Mulligans Flat Nature Reserve VKFF-0855

With a nice mild sunny day in Canberra decided to get out and do a WWFF park activation. I returned to Mulligans Flat Nature Reserve, VKFF-0855. Had not been there since 2019, and another activation for the Boomerang Award.

Drove along Mulligans Flat Rd, turning left at the roundabout just before the ACT-NSW border. There is an access point here for horses onto the Bicentennial National Trail on the left. Sign for Little Mulligans, the Northern section of Mulligans Flat Nature Reserve

A close up of the map on the sign

Carried my gear into the park and set up, using the horse gate support for the squid pole support. 

Table in the shade under a tree

FT857D with the power pack on the table

Tested the SWR on 40m. Resonating a little high in the band but okay to use. Dipole is fairly broad anyway.

Got on 40 m and spotted myself on 7.144 on ParksnPeaks.  A steady stream of callers

VK2VW/VK2HFI, VK2IO, VK2LX, VK1RF/2, VK3DAE.

A park to park with VK3BEZ Peter in VKFF-2384 Merrimans Creek Flora Reserve

VK3ANL, VK3VIN, VK2YPU, VK3EBM/m, VK3SMW, VK3AQU, VK3ACZ, VK3FTOM, VK2EXA.

Tried 20 m. a couple of contacts, VK1AD Andrew and VK5HAA John.

Packed up and headed home for afternoon tea.

Mulligans Flat Nature Reserve VKFF-0855

National Wattle Day in Australia is celebrated on the 1st September each year. In recognition there is an award available for any VKFF activation made on this day. With a nice sunny Sunday went out to activate a park, picked nearby Mulligans Flat Nature Reserve VKFF-0855.

Last time I activated Mulligans Flat Nature Reserve was off Duke Road at the Northern end of the park. For a change decided to try another access point, near a style over a fence off Blizzard Circuit in Forde. Sign for the park near the style

The style over the fence. Rather fancy

Decided to set up near the fence away from the style and pedestrians, using a fence post for squid pole support. Was able to pass tables, chairs and pack over the fence. Notice the houses just over the road...

Operating spot. Map from Protected Planet

Shack on the table.

Turned on 40 m to find S7 of noise... Most likely from the houses across the street from the park. As a pain to pack up everything and move decided to just put up with it and work the stronger stations.

Spotted myself on ParksnPeaks, made a park to park with VK5KLV/p Les in VKFF-1757 Upper Spencer Gulf Marine Park.

Went on to work park hunters

VK4NH VK4DXA Zl4TY/VK4
VK4SMA
VK4FARR
VK4TJ VK4/AC8WN VK4/VE6XT VK4SSN
VK4CZ
VK3FADM/1 in nearby Gungahlin
VK5KSW

As shown mainly VK4s and some VK5s, nothing at all from VK3. There were some VK3s activating but unable to hear them, just no NVIS short skip to nearby VK2 and VK3 today.

Packed up after 13 contacts and headed home.

Mulligans Flat Nature Reserve VKFF-0855

With a WWFF, VKFF activation weekend planned I chose to activate 2 Canberra Nature Parks on the Saturday, Mulligans Flat in the morning and Goorooyaroo in the afternoon.

Mulligans Flat Nature Reserve is a large park in the North East corner of the Australian Capital Territory, protecting box gum woodland. It even has its own website http://www.mulligansflat.org.au/ It is split by Mulligans Flat Road, with Northern and Southern areas. Map as follows.

Drove down Mulligans Flat Road past Bonner, then turned left into Duke Road. A short distance along the road came to a gate and an entry point for horses into the park. Also used by mountain bike riders to access the Canberra Centenial Trail. Marked as Operating Spot on the map.

Parked and offloaded my gear for a park activation. I knew there was not much of a walk, so took the camping table, chair, car battery and my shack radio for a change, a TS-480. Set up the squid pole on the fence

Radio shack on the table. Just like being at home :)

For a change could actually run a bit of power, kept it to around 40 w output and wound it up to 100 w for difficult contacts, although needed to watch the battery use.

Got on 40 m. Initially found missing NVIS contacts, mainly VK5, VK7 and Northern VK2, nothing from nearby VK3 or even local VK1s...Did improve later in the morning. Remember one contact with VK3ZPF, Peter we could barely copy each other, even on high power, then the band picked up after a few overs to an strong easy copy using low power...

Many hunters and also many parks on air, 19 Park to Park contacts. Parks worked in VK2, VK3, VK4 and VK5. Also a couple on SOTA activations, VK1AI/P on VK1/AC-033 and VK2HRX/P on VK2/CT-007.

Went through to 12:30 pm when I packed up and headed to the next park. 49 contacts so have qualified the park for a change.

Stopped at Forde briefly to see the Southern entrance to the park

From here it is about a 600 m walk to enter the park.

Went on the Forde for lunch, then on to Horse Park Drive to my next park, Goorooyaroo Nature Reserve,