SOTA Mt Cowangerong VK2/ST-001

After activating Mt Tumanang VK2/SM-049 headed for nearby Mt Cowangerong, VK2/ST-001, the Captains Flat BOM rain radar site. Parked near the start of the side road off Cowangerong Fire Trail and walked the short distance to the site.

Didn't set up too close to the radar, it is a QRM generator on HF... used the spot I used last time just down the road to the North of the site, using a gas pipeline warning sign for squid pole support. Dipole legs up and down the road.

Shack on the tarp just off the road.

Got on 40 m and spotted myself. First call was Wade VK1FWBD/p still on Mt Taylor VK1/AC-037. He was packing up and saw my spot so got back on for the S2S contact.

Went on to work the regular chasers, from VK1, VK2, VK3, VK4 and VK7. Most good signals.

A WWFF park contact with Neil VK4HNS/p in VKFF-0546 Wondul Range National Park. Not a park to park contact though as I was outside the boundary of Tallaganda National Park.

Tried 20 m, one contact only with the usual ZL chaser John ZL1BYZ.

Packed up after 23 contacts and headed home.

SOTA Mt Cowangerong VK2/ST-001

After activating SOTA peak South Black Range VK2/ST-006 drove to Captains Flat for lunch, then proceeded to Mt Cowangerong, VK2/ST-001.

Turned off Captains Flat Road onto the Cowangerong Fire Trail. Sign for Tallanganda National Park here.

Note the sign is on the right side of the road. The park does not extend to the other side of the road which is Tallaganda state forest, and the actual summit is not even in state forest, but its own rectangle of land. So you can't activate the peak and the park at once. Here is a screenshot from the Six Maps website showing park boundaries.

Got to the turnoff to Mt Cowangerong and parked here on the right off the road.

Carried my gear up the short access road, including a heavy TS-480... glad not too far. Reached the Mt Cowangerong radar, this is the Bureau of Meteorology's rain radar for the Canberra area.

I know from experience anywhere near the radar is QRM central... so moved back down the access road until finding a suitable squid pole support, in this case a sign warning of buried high voltage cables. Strung out the 40m dipole along the road. Didn't worry about 80 m this time as not a good time of day for it.

Close up of the sign. Shack on a tarp just off the road.

Shack on the tarp. Set my TS-480 to around 50W output as conditions were still poor.

Got on 20m as figured better at this time of day. Started with a good signal from John ZL1BYZ, then Matt VK1MA a surprising strong S7. Probably on ground wave on 20m.

After Matt surprised to get called by Ron VK3AFW/2 doing a multi-operator activation of Pilot Reef Mountain, VK2/SW-021. He was fairly weak but clear, and probably on ground wave around 110 Km away to my West. The other operators there also grabbed me for S2S contacts, Compton VK2HRX/p, Allen VK3ARH/2. Then worked another ZL, Warren ZL2AJ.

Contacts dried up on 20m so switched the links to 40m. Started by working Karl VK2GKA/p in VKFF-0334 Morton National Park near Goulburn. Worked more of the usual chasers in VK2, VK4, VK5 and VK7. Got a few more of the VK2/SW-021 activators, Phil VK3BHR/2 and Ken VK3KIM/2. Signal similar to 20m, maybe a little stronger. Had a very weak contact with Andrew VK2UH at Yass, still NVIS conditions poor. Brett VK2VW in Northern NSW a good signal.

Packed up, stopped at Captains Flat for afternoon tea, then headed home.

SOTA Mt Cowangerong

After activating Mt Foxlow drove to Captains Flat then on to Mt Cowangerong. I have activated this peak before as have several others, a nice easy 8 pointer, with winter bonus points now as well.

Despite the signs the summit is NOT in Tallaganda National Park, its only of the right hand side of the road, so can't claim it for WWFF points while activating.

Parked below the summit and walked into the activation zone. Approaching the BOM Canberra weather radar

This is known to be a noisy RF site, so set up in the scrub at the southern end of the clearing, in fact used the same stump as last time. Legs of the dipole end on to the radar to reduce noise.

Used the nearby log for a shack and seat. Caught the last of the sun for a bit of warmth, almost 3:20 pm when I finally got on air and temperature starting to drop as the sun set.

Started on 40 m with a couple of S2Ss, Marshall VK3MRG on VK3/VN-004 and Andrew VK3ARR on VK3/VC-022.

Then usual crowd of chasers from VK1, VK2, VK3 and VK5. VK5 signals coming in nicely. Switched to 20 m link, worked my usual chaser VK6MB Mike. Then called for a while with no luck, despite many strong signals from Europe on the band.

Gave it away around 4 pm and packed up and headed home before the sun set. 23 contacts.

Cowangerong VK2/ST-001

As the weather today looked better than the forecast decided to go for an activation after lunch, to Mt Cowangerong in the nearby Tallaganda National Park. Drove out to Queanbeyan, then the Kings Highway, Captains Flat Road to Captains Flat. Then took the Braidwood road to the East and stopped when I got to the Cowangerong Firetrail.

As wanted a walk stopped here and walked along the firetrail, about 2.6Km. Fairly easy going. Could have driven if I wanted to.

About 300m from the summit there is a smaller fire trail branching off to the left. Took this up to the summit.

Got to the summit, a large, cleared area with the BOM weather radar in the middle.

There were the remains of the Mt Cowangerong trig at the base of the radar complex. The post with the vanes attached on the ground near the rocky cairn.

I had heard Andrew, VK1NAM had problems with interference from the radar when he activated here, so decided to operate on the opposite side of the clearing, just into the bush, to get away from it. Used a stump to support the squid pole. Ran the dipole legs out to some trees. Dipole facing end on to the radar.

Used a log as a seat and shack table

Got on 40m and got mobbed by the usual crowd of chasers...After the crowd died down tried 2m FM from the handheld with Andrew VK1NAM in Canberra and Andrew VK2UH in Yass. Managed to just make a contact with VK1NAM, after moving about a bit. I could hear Andrew VK2UH ok with his beam and high power, just couldn't get heard back on my puny 5w handheld and whip...must get a better 2m antenna for activating. Also heard Al, VK1RX but he didn't hear me.

After 40m died off tried getting on 20m. Lots of big signals in a contest, had trouble finding a spot. Tried 14.330Mhz but no reply to my calls, even after spotting myself. Packed up and headed home, 21 contacts made. Track log of walk