SOTA Tuggeranong Hill VK1/AC-038

 For Monday Canberra day holiday decided to do a SOTA activation in the morning, and try for a S2S with the Andrews VK1AD/VK1DA on Boboyan Range. Picked Tuggeranong Hill as have not done it for some time, since 2016, so time for a revisit.

As per previous activations parked in a side road off Callister Cres in Theodore and walked into the reserve. Sign for the Tuggeranong Hilll Nature Reserve VKFF-0863 is the WWFF reference

The track up Tuggeranong Hill is short but steep. Approaching the top of a small knoll before the main hill on the right.

Approaching the top of Tuggeranong Hill. Think the towers are for Radio/TV/mobile repeater stations for the Tuggeranong valley. Never had interference from them on HF/VHF. Its around a 25 minute walk to the top.

Just past the towers set up on the trig. 2m Slim Jim and 20/40/80m linked dipoles on the squid pole.

Some views from the top. a bit cloudy today, in fact had a light shower driving here but did not last.

Set up the radio on the tarp. The tarp and radio were soon overrun with hundreds of millipedes... They are harmless but proved to be a nuisance during activating, as constantly flicking them off the tarp, myself and the gear. Was worried small enough to crawl inside the radio... a couple close up.

Shack on the tarp, can see lots of millipedes everywhere...

Got on 80 m to try for a park to park with VK3TKK/p Peter in VKFF-2159 Mount Terrick Road Nature Conservation Reserve. By the time I got the antenna links sorted he had gone to 40m... so quickly changed the links and managed to work him on 40m. Had a call from VK3BBB Bruce afterwards so QSYed for a contact, also worked his other call VK3CCP.

Tried 2m FM, 146.5. Worked VK1MA, VK1LH, then VK1AD/p Andrew for a S2S on VK1/AC-044 Boboyan Range, about 40 Km South of me with a good signal. Also worked Andrew VK1DA/p on the same summit

After a contact with VK1FELF went to 40m again, working local VK1TX Tex and VK3GTV Col. 

Following UTC rollover at 11 am local time went to 80m to again work Andrew VK1DA/p for a post UTC rollover S2S contact. Also worked VK3ZPF/p Peter on VK3/VN-030 Mt Strickland, weak but workable. Also VK2IO/p Gerard for a park to park in VKFF-0092 Cattai National Park.

Went to 40m to work a weak park to park with VK4AAC/5 Rob in VKFF-1095 Searcy Bay Conservation Park. This is a remote park past Port Lincoln.

Returned to 2m FM to get the post rollover chasers. Worked VK1MA, VK1FDNK, VK1DB, VK1LH,  VK1FELF, VK1AD/p for a post rollover S2S.

Returned to 40m to work VK7LTD, VK7FAMP, VK2VK and VK7PSJ. As noon packed up and headed down for lunch.

 

SOTA Tuggeranong Hill VK1/AC-038

Time for another visit to one of the Canberra local summits, Tuggeranong Hill VK1/AC-038. As per other activations parked in the lane off Callister Cres in Theodore and started walking.

Note Tuggeranong Hill is in a Canberra Nature Park, VKFF-0863. Usual steep climb up the road to a small hill before the main summit

Got to the trig. Noticed a small wattle tree behind it, looked like a nice shady spot to operate under.

Set up the squid pole on the tree, and was promptly attacked by dozens of small black ants, some biting me on the arms :( Very quickly secured the squid pole, flicking ants off me, and set up the shack on the tarp. The ants didn't spread as far as the tarp, seemed intent on just defending their tree...

Shack on the tarp. Nice and cool in the shade.

Got on 40 m. Good signals from chasers in VK1, VK2, VK3, VK4 and VK5. A S2S with Gerard VK2IO/P on VK2/HU-054.

After contacts dried up to 40 m switched to the 10 m dipole. Band was well open to VK4 on Summer Sporadic-E, also worked Steve VK7CW, and a nice opening to VK3. Initially to Western Victoria such as to VK3DAI and VK3PMG, then closer in to Melbourne with VK3CAT Tony and VK3AFW Ron. Tony reported I appeared out of nowhere as the band opened up...didn't stay open for long though.

A few more VK4s, including my usual 10m Summer contact Ross VK4CQ, his usual 59+ signal...

Starting to get warm so packed up and had lunch at the nearby Conder shops. 59 contacts so qualified the park for the WWFF award, which requires 44 contacts.

SOTA Tuggeranong Hill VK1/AC-038

With a forecast of rain and a warm day decided to activate a local summit in the morning before it got too warm, Tuggeranong Hill, VK1/AC-038.

As per previous activations drove up to the gate at the end of a lane off Callister Cres in Theodore and started walking

Turning right at the gate took the track heading up the hill, in the centre of the photo

Its a short but steep walk up to the summit. A small peak gives you a short break from climbing but then its up again to the top...

