SOTA Attempted activation of Mt Palerang VK2-ST-009 and activation of South Black Range VK2/ST-006

SOTA summit Mt Palerang VK2/ST-009 had not been activated since 2017, before the 2019/2020 bushfires, so decided to take a look and see what happened to it.

Drove to Queanbeyan, then Captains Flat Rd, turning off for Hoskinstown and Forbes Creek. Continued along the Mulloon Fire Trail until reaching Mulloon Creek.

There was a fair amount of water flowing so got out to take a look. It looked quite deep on the right so crossed staying well to the left, got over okay.

Stopped at the Mulloon Creek camping area on the other side. It looked good for camping. Note you need to book if you want to camp now.

Continued on the Mulloon Fire trail. Seemed a lot rougher than last time I drove it, with a few washed out spots to take slowly. Reached the 4 way junction with Palerang Fire trail and parked.

The track on the right was not obvious, lots of damage and regrowth, so just headed into the scrub roughly where I remembered it was.

I did find remnants of the track, now much overgrown. Lots of small gum saplings covering the ground.

Climbed up the first steep incline. The gum tree saplings were quite thick and tall now... Guess from all the rain we have had lately. Thinned out a bit when getting to the rocky outcrops. The track came and went.

After about an hour I could see had only got about half way up, and could see rain approaching. Decided not the best day to attempt it and aborted, turning back. Track log taken from my Garmin watch on Garmin Connect. I made it to about 1100m, still had over 100m of steep climbing and bush bashing to go to the summit at 1200m.

To make the drive out worth it, drove back along the Mulloon Firetrail and turned off to activate South Black Range summit, VK2/ST-006. Luckily the weather was a bit drier there. Set up near the big rock with the trig on top

Shack on a rock near a stump supporting the squid pole

Got on 40m and worked VK2IO/p Gerard on VK2/SY-001 Canoelands, also VKFF-0307 with a good signal. Then worked VK1AD/p Andrew on VK2/ST-005 Webbs Ridge with a good signal too.

Then worked VK1MA Matt, quite low down. Switched to 2m FM and worked Matt easily... Also worked VK1MCW/p Bill on VK1/AC-043 Mt Stromlo, and VK1AD/p Andrew on VK2/ST-005 Webbs Ridge again.

Tried a few more calls on 40m with no takers, band seemed to have died. Packed up and headed home. 

SOTA South Black Range VK2/ST-006

SOTA summit South Black Range VK2/ST-006 was one of the summits hit by the 2019-2020 summer bushfires, and access was closed for some time. This was followed by Covid lockdown for VK1, so even if the roads opened up could not leave the ACT anyway until recently. With a sunny Sunday predicted and several other activations planned headed out to check out the summit.

Headed out via Queanbeyan, Hoskinstown, Forbes Creek, enterinng Tallaganda National Park on Forbes Creek Rd. This is WWFF reference VKFF-0474.

Continued on to the junction of North Black Range Fire trail. I was worried that this might have been closed due to fire damage, but it was open.

Continued along North Black Range Fire Trail. A few muddy spots but nothing to worry about. Reached the track on the left up to the summit. I could have driven up this, but looked a bit muddy so just parked near the track junction and walked.

Some muddy spots on the track

After about 10 minutes walking reached the end of the track, after a short walk was on the summit. Good to see the trig on a large rock had survived the fire.

Around the side of the rock found the old ladder for accessing the trig thats been here for years, good to see it not burnt, although not planning to use it...

Set up the squid pole on a burnt stump to the North of the trig, using a rock for a radio table. Initially just the 2m Jpole antenna on top

Radio on the rock.

Spotted myself on 2m FM and called. First contact Peter VK1PDW portable in Melba.

Then several S2S contacts...

VK1MIC/p Wade on VK1/AC-036 Goorooyarroo, strong. Also P2P with VKFF-1932

VK1AD/P Andrew on VK1/AC-026 Booroomba Rocks, also strong. Also P2P with VKFF-0377.

