SOTA Mogood Lookout VK2/SC-049

Headed down the NSW South Coast to Ulladulla for a few days to escape the Canberra cold. Decided to activate a SOTA summit on the way,  Mogood Lookout VK2/SC-049. Been a while since I last activated it in 2019, wanted to see what happened to it after the 2019-2020 summer bushfires.

After driving down to Batemans Bay and lunch headed along the Princes Hwy to Ulladulla, turning off onto the Old Princes Hwy, an unsealed road but still an easy drive. Turned left off onto Barkshed Rd, then the River Rd. Crossed over Shallow Crossing, a large water ford over the Clyde River. Luckily the river level was low so no issues. After crossing the river turned right onto Backhouse Rd, which becomes Clyde Ridge Rd. Reached the Cattlemans firetrail, a sign here for the lookout.

A short steepish climb up to the lookout. The large tree on the summit had died in the fire, but the trig was still okay, if a little beat up. The name plate Mogood no longer readable.

Still good views here. Looking North to the Budawang ranges

Looking South East to the coast. 

Set up the squid pole on the trig. As had a table and chair a very comfy SOTA activation.

FT857D on the table.

Got on 40m on 7.090Mhz, SOTA call frequency.  Easy to spot, good mobile signal here. Worked

VK1AO, VK2IO/VK2GEZ, VK1AD,

VK2TER in VKFF-2783 Parramatta River Regional Park

VK2VAR/VK2GOM, VK5TUX, VK7XX, VK3PF, VK3SG.

A summit to Summit with VK7FADZ Stuart on VK7/WC-013 Mount Field East.

VK2MOE in VKFF-1320 Goodiman State Conservation Area

Tried 30m. Worked VK2YW/mobile, VK3PF/VK3KAI, VK3ZPF.

Tried 20m, no answers to my calls. Packed up and headed to Ulladulla for the night. Took about an hour on dirt roads even though not that far away.

SOTA Mogood Lookout VK2/SC-049 and WWFF Bimberamala National Park VKFF-0032

Spending a long weekend holiday down the South Coast of NSW with my partner, decided to revisit a SOTA peak I've done before, Mogood VK2/SC-049 and also activate nearby WWFF park Bimberamala National Park VKFF-0032.

Drove to Nelligen, then took the River Road following the Clyde River upstream. Turned off onto Backhouse Rd, and joined Clyde Ridge Rd. There is a sign on the left to Mogood Lookout. The road up is a little steep but doable in a 2WD. There is a circular gravel turning circle around the trig. Sadly with lots of graffiti since my last visit.

There is a nearby solitary tree, otherwise the scrub is cleared around the lookout. Note the trig is not in Bimberamala National Park, it is just outside it.

Set up the squid pole on a small stump near the tree. Dipole legs tied to a couple of nearby saplings.

Shack on and near the stump. The esky was used to anchor the base of the squid pole to stop it sliding and toppling over...

Got on 40 m. Able to spot myself as good mobile coverage. Worked the following

VK2IO
VK3FPSR
VK4NH, VK4DXA, ZL4TY/VK4
VK4TJ
VK5FANA

Most signals had lots of rapid QSB. As qualified for SOTA packed up and headed down the hill the way I came up. Don't drive down the other 2 roads down from here, they are rough 4WD tracks!

Took a minor track, CattleMans Firetrail and drove along it until seeing a sign for Bimberamala National Park

Set up near the sign in the bush. Operating spot, map from Protected Planet website

Shack on a log

Got on 40 m, worked a couple of park to parks first

VK3XV/5 Tony in VKFF-1006
VK3PF/p Peter in VKFF-2410

Then spotted myself and worked the following park hunters

ZL1TM
VK3ANL
VK5DW
VK2MOP
VK3ZPF
VK4CZ
VK3MPR
VK3UH
VK7QP

Having made enough contacts to qualify the park for VKFF, packed up and headed back to our accommodation on the coast.

SOTA Activation Mogood Lookout VK2/SC-049

Looked like a nice day down the South Coast so decided to activate a couple of minor SOTA peaks. VK2/SC-049 Mogood and VK2/SC-050 Mt Boyne

These are both in a large forested area North of Batemans Bay running up to Morton National Park. From Canberra drove down the Kings Highway part way down Clyde Mountain , turning into Black Flat Rd. Then  The River Road, Drurys Rd and Clyde Ridge Rd. Just before Mogood noticed a sign for Bimberamala National Park

Stopped at the turnoff to Mogood Lookout and started walking, about 40m below the summit.

A steep walk up the road, but not long.

Reached the Lookout. There is a Trig in a nice grassy area and a gum tree nearby. Panoramic 360 degree views. Looking West to the Clyde Range

Mogood Trig

Tied the squid pole to the trig and ran one leg of the 40m dipole out to the tree, the other to a small sapling on the other side.

Looking North to the Budawangs

Set up the shack at the base of the trig. Not much shade, used the trig to keep the sun off the FT817.

Got on 40m. Most signals were good, probably helps to have a top operating spot like this...S2S contacts with Peter VK3PF on VK2/RI-006, Andrew VK1NAM on Mt Stromlo, VK3KAB Kevin and VK3ATB Trevor on Mt Tamboritha. Also worked Paul VK5PAS in Scott Conservation Park. Made 13 contacts before the sun got too much and packed it in around noon. Track log of drive only, hand held GPS had flat batteries...