SOTA Mount Taylor VK1/AC-037 New Years Day rollover

Here in Eastern Australia the UTC New Year starts at 11:00 am local time, so its easily possible to work SOTA both before and after New Year and get points for the summit for each year. Really just an excuse to get a whole lot of Summit to Summit contacts... This year picked Mount Taylor, VK1/AC-037 as I also needed to complete the associated WWFF park Mount Taylor Nature Reserve VKFF-0854.

As per other activations parked in the car park at the end of Waldock St in Chifley. There is a new sign at the start of the walk for the Mount Tayor Nature Reserve.

 
Followed the track next to the sign up the hill. A bit steep but quickly gained altitude. Looking NE towards Woden and Civic.

After 15 minutes walking reached the trig

Near the trig a lookout over Woden.

The summit area can get quite busy with walkers, joggers and dog walkers, so as per other activations set up the station just to the West of the summit using a small tree for squid pole support.

Sat on the tarp. Had a bit of shade from the nearby trees. Needed it as the temperature climbed later to around 30 c, quite a warm day.

Initially got going on 2 m FM, 146.500 Mhz as only a half hour before rollover and would be a lot of locals on summits listening there. Worked the following.

VK1RX/2 on VK2/SM-093 Livingstone Hill
VK1ATP/M
VK1MIC on VK1/AC-040 Mt Ainslie also P2P VKFF-0850
VK1AD/2 on VK2/ST-053 Mt Mundoonen
VK1DA/2 on VK2/ST-042 Mt Bowning
VK1FDHA

Got on 40 m and worked by tuning and pouncing on calling stations.

VK2HRX/P on VK3/VE-005 Mt Loch
VK2IO/P on VK2/HU-093 Mt Elliot
VK3ALN/P on VK3/VC-002 Mt Donna Buang
VK5FMAZ/P on VK5/SE-005 Mt Lofty, also P2P VKFF-0778
VK5PAS/P on VK5/SE-005 Mt Lofty, also P2P VKFF-0778

After working Paul, VK5PAS at 2359 z worked him again after UTC rollover and Maria VK5FMAZ

VK5PAS/P on VK5/SE-005 Mt Lofty, also P2P VKFF-0778
VK5FMAZ/P on VK5/SE-005 Mt Lofty, also P2P VKFF-0778
VK3ZPF/P on VK3/VT-026 Mt Toorongo Range

Returned to 2 m FM to grab the locals in the new year

VK1MIC on VK1/AC-040 Mt Ainslie also P2P VKFF-0850
VK1MCW/P on VK1/AC-039 Yellow Rabbit Hill
VK1AD/2 on VK2/ST-053 Mt Mundoonen

Returned to 40 m, spotting myself as now plenty of time to work others.

VK2HRX/P on VK3/VE-005 Mt Loch
VK2CDS/P on VK2/HU-054 Broken Back Range
VK3ARH/P on VK3/VT-006 Mt Saint Phillack
VK3ARR/P on VK3/VT-006 Mt Saint Phillack
VK3FPSR
VK1MA/P on VK1/AC-039 Yellow Rabbit Hill
VK1AT
VK3OAK/P on VK3/VS-015 Blue Mountain
VK3FDHA
VK1GT
VA3OZI/VK4 on VK4/SE-006 Goonburra St Forest

Gave 2 m FM another go, worked

VK1MA/P on VK1/AC-039 Yellow Rabbit Hill

Changed to 20 m. Worked the following

VK1MIC on VK1/AC-040 Mt Ainslie also P2P VKFF-0850
VK5WG
ZL1WA

Returned to 40 m to work

VK3KLI on VK3/VC-007 Mt Macedon
VK3ZNR/2 on VK3/VC-007 Mt Macedon
VK2AB
VK3GTV/P on VK3/VC-007 Mt Macedon
VK3ALN/P on VK3/VC-002  Mt Donna Buang
VK3LTL
VK2IO/P on VK2/HU-093 Mt Elliot
VK5FLEA/P on VK5/SE-005 Mt Lofty, also P2P VKFF-0778

Combined with other activations had over 44 contacts so qualified the park for WWFF. Getting a bit warm to continue. Packed up and headed back down to have lunch at nearby Woden

 

SOTA Mount Taylor VK1/AC-037

After activating Tuggeranong Hill decided to do another 1 point summit on the way home, Mount Taylor. Drove to the car park at the end of Waldock Street and started walking.

Joined the Summit trail to the top

Good view to the North to Woden from the ridge lower down

Reached the top after about a 15 minute walk. As per my last activation avoided the crowded trig and set up the shack in the shade of some trees on the Western side of the summit, not far from a communications tower.

Another view of the setup from the other direction.

Shack on the tarp in the shade of the tree

Got on 40 m. Some good signals from VK1, VK2, VK3 chasers. Usual contact with Rick VK4RF/VK4HA. As was getting warm probably close to 30 c packed up after only 13 contacts.

The summit is in a Canberra Nature Park, WWFF reference VKFF-0854. So will need to return to get it qualified with the 44 contacts needed for WWFF.

SOTA Mt Taylor VK1/AC-037

Time for another activation of one of Canberra's urban summits, Mt Taylor VK1/AC-037.