VK1MCW/2 Bill on nearby VK2/ST-034 Mt Gillamatong, strong

VK1DA/2 Andrew on VK2/ST-053 Mt Mundoonen

VK1MA Matt, strong

VK1MF, Mat, in OConnor, a bit weak but he was QRP on 10w

Set up 40m and spotted there. Pre Roll over at 11am worked VK3PF, VK2VW, VK2HFI, VK2YAK, ZL1BQD, VK5IS, VK3BEL

After rollover worked VK2MET, VK5PAS, VK2YAK, VK3PF

Returned to 2m to work

VK1DA/2 Andrew on VK2/ST-053 Mt Mundoonen

VK1MF Mat

VK1MCW/2 Bill on VK2/ST-034 Mt Gillamatong

VK1AD/p  Andrew on VK1/AC-026 Booroomba Rocks

VK1MA Matt

Good to see this summit survived the fire okay. Going by the black looked like the fire passed by quickly at ground level and did not get into the canopy much, so should recover quickly.

SOTA South Black Range VK2/ST-006

With a nice sunny Sunday decided to do a couple of easy SOTA activations, South Black Range VK2/ST-006 and Mt Cowangerong, VK2/ST-001. Both easy almost drive to summits and worth 11 points, 8 point plus the 3 point winter bonus points. Also, as only short walks, decided could carry my TS-480 radio in and run more power, as the bands have been very poor lately with solar storms.

Drove to South Black Range as before, through Queanbeyan, Hoskinstown, Forbes Creek and turned off onto North Black Range Trail.

I was a bit concerned about the track condition after all the rain we have had lately, however apart from a few small puddles the track was easy going. Used 4WD on the final turnoff up to the summit as it was a little muddy. Parked and headed the final 100 m or so through the rocks up to the top. Carried the TS-480 in a bag, it was heavy...

Reached the top. There is now a ladder resting on the side of the rock for access to the top.

Gave climbing this a miss... Notice how there is a rung missing near the top! :) Didn't look long enough to me...

Set up the squid pole on the usual tree stump I use each activation here. Strung out dipoles for both 40 m and 80 m. There is a heap of room on this summit for large antennas...

My TS-480 on the nearby rock, running off my LifePO4 8400 mAh battery. I started on 40w output, but wound it up later to 60 w as conditions were really bad...

Got on 40 m first, starting with a park to park park contact, VK3ZPF/p Peter in VKFF-0965 Crossover Regional Park. He was only an S3, and had problems hearing me, even running 60 W... Would have been hard going using QRP. After working him called CQ SOTA/Parks and worked a few chasers, then got called by Allen VK3ARH/2 on summit VK2/SM-036, in the Snowy Mountains. A good S7. Suspect via ground wave as we were both high up.

He had several others with him keen for S2S contacts too. Worked Ken VK3KIM/2, Ron VK3AFW/2, Phil VK3BHR/2 and Compton VK2HRX/p on the same summit. Both before and after UTC rollover. Worked a few more chasers, mainly VK5s and VK7 as the NVIS short skip on 40 m was gone, again...

To give some of the closer stations a go went to 80 m. A good signal from John VK2YW in Wagga Wagga, he was unable to hear me on 40 m.  Worked VK2GKA Karl in the Southern Highlands. Local stations Matt VK1MA and Andrew VK1AD. Andrew had problems with QSB so even 80 m suffering with bad propagation.

Returned to 40 m to grab another park to park with Rob VK4AAC/3 in VKFF-0960 Bendigo Regional Park.

Packed up and drove to Captain Flat for lunch, and to Mt Cowangerong after.

SOTA South Black Range VK2/ST-006

With a good winters day forecast decided to do a couple of SOTA summits for the winter bonus points, South Black Range VK2/ST-006 and Mt Palerang VK2/ST-009.

As per previous activations drove to South Black Range via Hoskinstown and Forbes Creek. Turned off onto North Black Range trail. Some fog about. Used 4WD as quite muddy and steep in places.

Cleared up as I got higher.

Parked just before the turnoff to the summit. You can drive up this track, with care, but wanted to do some walking...

Despite the sunshine it was cold, the car outside temperature sensor showed only 3 C. Approaching the summit noticed some remnant patches of snow in the foliage.

Reached the summit. Noticed someone has provided another access ladder to the top. A step up from the rickety thing in the past. Still looked a bit dodgy, not really long enough, gave it a miss...

Found my usual spot to operate from, a stump with a convenient rock nearby for a shack table.

Set up 20/40 m and 6/10m linked dipoles up to nearby trees. This is an easy summit to set up on, plenty of room.

Got on 40 m. Lots of good strong signals from chasers in VK1, VK2, VK3 and VK5. An S2S contact later with Andrew VK1MBE/p, on VK1/AC-044 Boboyan Range. Like my last activation he was operating in the snow... Shortly after Mark VK1EM/p and Andrew VK2MWP/p came up on VK2/ST-005 Webbs Ridge. Like myself had problems with muddy roads.

