SOTA Bullen Range VK1/AC-033

With a sunny, although windy day decided to do another WWFF park activation, along with a SOTA summit. I had activated Bullen Range, SOTA peak VK1/AC-033 before but had not done so since the surrounding Nature Reserve was added as a WWFF park, VKFF-0984. so set out to activate both.

As per other times accessed via a track off the Tidbinbilla Road. Note this is not the edge of the Bullen Range Nature Reseve, this is reached by crossing the Paddys River Travelling Stock Reserve.

A map of the park off the Protected Planet website. Its a fairly large reserve at around 40 sq Km, surprisingly close to Canberra. You could access it from the East via Kambah Pool Road, you could access from the Cotter Reserve to the North or from near Tidbinbilla Tracking station to the West. Otherwise a long walk to enter from the Southern end.

After 3 gates crossed along the road started walking along the edge of the park, ACT Pine forest on the left and the park in the hills on the right.

Another gate on the right, through this up the hill and onto the ridge within the park

While walking along the fence line on top of the ridge came across an Echidna. He spotted me and curled up into a ball for protection.

Continued along the ridge. Yet another gate. The summit in the distance. It was quite windy on the ridge.

Getting closer to the summit. Black Mountain with the tower on the right.

Yet another gate after here. Once in the forest got a bit of a break from the strong wind, climbed up the road to the summit. Marked by a rocky cairn. Thankfully a bit sheltered here from the wind.

Near the cairn used to be 3 log off cuts that made handy seats and tables for SOTA operators. Seems someone claimed a couple for firewood, as only one left :(

Set up the squid pole on a small gum tree sapling and strung out the 40m dipole to a couple of trees nearby.

Used the one remaining log off cut as a seat and set the radio up on the log.

Got on 40m. The VKFF "Team Challenge" was on today, so teams of operators out in parks. Started with VK5ZEO Steve and VK5PET Peter in VKFF-0916 Mount Magnificant CP. Then the usual chasers.

Worked another team in VKFF-1757 Upper Spencer Gulf Marine National Park, VK5KLV Les and VK5KPR Peter. Worked VK2IO Gerard in VKFF-1383 Tuggerah State Conservation Area. And a SOTA station VK1MBE Andrew on VK2/IL-006.

Worked another team Paul VK5PAS and Marija VK5FMAZ in VKFF-0828 Monatro CP, and Tony VK3XV Mick VK3PMG in Ararat Hills Regional Park. Also Joe VK3SRC in Churchill NP VKFF-0621, also doing a Jamboree On the Air JOTA activation.

Briefly tried 20m, but no answers to my calls even after spotting myself. Returned to 40m, finished working another team, VK7JON John and VK7FOLK Helen in VKFF-0005 Narawntapu National Park.

As a long walk back, almost 5Km, packed up after 37 contacts.

View along the ridge looking towards Tuggeranong town centre.

Looking South along the ridge. Castle Hill in the middle and Mt Tennent in the distance on the right.

Got back to the car after over an hour and a quarter walking.

SOTA Bullen Range VK1/AC-033

As per previous activations started from the turnoff from Tidbinbilla Road marked Paddy's River Travelling Stock Reserve.

The usual collection of gates to open/clamber over, see previous blog entries for details. An overcast day, with low cloud, no rain and pleasantly cool for walking.

Reached the summit after an hour and 15 minutes walking. Set up the squid pole on the usual log. View of the station

Shack on the log, using one of the log off cuts as a seat.

Got on 40 m. Busy with stations in the John Moyle Memorial Field Day contest. Found Andrew VK1NAM/p on VK1/AC-043 for a S2S, then found a clear spot and worked the usual crowd of chasers. Another S2S with David VK3IL/p on VK3/VE-015, and later Andrew VK1DA/p on nearby VK1/AC-008 Mt Ginini.

Saw a spot for Al VK9N/VK7AN on VK9/NO-001 Mt Bates Norfolk Island on 20 m. Was receiving him a good S8, but was understandably very popular with chasers. Could also hear Andrew VK1NAM calling him for an S2S. After several calls managed to get through, Andrew a bit later.

