SOTA Isaacs Ridge VK1/AC-041

For the annual SOTA end of year UTC rollover event decided to activate a summit also in a park, Isaacs Ridge VK1/AC-041, also Isaacs Ridge Nature Reserve VKFF-0845. As per other activations parked off Long Gully Rd in Isaacs.

After 15 minutes and a short steep climb reached the activation spot. A trig South of the Southern transmitter tower. A bit more open now compared to other years, some of the nearby pines cut down. The sign is for a mountain bike trail, one runs close to the trig.

As 10:30am only had a half hour before UTC rollover at 11am local time. Set up the 2m Jpole only on the squid pole.

Checked the antenna with the 230 stick analyser. A bit low in resonant frequency but so broad did not really matter.

FT857D on a rock near the trig. Ran 40w on 2m FM

Started by working some summit to summits

VK1MCW Bill on VK1/AC-002 Mt Gingera

VK1AD/2 Andrew on VK2/ST-010 Mt Foxlow

A special call for the VK1 10-year SOTA anniversary, in February, 

VI10SOTA Wade on VK1/AC-040 Mt Ainslie

There were a couple of stations I could not hear that others were working, an unknown call on VK2/ST-053 Mt Mundoonen and VK2ZRK Andrew on VK2/SM-052 Bald Mountain. Andrew was almost workable, just too noisy to read. Looking on a map later had the Tinderries range in the way.

Also worked a couple of local chasers, VK1MT and VK1KCM, both very strong.

After UTC rollover worked again

VK1AD/2 Andrew on VK2/ST-010 Mt Foxlow

VI10SOTA Wade on VK1/AC-040 Mt Ainslie

VK1MCW Bill on VK1/AC-002 Mt Gingera

Put up the linked dipole and got on 40m. Conditions quite good for short hop contacts. Worked

VK3ZPF Peter on VK3/VN-001 Mt Torbreck

VK3TKK Peter on VK3/VC-014 Mt Disappointment

VK2EG Bob on VK2/HU-024

Spotted myself and worked VK3AT, then

VK3AFW Ron on  VK3/VT-057 Mt Fatigue

VK2ASD Maritime mobile on Sydney harbour.

VK3BCM Brian on VK3/VT-046 Mt Tassie

VK2HRX Compton on VK2/IL-003 Mount Wanganderry

VK3BEL, VK4FW/VK8MM

VK3ARR Andrew and VK3ARH Allen on VK3/VT-030 Mt Lookout

VK2ZRK Andrew on VK2/SM-052 Bald Mountain, able to hear him on 40m.

VK2PET, VK3FAR, VK2DIF, VK2DHN, VK3VIN, VK3KIM

A park to park with VK3GJG Garrick in VKFF-0269 Kosciuszko National Park

VK2VH/VK4AAC, VK3KR.

The cloud which had made the morning cool and comfy had cleared, with the sun out started to get warm. Packed up at noon and headed to nearby Mawson for lunch at a cafe.

SOTA Isaacs Ridge VK1/AC-041

With a sunny day on Wednesday decided to to a SOTA activation of Isaacs Ridge, VK1/AC-041. There was an alert for Compton VK2HRX to activate Mount Canobolas at 2300z, or 10am local time. Plus needed to finish completing 44 contacts for the WWFF award. The summit is in VKFF-0845, Isaacs Ridge Nature Reserve.

Parked off  Long Gully Road and walked up to the gate entering the reserve.

A short walk and joined up to another track heading up the hill. 

Near the top the track bends to the left, took another minor track that heads straight up the hill, steep but not too bad.

Reached the top. Track log of walk, taken from Garmin Connect off my Garmin watch. A distance of 0.7 Km taking 15 minutes to walk. 

Set up on my usual spot, a concrete post near one of the transmitting towers. Got some shade off an nearby pine tree, which was good as the day heated up. I did lose the shade later on.

Initially set up just 2m, but then found spots on ParksnPeaks for Compton on 40m, he had got on air early... so quickly set up the 40m dipole. Set up my FT857D on a rock

While operating spotted a lizard sunning itself on a nearby rock, type of skink I think.

Got on 40m and worked Compton, VK2HRX/p on Mount Canobolas VK2/CT-001, VKFF-1353 with a good signal. I switched to 2m FM and tried calling, got Andrew VK1AD close by. No other callers so went back to 40m and put up a spot up on SOTAwatch/ParksnPeaks. Got several callers pre UTC rollover

VK2YW, VK2WP, VK1AD, VK2IO, VK2VW, VK2HFI, VK5IS, VK3PF/m, VK1MIC, VK2NP, VK3ZPF, VK3SQ, VK2VH, VK4AAC/2, VK3ARH, VK3HRA.

Briefly tried 20m, worked ZL1TM and VK1AD.

After UTC rollover worked Compton, VK2HRX/p on Mount Canobolas VK2/CT-001 VKFF-1353 again for another S2S/P2P contact. Worked a few more chasers.

