SOTA Oakey Creek Fire Trail VK2/ST-023

After my failed attempt at Monga VK2/ST-024 headed for the nice easy summit of Oakey Creek Fire Trail VK2/ST-023.

From the Mongarlowe Picnic Area turned off onto Milo Road, then Macquarie Road, to the junction with Boundary Fire Trail where the summit is close by to.

As per previous activations headed for a cluster of stumps, suitable for squid pole support.

Set up the squid pole with 20/40 m and 6/10 m dipoles deployed. Radio shack on a nearby log.

Got on 40m. Worked Peter VK3PF doing a special Anzac Day memorial activation of VI3ANZAC. A S2S with Tony VK3CAT/P on VK3/VC-037. Chasers mainly from VK2 and VK3, lots of QSB, some fairly strong.

Switched to 10 m. Heard Adan VK1FJAW/P on VK2/ST-053 Mt Mundoonen, despite several calls he could not hear me though. Got called by Mark VK1EM but he was also unable to hear me. Lots of JA stations on in the World Wide 10 m ARRL contest. Managed to work Andrew VK1DA/2 on VK2/ST-036 Spring Hill, not very strong but readable. Packed up and drove home.

Driving back along Milo Road, a very scenic drive through tree ferns.

SOTA Activation Oakey Creek Fire Trail

After activating Mt Budawang VK2/ST-015 drove back to Braidwood then on to Oakey Creek Fire Trail, SOTA peak VK2/ST-023, another 6 pointer.

Drove there as per my last activation. Roads through Monga NP were a bit rough, a ford to cross, lots of branches down across the road and a few deep puddles to drive through. Left the car in 4WD. Got to the spot I parked last time and walked up the hill to the summit. Set up in the same place as last time, in among a cluster of logged tree stumps.

Set up the SOTA shack on a nearby log, which also provided a seat.

Got on 40 m, starting with a S2S contact with Julie, VK3FOWL/p on VK3/VC-002, Mt Donna Buang. Julie kindly let me continue on the frequency. Usual chaser crowd followed. Signals all around S8-S9, heaps better than earlier on Mt Budawang.

Another S2S with Rod, VK2TWR/p on VK2/SM-085. Worked Justin, VK7TW/p trying out a future VK7 SOTA peak near Hobart, as association manager he mentioned VK7 should go "live" on 1st October with luck, so testing out his activating gear. He was a fair signal.

Saw a SOTA spot for John VK6NU/p, on 12 m. Listened there on the wrong dipole, he was audible, Hastily set up the 12 m dipole but by the time I got it up and called he had gone to 20 m.

Changed antennas to 20 m myself. Tried calling Mike, 2E0YYY/p, he briefly heard my VK1 call but couldn't copy my puny 5 W signal with QSB, plus there was lots of QRM, so no luck. I did however manage to catch John, VK6NU/P on VK6/SW-039, so a VK6 S2S!

Around 5 pm the sun was starting to set and got quite cold so packed up and drove home.

SOTA VK2/ST-023 Oakey Creek Fire Trail

With a forecast of rain in the afternoon decided to do a SOTA activation where I could walk back to the car quickly if the weather turned bad. VK2/ST-023 Oakey Creek Firetrail looked appropriate as the highest point is right next to a road.

The peak is in Monga National Park. Drove to Braidwood, then took the Araluen Road for 8 Km, turning off onto Reidsdale Road on the left. Note the nasty looking weather in the distance!

Followed Reidsdale Road for 7 Km to the end, then turned left into Monga Lane

Road becomes unsealed but still not too rough. After a couple of Km enters Monga National Park

A few more Km up the road there is a road to the right, Granite Bluff Road. A warning about 4WD only. I didn't find this road too bad in my Nissan Xtrail, no need for 4WD, just need some clearance for the odd branch and dip in the road.

Followed this road for 2.7 Km, then onto Saddleback Road for 8 Km. This ends at Milo Road, which looked lush and green with lots of tree ferns.

After a few Km on Milo Road it heads down, and another road continues along the ridge. Think this other road is Macquarie Road

Stopped and parked at the bottom of the final rise to the summit, at a bit over 1000 m elevation. The summit is at 1050 m so was out of the 25 m activation zone. Had about a 500 m walk. Just before the summit Macquarie Road continues to the right, Boundary Road to the left. You could take either road as the summit is between them, the high point in the trees in the mist...

A bit part this junction is Oakey Creek Fire Trail junction, so this summit is really wrongly named, by me, I surveyed it!...Maps of these roads are poorly marked. Anyway there is another summit called Boundary Firetrail nearby so this name will do, it is near it!...There is no proper name on any maps. Wandered into the scrub and found a group of stumps suitable for squid poles, mounted on one of these and set up the dipoles.

Radio shack on a log

Got on 40m, worked 19 calls before UTC roll over, including S2S with Andrew VK1NAM and Al VK1RX on Mt Wee Jasper. Another 24 after UTC. The VK1s and VK2s were strong but signals from some VK3 and VK5 down. Got on 20m, worked Andrew VK1NAM again, very weak, then worked Paul VK5PAS with a massive S9+ signal, heaps better than 40 m! Also worked ZL2ALK Lamont for an overseas SOTA contact.

Around noon it started to rain so packed up and headed to Braidwood for lunch.
Another shot of Milo Road tree ferns.

Track log of drive/walk