1500 VKFF Hunter Honour Roll Award

 Checking Logsearch found I had reached 1500 VKFF parks hunted.

Chiltern-Mount Pilot National Park VKFF-0620

After stopping overnight in Albury continued my drive to Bendigo for the VKFF Get Together weekend. As Chiltern-Mount Pilot National Park was on the way turned off to the Hume Hwy to activate it mid-morning. Followed the signs to the park, drove to Honeyeater Picnic Area.

Some picnic tables here, although the wrong shape for attaching a squid pole to. Ended up strapping the squid pole to a wooden bollard in the car park and using my own table and chair.

Shack on the table. Dipole legs out to some nearby trees.

Location in the park. Map from Google Maps

Got on 40m. In good shape. Worked

VK3SG

VK2IO/P VK2GEZ Gerard in VKFF-4814 Congupna H49 B.R. Natural Features Reserve

VK3VIN, VK3WSG, VK2VW/VK2HFI/VK2AKA/VK2BUG, VK3DWL, VK3ZSC, VK5CFW, VK3APJ, VK3PF/VK3KAI, VK2VAR/VK2GOM, VK3DL, VK2USH, VK2RK, VK2LEE

As still some distance to drive packed up and headed to Shepparton for lunch.

Woomargama National Park VKFF-0547

Heading down to Bendigo for the VKFF get together weekend I activated a few parks along the way. After lunch at Holbrook stopped off to activate Woomargama National Park VKFF-0547. Turned off the Hume Hwy onto Woomargama Way. Reached the small settlement of Woomargama. Turned off onto Tunnel Road. Followed Tunnel Road for about 10 km, reaching the Tunnel Road picnic area in Woomargama National Park.

Sign for the picnic area.

Picnic area. A single large, shaded picnic table.

A sign for Dannys Loop Walk from the picnic area. A restored gravel quarry.

Set up the radio on the table. Used one of the nearby wooden bollards to support the squid pole.

Radio on the table.

Got on 40m. Signals were fair if a bit low, lots of QSB. Worked

VK3PF/VK3KAI, VK1AO/VK2MET, VK3CEO, VK3SQ/VK2BD, VK3AMO, VK2XD, VK3NCR.

After working VK3NCR he just faded away. Checked the 40m band, it was completely dead. Checked higher bands, also completely dead. Looked like a solar CME or similar had hit. Luckily had 10 contacts to qualify the park for VKFF.

Packed up and headed to Albury for the evening. 

100 Countries confirmed on 17m in QRZ logbook

Noticed I've now got 100 countries confirmed in the QRZ Logbook award for 17m. Another Gold star!

I guess 20m is the next band to aim at 100. Although with only 83 it will take a while to achieve.

Antarctica Award

Another award from the European Ros Club, worked 2 stations in Antarctica. From working RI1ANE and VK0HZ.