Approaching the summit, the trig just behind the communication towers. I did get a few spots of rain here but it stopped.

Reached the trig. Once I had set up the antennas and radio it actually cleared up and got warm. View to the North. Lake Tuggeranong, Mt Taylor.

Antennas on the squid pole, on the trig. Set up the 20/40 m dipole and the 2 m jpole ribbon.

Shack on the rocks in front of the trig. One rock for a seat, the other to prop up the radio.

Andrew VK1NAM had SMSed me while setting up, started by calling him on 2 m FM, he was walking the dog on Oakey Hill near Woden with the HT. Good strong signal. No others on 2 m FM though. Tried 144.2 SSB, one contact with Matt, VK1MA, a huge signal as usual from North Canberra.

Went to 40 m/ Conditions were not good, lots of static from a nearby storm and low down signals...Worked a few VK3s, VK5s and VK2KTT. Andrew VK2UH in Yass called, but could barely hear each other, he is usually S9...

Tried 20 m, quite dead apart from a couple of US stations running lots of power, no replies to my calls.

Finally tried putting up the 6/10 m dipole and calling on 10 m. Got Andrew VK1NAM with a good strong signal.

As about to pack up decided to try an experiment with Andrew, and QSYed to 29.6, the 10 m FM calling frequency. Andrew was S9+ and crystal clear! As getting warm packed up and headed home for lunch.

Wasn't sure if anyone else had used 10 m FM on a SOTA activation before in Australia. Had a look in the SOTA database, seems I'm the first VK SOTA activator to try it :)

SOTA Activation Tuggeranong Hill VK1/AC-038

I set up my new 20/40 m linked dipole in the driveway at home, and got the SWR down flat on both bands. Now I needed to test it out in the field :)

Set out for Tuggeranong Hill, VK1/AC-038, which I activated last year. Parked at the same place in Theodore off Callister Cres

After a steep walk up the hill reached the trig on top

Set up the squid pole on the trig, running one dipole leg to the branch of a nearby tree, the other wound around a rock.

Started with the clips joined to go on 40 m. Usual VK chasers from VK1,2,3,and 5, with strong signals. I got a S2S call from Rob, VK2QR activating VK2/SW-019 Mount Hovell. This gave me over 1000 S2S points! :)

After 40 m died down dropped the squid pole and unclipped to go to 20 m.

After spotting myself on 20 m, worked OE7FMH, then noticed the battery voltage getting low...
Made a quick S2S with Matt, VK1MA on nearby Mt Stromlo, VK1/AC-043, then absolute chaos as the EU chasers had found me!

Worked IK1GPG, G6TUH, EA3NT, DD2VO, S58AL, 9A7C, ON7ZM, and G0RQL. During some of the contacts the FT817 shut down due to low voltage, waited a bit and recovered. Worked a couple of VKs, Paul VK5PAS with a massive signal using VK5BAR call, and Andrew VK2UH at Yass.

After working Andrew the battery had died, and could see a rain shower coming my way, so a good time to pack up and go.

SOTA Activation Mt Tuggeranong 855m

Mt Tuggeranong, VK1/AC-038 is located near the South Canberra suburb of Theodore. Parked off a side road in Callister Cres for the walk up. From here a bit over a Km to the summit.

As you can see from the sign it is known as Tuggeranong Hill, anyway hill or mountain it is still a SOTA peak...

There is a track heading up, not the road but the track above this.

Climbs up reasonably steeply to a small hill, then steeply up to the main hill.

After about a 20 minute walk reached the top. Heaps of antennas up here, although thankfully did not seem to affect 2m or 40m.

Usual squarish trig point on top. Mt Rob Roy and Mt Tennent in the background.

A good view to the North over Canberra.

Set up the squid pole on the trig and strung out the 40m dipole. One leg just made it to a nearby tree, the other tied to a rock.

Set up the FT817 on a large rock near the base of the trig.

Got on 40m at 9:30am. Conditions were bedlam! Several activations happening at once so heaps of chasers and activators all trying to work before the end of the UTC day. Worked S2S with VK3KAN/p, VK3MRG/p, VK1RX/p, VK3KAB/p with VK3YY/p on Mt Stirling, VK5PAS/p. Worked a few stations on 2m FM but most were probably on 40m chasing activators. Did manage a 2m S2S with Al, VK1RX on VK1/AC-019 on the far southern border of the ACT. He was a weak S1 on the hand held, when I heard he was on a horizontal antenna turned the radio on its side and he came up to a clear S3!

Quite a few non SOTA portable stations about too, Ed VK2JI and Rod VK2LAX portable on Mt White. Also worked a station portable VK2 out near Cobar. All up 39 contacts before and after UTC. Headed back down around noon, taking about 20 minutes and headed home for lunch.

GPS Track log of the walk. About a 150m climb.