SOTA Bald Mountain VK2/SM-052

After activating Big Badja Hill VK2/SM-059 drove back to Badja Rd, then drove a short distance South to turn off onto the Slap Up Firetrail on the right. Note that on this side of the Badga Rd you are in Gourock National Park, WWFF reference VKFF-0212.

Drove along Slap Up Firetrail until reaching the access track to Bald Mountain communications tower. Locked gate here. Parked and walked to the tower a short distance down the road.

Not sure why called Bald Mountain as there are plenty of trees here... Just behind the communications tower set up the squid pole on the trig.

Looking back the other way. The fence to the communcations complex on the left. Whatever radio was in there didn't affect me on the HF Amateur bands at all.

Shack on the tarp and my pack. As only a short walk in I used my TS480 radio for a bit more power, set to 40w output. A tree stump made for a handy seat.

Got on 40m. Band not too bad now, NVIS to close by VK2 and VK3 working fine. Worked chasers in VK2, VK3, VK4, VK5 and VK7.

After 40m dried up went to 20m. I found 14.310 Mhz vacant and spotted myself. Just before I was about to call heard another CQ SOTA call going out on this frequency. A check on SOTAwatch saw myself and Warren ZL2AJ had both spotted ourselves on the same frequency at the same time!
Worked him for an S2S, he was on ZL1/WL-097 Mt Munro, around a 57 signal.

I respotted myself 5 Khz up... but no answers to my calls. Got a Lo battery warning on the TS480, indicating my LifePO4 8700 maH battery was on the way out, so packed up and drove back home to Canberra.

List of stations worked. Note after this 8 point summit I've reached 999 activator points, 1 more to go for Mountain Goat 😊 To do one of the local VK1 1 point summits the next day.

Time	Call	Band	Mode	Notes
02:26z	VK3LED	7MHz	SSB	s58 r57
02:28z	VK3CAT	7MHz	SSB	s58 r46
02:30z	VK7CW	7MHz	SSB	s58 r46
02:31z	VK5IS	7MHz	SSB	s55 r54
02:33z	VK2IO	7MHz	SSB	s59 r57
02:34z	VK3ANL	7MHz	SSB	s59 r46
02:35z	VK3FPSR	7MHz	SSB	s58 r58
02:36z	VK3FLCS	7MHz	SSB	s58 r58
02:38z	VK3TST	7MHz	SSB	s57 r57
02:40z	VK4RF	7MHz	SSB	s55 r53
02:40z	VK4HA	7MHz	SSB	s55 r53
02:41z	VK3ARH	7MHz	SSB	s57 r53
02:42z	VK5FAKV	7MHz	SSB	s58 r57
02:43z	VK3ZPF	7MHz	SSB	s59 r57
02:44z	VK3GGG	7MHz	SSB	s55 r53
02:44z	VK3PMG	7MHz	SSB	s55 r53
02:45z	VK2YK	7MHz	SSB	s59 r57
02:47z	VK3RW	7MHz	SSB	s58 r57
02:51z	VK3BHR	7MHz	SSB	s58 r55
02:52z	VK5EE	7MHz	SSB	s58 r53
02:55z	VK5MBD	7MHz	SSB	s55 r53
03:00z	ZL2AJ/P	14MHz	SSB	s57 r41 s2s ZL1/WL-097

SOTA VK2/SM-052 Bald Mountain

After activating VK2/SM-059 Big Badja Hill drove back down Badja Fire Trail to Badja Road, then drove on for a few Km until coming to Slap Up Fire Trail on the right

Drove along Slap Up Fire Trail to the summit. Unsealed and steep in places but should be okay for 2WD vehicles, easy compared to Badja Fire Trail. Reached the gate to the short road to the summit on the left.

For SOTA 25 m rule drove a bit further down the road and parked on the side. Quite a large flat activation zone so had to go a few hundred metres along the road. Walked back and to the summit site.

A communications tower with the trig behind it. Set up the squid pole on the trig. No problems with interference from the radio tower nearby.

Shack on the tarp at the base of the trig. Not the most comfortable operating spot, ground rocky. At least it was in the shade...

Got on 40 m. Usual chasers from VK1, VK2 and VK3 with good strong signals. Got called by Andrew VK1NAM/2 on VK2/HU-093, Mt Elliot, on the way home from the Wyong Field Day. Also worked Andrew VK1DA/2 and Paul VK1ATP/2 with him.

After 40 m dried up went to 20 m. Only 1 contact, Nev VK5WG, no one else.
Packed up and headed home.

Note this summit is in Gourock National Park, for WWFF award purposes it is VKFF-212

Track log of drive/walk.