd here but easy to pass through for walkers.
The road runs South for a while then swings to the East. Saw a gate and sign for Melrose Nature Reserve
Headed into the reserve and up a small hill nearby. View at the top looking SouthWest towards Tuggeranong Hill.
There was a survey marker on the top of the hill, TG218. TG for Tuggeranong. Looking on the net later found it was used for the original survey plans for Tuggeranong.
Looked like a good spot to set up, with a log nearby for a seat. Strapped the squid pole to the survey marker and set up the linked dipole. Quite a strong wind but it held up.
Radio on the nearby log
Got on 40m. I tried to catch VK3TUN on 7.165 in a park, but he had just gone clear. Then VK3PF, Peter called looking for him too, so worked Peter, also in a park VKFF-0976 Shepparton Regional Park
Worked VK3ZPF, then another P2P with VK4AAC/VK2VH Rob in VKFF-2498 Yarrara Flora and Fauna Reserve
Then VK3BEL, VK3APJ, VK2IO/m, VK3ZSC, VK3DL, VK2LP/VK2EMS, VK3UH, VK3PWG, VK4SMA, VK2NP, VK5PAS.
Chased VK1ACE Rod on a SOTA summit, VK2/SM-052 Bald Mountain which is also in VKFF-0212 Gourock National Park
VK3TUN in VKFF-2399 Mount Jeffcott Flora and Fauna Reserve
After 40m contacts dried up went to 20m. Worked
ZL4NVW, OM0R, VK6NU.
Returned to 40m for a few more contacts. Worked
VK3ANL, VK2PKT, VK4FW/VK8MM, VK3GB, VK5FANA, VK2YK/VK5GA, VK3LSR, VK4NH/VK4DXA, VK2MET/VK1AO, VK7JS, VK1TTY, VK3UAO, VK5FB.
During operating the strong wind cracked my squid pole at the base, lashed it up with electrical tape, held out okay but I will need to get another pole... I have gone through a few over the years.
With 39 contacts in the log was getting late and packed up, so will return to get the 44 some time.
Thursday, 8 September 2022
Monday, 5 September 2022
South Korean Awards from YB6DXC
YB6DXC recently released awards for working South Korean stations on digital modes, for 5 to 30 stations. Qualified for all of them.
Sunday, 4 September 2022
5 Band Worked All Continents Award
I recently worked ZR6CV on 15m FT8, giving me a contact into Africa, the last continent I needed on 15m for Worked All Continents. This in turn meant I have contacted all continents on the 5 main HF bands, 10, 15, 20, 40 and 80m so made 5 Band WAC.
There is award for 5 Band WAC from the European Ros Club, here it is.
YB6DXC Japan Awards
The YB6DXC group recently released a heap of awards for contacting stations from Japan on FT8, ranging from 10 up to 300 contacts. As I have worked over 800 Japanese stations I qualified for them all...
Thursday, 1 September 2022
2022 National Wattle Day Red Hill Nature Reserve VKFF-0860
1st September is National Wattle Day, with an award for activating a VKFF park from Paul VK5PAS. Afternoon headed to one of the Canberra Nature Parks, Red Hill Nature Reserve, VKFF-0860. Sign for the park off Gowrie Dr, with a wattle nearby...
Drove to the first lookout, overlooking Parliament House and walked West until reaching and jumping over a gate into the reserve. Some nice wattle displays out now
Set up the squid pole on a disused telephone access point, quite old as marked "PMG" for Post Master General, this has not existed for many years...
Looking back the other way. Used a small wattle tree for one of the dipole legs support.
Looking down the hill at the station. Note Parliament House below, also the Australian War Memorial and Mount Ainslie in the distance.
Operating spot. Map from Openstreetmap. Parliament house just down the hill.
Station on the telephone junction access cover. It was flat but not that comfortable after sitting a while...