As per previous activations drove to the car park at the end of Waldock St in Chifley. Here I discovered I had left my usual digital camera at home... So these photos are taken on my mobile phone camera, which doesn't take too bad photos anyway.

The start of the walk at the end of Waldock St.

The track joins an access road up to the summit for the communication towers. Steep in places...Climbed rapidly getting a good view over Canberra. Looking towards Woden town Centre.

After about a km walk and 150 m climb reached the summit.

In the past activation I have operated at the trig using it for squid pole support, however have found this to be very popular, with joggers, mountain bike riders and dog walkers all converging on it, some even doing pull up exercises on the trig bars...Constantly having to watch out people didn't step on the radio or get tangled in the coax...Plus the usual questions about what I was doing...So this time set up just to the West of the trig, using a small pine sapling for squid pole support.

A view of the station looking North.

Radio shack on nearby rocks

View looking West towards the Brindabellas

View to the South

Got quickly on 40 m as I heard a couple of activations on about to go clear, didn't even have the dipole legs tied up so signals were a bit down...Worked S2S with Ian VK3TCX and Robbie VK3EK on VK3/VG-016 and Kevin VK3KAB on VK3/VN-005.

Finished tying up the legs, signals were a lot better. Worked the usual chasers from VK1, VK2, VK3 and VK5, many with strong signals. After UTC rollover worked several again with some new ones.

After 40 m died down switched to 20 m. Worked Nev, VK5WG who I had worked before on 40 m with a S9 signal, then Andrew VK1NAM, Ian VK5IS and Nigel VK5NIG with good strong signals.

Waited for a while until some more S2S contacts on 40 m, with VK3KAB on VK3/VN-004 and VK3TCX on VK3/VG-013.

Headed back down at noon for lunch with the girlfriend in nearby Woden shopping mall. Track heading back down, quite steep.

Track log of walk

SOTA reactivation Mt Taylor VK1/AC-037 with EU DX

After last Tuesday's good SOTA DX session into Europe Andrew VK1NAM indicated he would activate Mt Majura on Tuesday, I joined in with an activation of Mt Taylor, VK1/AC-037.

Went up as per my previous activation via the walking track at the end of Waldock St Chifley.

Then climbed up the Summit FT

A short but steep climb. Some good views behind, looking North towards Woden and Black Mountain

After about 20 minutes walking reached the trig.

Initially set up the dipole on 40m. Worked 7 chasers including S2S with Andrew, VK1NAM on Mt Majura Vk1/AC-034.

After about half an hour pulled down the 40m dipole and replaced it with 20m. One of the legs didn't quite make a nearby tree, so tied the support cord to a log.While there a mountain bike rider did a limbo under the wire...Lots of pedestrian activity with joggers and dog walkers going past. Some fitness fanatics did pull ups on the trig.

Got on 20m. Conditions not as hectic as last activation on Mt Ainslie, able to pick out callers one at a time instead of a massive pileup...Worked G, OE, DL, VK6 and OM. S2S contacts with 2E0YYY Mike on G/SP-013 again, and OE9HRV Herbert on OE/VB-509. Total of 10 EU contacts.

Finished with a local S2S with Andrew, VK1DA on 2m FM on Black Mountain VK1/AC-042

Packed up at sunset and headed back down and home for dinner.

SOTA Activation Mt Taylor 856m

Mt Taylor, being right in the Canberra suburbs, is a popular summit to activate, not very hard to get to and ideal for a morning activation.

Drove to the end of Waldock St in Chifley where there is a walking track up the mountain.

The track continues on the right to the Summit Foot track, a closed off gravel road for access to the radio masts on top.

After a short steep bit good views over Woden towards the North of Canberra appear. Black Mountain with its tower can be seen, Lake Burley Griffin and Woden town centre.

Looking back down the steep track.Canberra looks good in the Autumn with the leaves changing colour.

After about a 10 minute walk reached the summit, Mt Taylor Trig.

Near the base of the trig was a flat topped rock, used this as a table for the FT817. Another nearby rock made a handy seat, with my mouse mat for comfort.

Strapped the 7m squid pole onto a leg of the trig, ran one leg of the dipole down to a nearby log.

The other leg of the dipole ran across to a nearby tree branch. Had to make sure the wire was fairly high so the constant stream of walkers, joggers and dog walkers didn't run into it... While operating even got fitness fanatics doing pull ups on the bars of the trig!

Got on 40m at 9:30am and got a nice pileup of chasers going :)  Usual chasers from VK1/VK2/VK3. Into the new UTC day worked several again. Worked Paul, VK5PAS and Andy, VK5AKH portable on  VK5/SE-017, South Hummocks for a VK1-VK5 S2S :)

Also worked Andrew VK1NAM on VK1/AC-012 Orroral Hill on 2m SSB and FM, and on 40m.

Another portable station I worked was VK3YE, Peter, pedestrian mobile on Chelsea Beach in Melbourne, only 51 but good signal. Peter is fairly famous for his pedestrian mobile operating, check out Youtube.

All up 33 contacts. About 11:30am packed up and headed back down for lunch in nearby Woden.