Crace Nature Reserve VKFF-0838

With a nice sunny Saturday afternoon decided to go out and activate one of the local Canberra Nature Parks for WWFF. As have qualified most of the ACT parks for WWFF this was to go towards the Boomerang Award, 5 parks each with 5 activations. Went to Crace Nature Reserve, VKFF-0838 for the 3rd activation.

As per previous times entered via the gate off Nirta Pl in Mitchell. The actual sign for the park seems to have gone from the gate.

As per other times headed for a star picket near the gate for squid pole support. Set up the linked dipole, legs to the nearby fence

Looking back the other direction. SOTA peak Mount Majura in the background.

Checked the 40 m dipole, good.

Shack on the table. A real joy to be in this park without flies, still too cold for them...

Found S6 of noise on 40 m, probably from the nearby power lines. Spotted myself on 7.110 Mhz as some sort of contest going on up the band around 7.144.  A good stream of park hunters. Worked

VK7DW

VK5PAS

VK3YE

VK5FMAZ

VK4KC

VK3PF

VK3EJ

VK2VW

VK3PI

VK7QP

VK3QP

VK3SG

VK5FANA

VK3MPR

VK5ST

VK3FLCS

VK2LEE

VK4SMA

VK5HAA

Switched to 80 m to get the close in stations.

VK2LX, Grant in nearby Bungendore

VK3ZPF, Peter who I could barely hear on 40 m, but not enough to work. Good on 80 m.

VK3SQ, Geoff in Beechworth

A SOTA/Park to park contact with VK1DA/p Andrew on VK1/AC-021 Pheasant Hill, about 70 km away at the far end of the ACT, in Namadgi National Park VKFF-0377

VK2LEE, Lee in Scone

Tried 20 m, only 1 contact, ZL1TM Andrei.

Packed up and headed home.

WWFF Activation Crace Nature Reserve VKFF-0838

With the 5th year anniversary VK5 National & Conservation Parks weekend there were heaps of portable stations out in parks, so decided to join them Saturday morning for some park to park contacts. I chose to return to VKFF-0838 Crace Grasslands Nature Reserve, which I had activated back in November last year but failed to get the 44 contacts needed for WWFF.

As per last time headed to Mitchell and headed down Hoskins St, to where it bends about to become Nirta Pl. Parked near the access gate to the Nature Reserve.

A map of the park on the gate

As per last time used a handy star picket someone had hammered in the ground near the entrance. Set up the 20/40m linked dipole, one end tied to the fence, the other to a rather spiky bush.

Looking back the other way towards the gate. The mountain in the background is Mount Majura.

Shack on the table. Got on 40 m, using about 30 W power.

Started with 3 park to park contacts before starting my own calls. VK3XV/5 Tony in VKFF-0885 Grass Tree Conservation Park.

Then VK5LA/p in VKFF-1040 Kapunda Island Conservation Park. This is an island in the Murray River near Loxton, Andy and some others were activating some small islands, so an unusual park.

VK5DW/p Danny in VKFF-1058 Media Island Conservation Park, another Murray River island near Loxton.

Found a frequency and spotted myself on ParksnPeaks, worked the following park hunters.

VK3ARH Allen
VK2IO Gerard
VK3SQ Geoff
VK2VW Brett

Another park to park with VK5WAT/3, actually Peter VK3YE using a CW QRP club call in VKFF-2031 Langwarrin Flora & Fauna Reserve Conservation Park. He was a good 59 signal.

Then several more park hunters

VK2YK Adam
VK3PF Peter
VK3FLCS Brett
VK3BBB Brian
VK2KYO Ken
VK3FADM/1 Wayne in nearby Harrison
VK4NH, VK4DXA, ZL4TY/VK4 Ray
VK7EV/m Eric
VK4TJ, VK4/AC8WN, VK4/VE6XT John
VK2USH Steve

Then some more park to park contacts

VK5KLV/p Les in VKFF-0812 Clements Gap Conservation Park
VK5PAS/p Paul in VKFF-0904 Little Dip Conservation Park
VK5FMAZ/p Marija in VKFF-0904 Little Dip Conservation Park
VK4AAC/2 Rob in VKFF-0478 Tarlo River National Park

VK4HL/3 Kerin

Another park to park with VK3ANL/p Nick in Gresswell Forest (part b) Nature Conservation Reserve

VK2FABE Gary
VK7QP Linda
VK3MRG/p Marshall.

As getting close to lunch time and had qualified the park headed home for lunch.

WWFF Activation Crace Grassland Nature Reserve VKFF-0838

For the Sunday of the VKFF Activation Weekend I was planning to visit VKFF-0992 Old Naas Travelling Stock Route, however with wet weather forecast later in the day decided to do another closer by park, Crace Grassland Nature Reserve, VKFF-0838.

It is about a 20 minute drive from home. I took Gungahlin Drive, turning off onto Sandford St in Mitchell, then South into Hoskins St until coming to the park gate at the bend in the road.

A close up of the park map on the gate

Not far from the gate was a metal picket spike in the ground, this made a good support for the squid pole, set up the radio shack there. Able to get one dipole leg to a nearby bush and the other to the fence.

Operating location on a map of the park, map courtesy of Openstreetmaps

Radio on the table. Note the blue Aerogard insect repellent, there were lots of flies here...

Got on 40m. First contact a park to park with Rob VK4AAC/p in VKFF-1511 Clear Mountain Conservation Park. Not very strong but readable with the low noise in the park.

Spotted myself on parksnpeaks and got some park hunters. VK4PDX Col, VK7FRJG Rod, VK4TJ John.

Another park to park with Gerard VK2JNG/p in VKFF-0268 Koreelah National Park. Followed this with park to park contacts with Paul VK5PAS/p and Maria VK5FMAZ/p in VKFF-0832 Swan Reach Conservation Park. And another park to park with Mick VK3PMG/p/VK3GGG/p in VKFF-2111 Illawarra Nature Conservation Reserve.

Then some more of the usual park hunters. VK2VW Brett, VK3PF Peter, VK4RF/VK4HA Rick.

After 40 m went quiet decided to try 20m. Lowered the squid pole and changed the links to 20m. I got John, VK4TJ again, a lot easier to copy on 20m as the storm static crashes were not as bad.
I worked Gerard VK2JNG/p again in VKFF-0268 Koreelah National Park. A bit stronger than 40m but lots of QSB.

Didn't seem to be much activity on 20m so returned to 40m. Got VK4NHS/p Neil in VKFF-0198 Girraween National Park. Followed by another park to park with Gerard VK2IO/p in VKFF-1984 Pitt Town Nature Reserve. The NVIS short hop propagation had only just opened up from him to me.

Some more park hunters. VK2YK Adam, VK3ARH Allen, VK1CT Chris in nearby Gungahlin.
VK2PKT Keith in Parkes.

A couple more park to parks. VK5GY/p Gordon in VKFF-0875 Caroona Creek CP, VK3ANL/p Nick in VKFF-2113 Ironbark Road Nature Conservation Reserve.

A hunter contact with VK7JON Jonathon. Then another park to park with VK4SMA/p Mark in VKFF-0121 Crows Nest National Park

At this stage I could see rain approaching over the hill, so quickly packed up. The first few drops were falling as I drove off. Got quite heavy driving home. After getting home it stopped, however glad I had packed up when I did as the rest of the day the rain was on and off.

Total of 25 contacts so another park I'll need to revisit for the 44 needed for WWFF.