SOTA Mt Mundoonen VK2/ST-053

On Sunday the weather was supposed to be raining, however looked like a fine day so my partner and I headed out to Yass for a day trip. After lunch in Yass headed to nearby Mt Mundoonen for a SOTA activation. Drove up to the top and set up the squid pole on a small gum tree just off the road. It was quite windy and was seeking to get out of the wind, the trig was too much out in the open.

Closer view of the operating spot. As had the car nearby had taken my table and chairs

Rig on the table. The blue gizmo is a recently purchased RigExpert Stick 230 antenna analyzer. I tested my 40m dipole, resonant on 7.2 Mhz so a bit high up the band. Anyway good enough for use, will have to re-tune it another day.

Got on 40 m. After spotting myself on 7.090 Mhz got ZL1BYZ, John, so a good start working New Zealand. Went on to work:

VK4TJ 

Zl2ATH 

VK3ARH/m

ZL1WA

VK1MA Matt on ground wave from Canberra

VK7LTD

VK5AYL

VK2IO Gerard. He was very weak and gave me a 32 report, I had him 41. No NVIS to Sydney...

As the wind was strong and quite cold gave it away and headed home.

SOTA Mt Mundoonen VK2/ST-053

With a nice sunny Sunday decided to revisit a couple of easy summits in the Yass region to the North of Canberra, Mt Mundoonen and Bobbara Mountain. First drove to Mt Mundoonen to the East of Yass, as per other activations parked near the start of the road up to the summit.

Walked up the road. After a few bends and about a 15 minute walk reached the top. Air Navigation VLF beacon for Yass here.

Set up the squid pole on the trig. Ran out the legs of the 20/40 m linked dipole.

View of the station from the road

Radio shack on the concrete base of the trig

Got on 40 m. Signals quite good from VK2, VK3, VK5 and VK7, although quite a bit of QSB. Made a WWFF contact with Paul VK5PAS/2 activating Lane Cove National Park, VKFF-0281 in Sydney, nice signal from his portable setup.

Tried going to 20 m but no replies, despite spotting myself there. A tune around the band seemed to indicate it was just dead...so returned to 40m.

Managed to make a summit to summit contact with Mal VK3MEL/P on VK3/VS-018. Must have been heard by Gerard VK2IO as he put up a spot he was looking for me, so got on 7.085 and spotted myself, and worked him.

A few more contacts on 40 m, gave it away around noon and packed up, headed into Yass for lunch.
A total of 17 contacts.

SOTA Mt Mundoonen VK2/ST-053

Decided to do a loop drive out to Yass, activating VK2/ST-053 Mt Mundoonen in the morning, have lunch at Yass, then South West of Yass to activate VK2/ST-017 Mt Wee Jasper before heading home to North Canberra.

As per my previous activation of Mt Mundoonen parked on the side of the old Hume Highway and walked up the highway trail to the summit.

Around 15 minutes later reached the trig at the summit.

Used the trig to support the 7 m squid pole, and ran out both 20/40 m and 6/10 m linked dipoles.

Set up the SOTA shack on the concrete base of the trig, sitting on my mouse mat for some comfort.

After some fiddling about with my watch (daylight saving had just ended) got on 40 m on 7.090 Mhz. Started by working Andrew VK1NAM, then we both saw a new spot for Kevin VK3KAB/P on 7.095 Mhz on VK3/VE-024, so quickly worked Kevin for an S2S contact before starting a pile up on 7.090...

Usual chasers, some out portable on the Easter long weekend. Signals fairly strong, band in good shape. Several called me for a 2nd contact after UTC rollover at 10 am.

Made one 2 m contact on the hand held to Peter VK2FPMC in Yass, 10 km away.

Tried 20 m. Worked Nev VK5WG, who I could barely copy on 40 m with a good S8 signal, 20 m does seem to work better over the 1000 km path. Worked Tome VK5EE and Paul VK5PAS both with great S9+ signals. A weak contact with Andrew VK1NAM, and a fair contact with Anthony VK6MAC. Worked David VK4DD with a good S8 signal.

Just about to pack up, heard Marc VK3OHM/P doing a WWFF Parks activation of French Island National Park, VKFF-622. As a rarely activated park hastily switched back to 40 m to work him.

Packed up and drove to Yass to have lunch at a cafe in the main street, before heading off to Mt Wee Jasper.  

SOTA Mt Mundoonen VK2/ST-053

An update of VK2 summits submitted by Andrew, VK1DA/VK2UH was approved by SOTA MT on 1st December. I noticed one of the new summits approved was Mt Mundoonen, VK2/ST-053. I had visited this summit before geocaching, so knew it was an easy one to activate.

Mt Mundoonen is close to the Hume Highway to the East of Yass. Drove to the Hume Highway via the Barton Highway, and after a few Km the road rises and passes to the South of Mt Mundoonen. Take the turnoff "Sheldricks Lane" on the left. Note if you are driving on the highway speed limit, 110 km/hr this will appear quickly with not much warning, so slow down as you climb the hill. The turnoff is right on the crest of the hill.

After you cross the cattle grid there is the old Hume Highway running parallel to the new one. This is a nice safe area to park.

Just ahead is the sign for Mundoonen Reserve. Note the "Authorised Vehicles Only". Nothing mentioned about walking, so started walking up the trail.

The road is initially dirt. After going to the left, up and to the right it does become sealed.

Fairly easy walking along the road, not that steep.

After about 15 minutes reached the top. Air Services towers and other towers visible

Just past the Air Services towers was the trig,

Close up of the nameplate, "Mundoonen". Another Central Mapping Authority trig.

As per most trigs, a good place to mount a squid pole. Put up the squid pole and antennas.

Another view of the SOTA station.

Set up the SOTA shack in the shade of the trig, as not much shade around and getting warm. Note the thermos for tea. I knew it was a short walk so worth the effort carrying it here...

Excellent mobile coverage here on the mobile Telstra network, suspect their tower on the same hill.

Saw an alert from Andrew, VK1NAM/p on VK1/AC-037 Mt Taylor on 2m SSB, so started on this band using the 2m vertical ribbon antenna for an S2S. Andrew was quite strong at around 60 Km away...Worked a couple more VK1s, VK1BG and VK1KW, good strong signals from North Canberra.

Switched to 40m, signals there were not so good...VK2s in Sydney hearing me okay but the VK3s struggling with low signals and lots of QSB. Got a weak S2S call, worked Glenn VK3YY on VK3/VN-001. Activating in a bothy bag, raining :(

Worked Andrew VK1NAM/p again on 40m. Later on another S2S with Mitch, VK3XDM/7 on VK7/NW-046. Nice to get another VK7 summit in the log. Another S2S with Kevin, VK3KAB/p on VK3/VN-002, with rain.

Switched to 20m, working Andrew VK1NAM/p yet again, with a good signal.Worked Paul VK2KTT near Coffs Harbour with a good strong signal, but no-one else.

Packed up and headed home for lunch.

Track log of walk

 
Track profile, about 1.2 Km each way with a 110 m climb.