Sunday 15 September 2013

SOTA Activation Mt Cowangerong VK2/ST-001

As the weather today looked better than the forecast decided to go for an activation after lunch, to Mt Cowangerong in the nearby Tallaganda National Park. Drove out to Queanbeyan, then the Kings Highway, Captains Flat Road to Captains Flat. Then took the Braidwood road to the East and stopped when I got to the Cowangerong Firetrail.


As wanted a walk stopped here and walked along the firetrail, about 2.6Km. Fairly easy going. Could have driven if I wanted to.


About 300m from the summit there is a smaller firetrail branching off to the left. Took this up to the summit.


Got to the summit, a large cleared area with the BOM weather radar in the middle.


There was the remains of the Mt Cowangerong trig at the base of the radar complex. The post with the vanes attached on the ground near the rocky cairn.


I had heard Andrew, VK1NAM had problems with interference from the radar when he activated here, so decided to operate on the opposite side of the clearing, just into the bush, to get away from it. Used a stump to support the squid pole. Ran the dipole legs out to some trees. Dipole facing end on to the radar.


Used a log as a seat and shack table


Got on 40m and got mobbed by the usual crowd of chasers...After the crowd died down tried 2m FM from the hand held  with Andrew VK1NAM in Canberra and Andrew VK2UH in Yass. Managed to just make a contact with VK1NAM, after moving about a bit. I could hear Andrew VK2UH ok with his beam and high power, just couldn't get heard back on my puny 5w hand held and whip...must get a better 2m antenna for activating. Also heard Al, VK1RX but he didn't hear me.

After 40m died off tried getting on 20m. Lots of big signals in a contest, had trouble finding a spot. Tried 14.330Mhz but no reply to my calls, even after spotting myself. Packed up and headed home, 21 contacts made. Track log of walk






2 comments:

  1. Hi Ian,

    Although only a strength 3, you were a very good copy here in the Adelaide Hills. Sad to see the trig point in such a state. Unfortunately they are a dying piece of history.
    Best 73 mate & congrats on another activation.

    Paul,
    VK5PAS.

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  2. Hi Paul,

    Yes since the age of the GPS trigs are a dying breed, not much left of this one...
    You had a good copy too despite the tree cover.

    Cheers Ian VK1DI

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