The Pinnacle Nature Reserve VKFF-0862 for WWFF 10th Anniversary Weekend

The WWFF program was created in November 2012, so to mark the 10th year Anniversary an activity weekend was announced for 19th and 20th November. With poor weather for Canberra over the weekend I went out Saturday morning only to activate a local park, the Pinnacle Nature Reserve VKFF-0862.

Parked off Springvale Dr in Hawker, just a few Km from home. Sign for the park.

Walked into the park and headed left, until spotting a fence suitable for squid pole support after a short distance. Ran the 40m dipole along the fence.

Shack on the trap in the grass. Long grass after recent rain. As close to the car I carried my new 40aH battery pack in, to run the FT857D at 50w.

Got on 40m. Disappointingly about an S5 of noise from a nearby mobile phone substation.

Started by working a few parks already active

VK5PAS/7 Paul and VK5MAZ/7 Maria in VKFF-1812 Little Peggs Beach State Reserve

VK2BYF/VK2HQ Bob in VKFF-2698 Parma Creek Nature Reserve

VK3BEZ Peter in VKFF-0480 Tarra-Bulga National Park

After spotting on 7.160 worked several hunters

VK2EXA, VK3NDG, VK2VW/VK2HFI, VK3SQ. Another couple of P2Ps

VK2IO Gerard in VKFF-3246 Barrenjoey Head Aquatic Reserve

VK3TUN David in VKFF-2285 Burgess Swamp Wildlife Reserve

Then hunters VK3UH, VK2JRO, VK4TJ, VK3UAO

VK2MET Alan in VKFF-1410 Port Stephens - Great Lakes Marine Park. Also had call VK1AO.

VK2OKR Richard in VKFF-0595 Hunter Wetlands National Park

VK2JPR, VK3APJ, VK3SMW, VK2LEE, VK3ZPF, VK2FBRU, VK3VIN

VK1ACE Rod in VKFF-0985 Gigerline Nature Reserve. A new park for me as only activated this.

VK2HRX, VK2PKT, VK3GJG,

Tried 20m, only 1 contact with ZL1BQD.

As lunch time and the wind was picking up, packed up and headed home after 31 contacts. Not enough for the 100 contacts needed for the WWFF 10th Anniversary award, but 8 unique P2Ps, plus a few more at home so at least had qualified for the 10 needed Bronze hunter award.

10th Anniversary Activity Weekend | WWFF

My battery pack had dropped from 100% to 90% capacity, good for a one-and-a-half-hour activation running 50w.  

 
 

1000 Grid Squares award

Another award from the FT8 Digital Modes Club, for working 1000 grid squares on FT8. It has helped by using JTAlert to alert me when new grids are calling, usually make these a priority to work when calling.

Conjola National Park VKFF-0108

On Saturday morning I drove down to Huskisson NSW to join the Mid South Coast Amateur Radio club for their Christmas meeting and BBQ at midday. Caught up with several members that I have chatted with several times on air but never met in person. President John VK2NJP, park activators Bob VK2BYF, Colin VK2VAR and SOTA activator Andrew VK2PEZ, several more. A most enjoyable time at the meeting and BBQ.

After the meeting drove to my accommodation in nearby Sussex Inlet and checked in. As midafternoon decided to activate a nearby WWFF park,  Conjola National Park VKFF-0108

I initially tried to access the park on the side of Swan Lake to the South of Sussex Inlet, tracks were closed due to flooding...

Tried another spot, the road to Cudmirrah Beach passed through the park. Found a spot off the road and set up the antenna and radio table. Squid pole attached to a star picket I carried down.

Close up of the shack. First time using my new Companion 40aH battery station. Able to run 50W, high power for me! It worked well powering the FT857D. 

The 40m band was noisy with storm static, and NVIS skip was long. Spotted on 7.160. 

First contact a park to park with VK2OKR Richard in VKFF-0595 Hunter Wetlands National Park. He also had Gavin VK2YAK/VK4YAK with him for a couple more contacts.

Then VK3VIN, VK2EG, ZL1BQD, VK2SPF, VK2RP.

A few more park to parks

VK3ARD Matt in VKFF-2219 Upper Beaconsfield Nature Conservation Reserve

VK3BEZ Peter in VKFF-0480 Tarra-Bulga National Park. It was the KRMNPA weekend in Victoria.

VK2FRBQ Rhian in VKFF-0274 Kwiambal National Park

As getting late in the day and getting eaten by mosquitoes despite repellent, packed up. Took a look at nearby Cudmirrah Beach. Not in the park but looked like a nice beach to visit in warmer weather.

Companion 40aH Battery station

For WWFF park activations I have mainly been using a 4.2 aH Lifepo4 battery, which does the job but does limit what power I can use and the length of the activation.

I spotted a 40aH Lifepo4 Battery station made by Companion for camping and picked one up from a local camping store.

Unboxed and powered on, found the capacity was at 75%

Plugged in the 240v charger, charging up. Display showed 97 minutes to reach full charge.

What I like is the choices for power input and output. As well as mains it has leads to charge off a cigarette lighter in the car, also can charge directly off a solar panel.

The outputs include large Anderson Power poles. I have these on all my radios so just a matter of plugging them in. A little bit heavy and bulky for anything but small distance to walk SOTA summits, but ideal for park activations where the car is not far away. Should be able to run higher power and for longer :)

Worked 30 Chinese Prefixes Award

Another award from the FT8 Digital Mode Club, worked 30 Chinese Prefixes. Mainly from new contacts into China on 20m.

West Jerrabomberra Nature Reserve VKFF-0993

The weather on Friday was not too bad, sunny and around 19c, so decided to activate a WWFF park. Chose West Jerrabomberra Nature Reserve, VKFF-0993. I had lunch at Chisholm not far away.

Pulled into a road off the Monaro Hwy just past Lanyon Drive. It is actually a road to a private property, but enough room to park off the side of the road before the gate. A gate into the reserve nearby. The name for this reserve does seem to vary, the old sign on the gate has it as Jerrabomberra Grasslands Nature Reserve. The sign inside states Jerrabomberra West Grasslands Nature Reserve. Google maps has West Jerrabomberra Nature Reserve.

Set up the dipole using the sign for squid pole support. Looking towards the busy Monaro Hwy

Looking back the other way. The private road is over the fence.

Shack on the table.

Got on 40m. Band was good with strong signals. After spotting worked

VK3PF, VK7QP, VK2EXA, VK2IO

A park to park with VK3BWS/p Barry in VKFF-0747 Gippsland Lakes Coastal Park

VK4TJ, VK3SRC, VK2NP, VK2YAK/VK4YAK, VK1ACE, VK3UH, VK3NCR, VK2ZPF, VK3ZSC, VK3VIN, VK5BJE

Another park to park with VK3GP/p David in VKFF-0213 Grampians National Park

VK2MET/VK1AO, VK2FJG, VK2TDB, VK2TM.

Tried 20m. A bit early for EU, but worked VK4HAT, VK1ACE.

Made 25 contacts, with 2 other activations over the 44 needed to complete the park for WWFF.

Packed up and headed home before peak hour traffic started.

50 Canadian Stations Award

As per my last post have been working some new Canadian Provinces lately. Checking my awards in UAAC, found I had another award for working 50 Canadian stations.