VK1AD, VK3GTV, VK5HAA, VK2YAK, VK4YAK, VK3AMO, VK2VW, VK2HFI, VK3ZPF.

Briefly tried 2m FM again, working VK1AD and VK1MIC.

VK3PF, who I had worked mobile pre rollover, had reached his summit, so worked him for a S2S/P2P.

He was on VK3/VE-192 Hore Hill in park VKFF-0767.

Starting to get warm as no longer had the tree shade, packed up and headed back down to have lunch in Woden. 

SOTA Isaacs Ridge VK1/AC-041

With a SOTA alert for Tait VK1HAB activating VK2/SM-026 Yaouk Peak on Sunday morning, decided to try chasing him from a SOTA summit. I picked Isaacs Ridge VK1/AC-041 as I also needed to finish the Isaaacs Ridge Nature Reserve for 44 contacts for WWFF (VKFF-0845) 

As per past activations parked off Long Gully Rd in Isaacs, walked up the fire trail to the top. Set up at the trig posts to the South of the transmitting towers. Started out with just the 2 m Jpole

 Tested the 2 m Jpole on the Expert 230 Stick, just about perfect, resonant on 146.50 Mhz with an SWR of 1.05

Shack on the tarp

Got on 2m. Found out that Tait VK1HAB was only activating 40 m, and would have been out of range with me anyway, so just worked the locals. All good strong signals.

VK1MCW Bill

VK1AD Andrew

VK1MIC Wade

VK1MA Matt

VK1FPHR Peter

VL1LAJ Aaron

VK2COW Dimitris

Put up the dipole, using links for 40 m

Was not able to hear Tait on 40 m. Spotted myself, went on to work

ZL1BYZ

VK7OR

VK3NBL

VL3PF

VK3GTV

VK3ANL

VK2LX

VK4SMA

VK4CZ

VK2COW

VK7AN

VK7VZ

VK5PAS

VK5FMAZ

VK2IO/p Gerard for a park to park to VKFF-0608 Tilligerry National Park


VK3PT
VK7QP

VK4HNS

The wind had come up during the activation and was quite cold, so packed up at this point and headed home for lunch.

SOTA Isaacs Ridge VK1/AC-041

Local SOTA activator Andrew VK1DA was going for SOTA mountain goat, so along with some of the other SOTA activators decided to chase him from a nearby peak for a summit to summit contact. I picked Isaacs Ridge, as it has a good path to Andrews summit VK2/ST-006 South Black Range, and as an added bonus activating a new WWFF park for me, VKFF-0845 Isaacs Ridge Nature Reserve.

As per previous activations parked off Long Gully Rd. A walk starts here for walkers, mountain bike riders and horse riders in the park.

Map on the fence for Isaacs Ridge Nature Reserve

Walked straight up the road to the top of the hill, short but steep... Just to the South of the transmission towers some concrete post survey markers, used one to support the squid pole. Initially just set up the 2m folded dipole ribbon antenna, left the dipole wires down until later as in a hurry to get going on 2m first.

Location of my operating spot. Map from Protected Planet website.

Shack on the tarp at the base. Using my FT-857D for extra power.

Got on 2m calling frequency 146.500 FM. worked VK1AD/p Andrew on VK1/AC-043 Mt Stromlo and Matt VK1MA/2 on VK2/ST-001 Mt Cowangerong both with strong signals.

Then Andrew VK1DA/2 came up from VK2/ST-006 South Black Range. I was his 3rd contact, his 4th being with Andrew VK1AD/p for the 4 needed to claim the 1000 summit points and Mountain Goat. Well done Andrew!

Went on to work Al VK1RX/p on nearby VK1/AC-038 Tuggeranong Hill, a huge signal. Worked Matt VK1MA/2 again after UTC rollover at 10:00 am.

Went on to work the following on 2m FM

VK1MIC/p Wade, VK1CT/p Chris in a park VKFF-0859 Percival Hill NR, VK1FJDO, VK1AD/p on VK1/AC-043, VK1AT Jim at home.

Tried putting up the 40 m dipole. The band seemed quite dead, not even the usual Sunday WIA broadcasts coming in that well. After a few calls worked Tex VK1TX on ground wave. As obvious the MUF was low added in the wire extensions and moved down to 80 m.

Had more luck on 80 m. Worked VK1DA/2 Andrew again with a massive signal from VK2/ST-006. Got a call from Peter VK3PF/p activating VK3/VT-046 Mt Tassie. A park to park with Gerard VK2IO/p in VKFF-0092 Cattai National Park.

Geoff VK3SQ also called me on 80 m with a strong signal. Worked a couple more F calls on Mt Stromlo, VK1/AC-043 VK1FCLU/p and VK1FDHA/p.

Tried 40 m again. Managed a summit to summit with Mathew VA3OZI/VK2 on VK2/MN-079 - Mount Yarrahapinni. A bit weak but workable.

Packed up and headed back down. View down the hill to the South West.

