Mulligans Flat Nature Reserve VKFF-0855

With a nice mild sunny day in Canberra decided to get out and do a WWFF park activation. I returned to Mulligans Flat Nature Reserve, VKFF-0855. Had not been there since 2019, and another activation for the Boomerang Award.

Drove along Mulligans Flat Rd, turning left at the roundabout just before the ACT-NSW border. There is an access point here for horses onto the Bicentennial National Trail on the left. Sign for Little Mulligans, the Northern section of Mulligans Flat Nature Reserve

A close up of the map on the sign

Carried my gear into the park and set up, using the horse gate support for the squid pole support. 

Table in the shade under a tree

FT857D with the power pack on the table

Tested the SWR on 40m. Resonating a little high in the band but okay to use. Dipole is fairly broad anyway.

Got on 40 m and spotted myself on 7.144 on ParksnPeaks.  A steady stream of callers

VK2VW/VK2HFI, VK2IO, VK2LX, VK1RF/2, VK3DAE.

A park to park with VK3BEZ Peter in VKFF-2384 Merrimans Creek Flora Reserve

VK3ANL, VK3VIN, VK2YPU, VK3EBM/m, VK3SMW, VK3AQU, VK3ACZ, VK3FTOM, VK2EXA.

Tried 20 m. a couple of contacts, VK1AD Andrew and VK5HAA John.

Packed up and headed home for afternoon tea.

4 Singapore Stations Award

After working a 9V1 Singapore station on 30m this morning, found had qualified for a Singapore award for working 4 Singapore stations from the YB6_DXC club.

Aranda Bushland Nature Reserve VKFF-0833

With a nice sunny Sunday decided to activate a park. Decided to revisit Aranda Bushland Nature Reserve, VKFF-0833, as not far from home and easy access off Bindubi St. To count towards the Boomerang award point for the park.

Parked off Bindubi St before William Hovell Drive near a walking track into the reserve. Sign for the park. The mountain in the background is Black Mountain, the one with the tower on top if you have been to Canberra. Headed off to the fence line on the right to set up.

Squid pole attached to the fence. I had to drop the pole a bit to avoid the tree overhead, probably only around 6m high. A good spot out of the sun.

Looking the other way. The cars were moving, Bindubi St is a busy road. Was not too noisy where I operated.

Checked the antenna with the Rig Expert stick. A bit low resonance spot on the band at 7.070 Mhz but so broadband did not really matter.

Shack on the table. Power from my Companion 40aH power pack, so ran the FT857D at 50w.

Worked a few parks before settling on my own frequency.

VK3PF Peter in VKFF-2384 Merrimans Creek Flora Reserve

VK3ZPF Peter at VK-CHE3 Chum Creek Silo

VK2EG in VKFF-3102 The Hunter Lakes Flora Reserve

Spotted on Parksnpeaks on 7.167 Mhz. Worked lots of park hunters

VK2GMC/P, VK2MET/VK1AO, VK2VW/VK2HFI, VK4FW/VK8MM, VK3JE, VK2EXA, VK2NP, VK2EX, VK2FRKA, VK7JU/3, VK3AMO, VK1CHW

Another Park to park with VK2IO Gerard in VKFF-1881 Agnes Banks Nature Reserve

then VK2TER James in VKFF-0550 Wyrrabalong National Park

Packed up and headed home for afternoon tea.

12 Days of QRZ Award

I recently noticed QRZ.com advertising a new award, for logging QRZ Logbook confirmed contacts on 12 days from 1st December 2022 to the 28th February 2023, or the American winter. A play on the 12 days of Christmas 😀

Fairly easy to do, just make some QSOs and ensure at least one confirms in QRZ logbook. I sync my QRZ logbook with LOTW to confirm contacts. After 17 days had qualified for the award. A badge on my QRZ page

The days QSOs confirmed. Note I mainly work 10m FT8. Just a matter of working enough stations each day with at least one confirming on LOTW. Mainly Japanese contacts, an endless supply on 10m.

1000 FT8DMC Members Award

Another award for working 1000 FT8DMC members. From the FT8 Digital Mode Club, FT8DMC.

1150 VKFF Hunter Honour Roll Award

Qualified for another VKFF hunter award, for working 1150 parks. Thanks to park activators.

WWFF 10th Anniversary Hunter Awards

Received a couple of awards for hunting parks during the WWFF 10th Anniversary weekend.

5 parks hinted

10  parks hunted

25 Greek stations award FT8DMC

Another award for working 25 Greek stations, this one from the FT8DMC