Sunday 22 March 2015

SOTA Bullen Range VK1/AC-033

As per previous activations started from the turnoff from Tidbinbilla Road marked Paddy's River Travelling Stock Reserve.


The usual collection of gates to open/clamber over, see previous blog entries for details. An overcast day, with low cloud, no rain and pleasantly cool for walking.


Reached the summit after an hour and 15 minutes walking. Set up the squid pole on the usual log. View of the station


Shack on the log, using one of the log off cuts as a seat.


Got on 40 m. Busy with stations in the John Moyle Memorial Field Day contest. Found Andrew VK1NAM/p on VK1/AC-043 for a S2S, then found a clear spot and worked the usual crowd of chasers. Another S2S with David VK3IL/p on VK3/VE-015, and later Andrew VK1DA/p on nearby VK1/AC-008 Mt Ginini.

Saw a spot for Al VK9N/VK7AN on VK9/NO-001 Mt Bates Norfolk Island on 20 m. Was receiving him a good S8, but was understandably very popular with chasers. Could also hear Andrew VK1NAM calling him for an S2S. After several calls managed to get through, Andrew a bit later.

Got an SMS from Andrew VK1NAM, that Gerhard, VKIO/p was looking for me for a 6m S2S from VK2/CT-006 Bonfire Hill.

Quickly pulled down the 20/40 m linked dipole, put up the 6/10 m linked dipole, set the links for 6 m and tried calling him. Could hear Andrew VK1NAM but Gerhard was barely audible, too low to work. Suspect my dipole running North/South due to the trees was end on to him.

Another SMS from Andrew indicated he was looking for me on 40 m, so another mad scramble of swapping dipoles and links back to 40 m. Worked Gerhard okay on 40 m.

After working Gerhard worked Kevin VK3KAB on VK3/VN-030. Packed up and headed back down.

Track log of walk.


Track profile. 5 Km each way with a 200 m climb.






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