After 40 m chasers dried up switched to 10 m. A good copy with VK1MBE/p, Matt VK1MA, and a weak contact with Al VK1RX. On 6 m worked Paul VK1ATP, Al VK1RX with a good signal on this band, and Matt VK1MA.

Tried 20 m. A S2S with Nigel VK5NIG/p, Allen VK5LAM/p and Stu VK5STU/p activating Mt Gawler VK5/SE-013.

Returned to 40 m for a last look around. Worked special event station VI5MCP, Bob activating Morialta Conservation Park, VKFF-783. Nice eQSL card, thanks.

Also worked Mick VK5PMG in Koorooya State Park VKFF-759. Packed up at midday and headed for Mt Palerang.

SOTA reactivation South Black Range

On Sotawatch noticed many activations mid morning, so headed back to one of my favourite SOTA peaks, VK2/ST-006 South Black Range.

Drive as per my previous activation VK2/ST-002 Weather nice and sunny, if a little cool, only 14c on the car readout. Got to the top around 10 am.

Set up the squid pole as per last time on the same stump in front of it. This stump is a little loose, but does the job, with trees spaced nicely for the dipole ends.

Set up the radio on the nearby rock.

Signals were nice and strong from VK1, VK2, VK3 and VK5. Worked several S2S contacts, at one stage a group of us activators all jumped on one frequency and had fun trying to work each other, not really knowing the original user of the frequency...

VK2HRX/3 on VK3/VG-014
VK2FGJW/1 on VK1/AC-008
VK2KXN/3 on VK3/VG-014
VK1MBE/p on VK1/AC-041
AX3YY/p on VK3/VT-006
AX3BQ/p on VK3/VW-022
AX3HRA/p on VK3/VS-051
VK3PF/2 on VK2/SM-033
AX3CAT/p on VK3/VN-002

21 contacts before UTC changeover and 15 after.

Packed up around noon. As such a nice day decided to do a nearby unactivated peak, Gourock, VK2/ST-012. Report to follow

SOTA 1st Activation of new VK2 Association South Black Range VK2/ST-006

Today 1 Sep 2013 marked the go live date of the new SOTA Association, VK2, New South Wales, so popped over the VK1 border to activate a local peak.

I chose VK2/ST-006 South Black Range, as I have visited this before bushwalking and should not get too lost...It is located East of Canberra in Tallaganda National Park, so no worries with private property access.

Drove out to Queanbeyan, then followed the Kings Highway, Captains Flat Rd, Briars Shallow Rd, Plains Rd, Hoskinstown Rd. Turned off the Hoskingstown Rd onto Forbes Creek Rd.

Drove though the small farm settlement of Forbes Creek into Tallaganda National Park

After a few Km turned off onto North Black Range Trial.

Followed this trail. There are a few rocky bits and it's quite narrow, but found it easy going in my Nissan Xtrail with a bit of clearance.

After about 2.5 Km came to a minor track on the left leading up to the summit. Looked a bit rough, and wanted to walk into the activation zone, so parked the car and walked about 500m to the top

The track takes you to within about 100m of the summit. Arrived at the summit trig. I quite like this trig, unusual. A large rocky cairn sitting on top of a big granite boulder.

If you are wondering how to get up there, there used to be a very suspect looking wooden ladder on the side. Found it lying on the ground next to the boulder. Never been keen to climb this...

Set up the squid pole on a nearby stump and set up the FT817 on a nearby rock.

Ran 20m and 40m dipoles out to nearby saplings. Plenty of room.

Got on 40m at waited for 0000z, when the association went live. Worked several VK2s, VK3 and VK5s, including S2S with

VK2JI/VK2LAX Ed/Rod on VK2/HU-093
VK2ONZ Andrew on VK2/IL-017
VK3HRA Allen on VK3/VC-020
VK1NAM Andrew on VK2/ST-001. Also worked Andrew on 2m FM.
VK2YW John on VK2/RI-026
VK3PF Peter on VK3/VT-012
VK3PI Mark on VK3/VC-007
VK3KAB Kevin on VK3/VC-028

Tried 20m, but no answer to my CQ calls on 14.342 Mhz. Could hear the VK6 WIA broadcast so some propagation to VK6, but not many stations on.

Packed up around noon and headed home for lunch. Track log of short walk to summit.