SOTA Isaacs Ridge VK1/AC-041

With a nice sunny Saturday morning decided to activate another local SOTA peak, VK1/AC-041, Isaacs Ridge.

As per previous activations parked off Long Gully Road and walked up a track through the pine forest. This seems to be a part of the Canberra Bicentennial Trail, although it swung off to the left at the end of this track. I continued up the steep road straight ahead.

Reached the top, then walked to the Northern knoll where I set up last time to work EU DX, and get away from the RF noisy towers.

Set up the squid pole on the cable marker. I ran my 6/10 m linked dipole East-West, to favour the US, with the 20/40 m linked dipole North-South along the road. Looking North

Looking South

Set up the SOTA shack at the base on the cable access slab.

Got on 6 m first. Found lots of RF birdies up and down the band, so some interference from the nearby towers. Despite spotting and several calls no chasers, so changed to 10 m.

Had a bit more luck on 10 m. Worked Mick VK6AY and Mike VK6MB. Then Andrew VK1MBE and Al VK1RX mobile. They also gave me a couple of 6 m contacts.

Set up on 20 m, as 40 m was a complete wipe out with S8 noise across the band. Worked Paul VK5PAS with a massive signal, VK4DD Dave, and VK6MB Mike with a better signal than on 10 m. Also VK5HEL Geoff.

Having no more calls on 20 m returned to 10 m to try and build my score for the SOTA MTs 6 and 10 m challenge. On the Australian 10 m calling frequency 28.490 mhz worked Matt VK1MT then Andrew VK1NAM, who also gave me another 6 m contact.

Tried to work 9M2MDX on 10 m, he was weak and misheard my call as VK1GI so the contact didn't count. Also a contact with Steve VK2NSS mobile in North Canberra. So 7 unique stations for the challenge.

Headed down for lunch. Checked out a quieter RF spot Andrew VK1NAM mentioned at the Southern end of the activation zone, must try this one next year.

Track log of walk

SOTA Isaacs Ridge VK1/AC-041

Saw an alert on Sotawatch for Mike, 2E0YYY doing an activation of G/SP-017, so on the spur of the moment decided to try s S2S contact from Isaacs Ridge, VK1/AC-041.

My last activation there was a disaster, S8 of noise all over 40 m and I broke my squid pole :(
However after finding out from Andrew, VK1NAM that 20 m was noise free there decided to give it another go.

As per last time walked in from the access road off Long Gully Road

After about a 15 minute walk reached the top track. Instead of going South towards the noisy towers went North to a spot Andrew operated from. Used the same sign for squid pole support

Ran one 20 m dipole leg to a thorny bush and the other leg to a pine tree. Didn't bother about a 40 m antenna, a check showed still S8 of noise all over the band...

Set up the radio at the base of the sign.

Got on 20 m and managed to work Mike, 2E0YYY on G/SP-017 for an S2S!

Then went on to work several of the usual crowd of EU chasers, G0RQL, G4UXH, G4OBK and G6TUH among them. Also VK1MBE, and some of the VK5 and VK6 guys. The VK5s were really strong, Paul VK5PAS was 59+. Ended working Rod VK2LAX/4 with a good signal.Worked no VK2s or VK3s, and my first solely on 20 m.

Sun was setting around 7 pm, so packed up while still some light left and headed down. Last shot of the station:

Sunset over the Brindabellas to the West.

SOTA Isaacs Ridge VK1/AC-041

Forecast for Sunday was good so decided to activate another SOTA summit, Isaacs Ridge, VK1/AC-041. This is a 840m hill at the top of a pine plantation at the back of the Canberra suburb of Isaacs. Parked off Long Gully Road and started the walk.

Soon found the road heading steeply upwards through the pines.

The road joins the top ridge road, after which walking became a lot easier. Several transmission towers in sight.

Some good views out the West. Can see Mt Taylor which I climbed last Sunday, and the Brindabellas in the distance.

Also see the Tuggeranong valley

Set up the 40m dipole on a fence post near one of the towers, close to the summit. Turned on and found S9+ noise over the whole band...

On 2m hand held simplex heard Andrew VK1NAM and Matt VK1MA discussing where I was, so told them the bad news on the local RF QRM...Will need to move the antenna to a quieter RF spot. In the meantime worked 6 stations on 2m, so at least I got the summit activated. Tried jamming the squid pole in a rocky outcrop nearby, unfortunately the pole fell down and split in one of the middle sections...so left with a 3-4m squid pole instead of 7m.... Mounted it as best I could on the nearby fence on one of the star pickets.

Set up the FT817 on a nearby rock

This rather crude arrangement at least got me on air. Noise over the band was down to S7-S8 so could at least work stations with signals over this strength. In all managed 20 contacts on 40m, including S2S contacts with VK3ZPF, VK3KAB, VK1RX and VK3MRG, so not a bad result from a bad site and antenna. I seemed to be getting out okay, just not able to hear that well. Sorry if I missed anyone calling.