Got an SMS from Andrew VK1NAM, that Gerhard, VKIO/p was looking for me for a 6m S2S from VK2/CT-006 Bonfire Hill.

Quickly pulled down the 20/40 m linked dipole, put up the 6/10 m linked dipole, set the links for 6 m and tried calling him. Could hear Andrew VK1NAM but Gerhard was barely audible, too low to work. Suspect my dipole running North/South due to the trees was end on to him.

Another SMS from Andrew indicated he was looking for me on 40 m, so another mad scramble of swapping dipoles and links back to 40 m. Worked Gerhard okay on 40 m.

After working Gerhard worked Kevin VK3KAB on VK3/VN-030. Packed up and headed back down.

Track log of walk.

Track profile. 5 Km each way with a 200 m climb.

SOTA activation Bullen Range

For Good Friday morning decided to redo Bullen Range, VK1/AC-033, a 2 pointer. Bit of a walk at 5 Km each way.

Drove there as per my previous activation http://vk1di.blogspot.com.au/2013/05/sota-activation-bullen-range-925m.html

Parked and squeezed through the first gate

After a short distance reached the 2nd gate, the only one I could actually open using a wire latch, the others involved climbing over or through...Note the sheep, they were on both sides of the fence.

Approaching the 3rd gate. Brindabella mountains in the background

Shortly after this a 4th gate on the right

The road climbs steeply here onto the ridge. Approaching gate 5.

And finally gate 6

After about an hours walking reached the summit. A pile of rocks with not much of a view...

As per last time I used 3 log cuts near the log as a seat, radio table and log book table.

Set up the squid pole on the log, dipole legs to a couple of nearby trees.

Got on 40 m, seemed to be first on this morning so grabbed 7.090 Mhz. Usual chasers from VK1,2,3 and 5 with good signals.

S2S contacts with VK3EK Rob on VK3/VG-011, VK3BQ/1 Andrew on nearby VK1/AC-040 Mt Ainslie, and VK3PF Peter on VK3/VG-027.

All up 31 contacts on 40 m. Went to try 20 m, tuning up the radio it cut out, out of power after less than an hour of operating...My 4ah SLA battery has had it...Have a 4.3 ah LifePO4 on order, coming soon.

View on the way down, looking South to Castle Hill and Mt Tennent.

SOTA Activation Bullen Range 925m

SOTA summit VK1/AC-033 is located to the West of the Southern Canberra township of Tuggeranong, a high point on the Bullen Range at 925m. I accessed it via dirt access tracks, about a 5Km walk. See track log:

Drove down to Point Hut Road, then onto the Tidbinbilla Road, and parked near a sign referring to Paddy's River Travelling Stock Reserve, Remnant Vegetation Conservation Area.

There was a gate with a gap for walkers, although not really designed for anyone carrying a squid pole...This was the first of several gates I had to scramble over...

Continued along the road gaining height. Weather was initially foggy but cleared as I got higher.

Until getting up on the ridge the walk was through open farmland, maybe some old pine forest cleared after the 2003 Bushfire. Approaching the summit some nice open forest.

At the summit was a rough rocky cairn. Also found a red occy strap nearby from Andrew VK1NAM's activation in February :) Got on 2m, worked 6 local stations including a S2S with Glen, VK1FB doing his 2nd activation on Mt Rob Roy, well done.

Strapped the squid pole to the stump, using 3 occy straps :) Nearby were a few sawn off log sections, made a handy desk for the radio and a seat.

Strung the 40m dipole out to a couple of nearby trees.

Got 40m going. First contact was VK3YE, Peter pedestrian mobile on the beach at Bonbeach, with a good signal. Then worked VK3YY Glen and Vk3KAB Kevin on Mt Ritchie for another S2S.

Worked Ron Vk3AFW on a new frequency then the regular pileup started...VK1, VK2, VK3, VK5PAS and many more. Around midday got called by VK3GHZ, Rhett, on the Hump in Buffalo NP, so another S2S. All up 32 contacts.

Had lunch and headed back down. Took about an hour to get back to the car. Some views along the way. Looking North, Mt Taylor and Black Mountain is the distance.

Looking South to Mt Tennent.