Saturday 10 December 2016

SOTA Booroomba Rocks VK1/AC-026

A nice sunny Saturday forecast with a top around 25c, decided to reactivate one of my favorite VK1 SOTA peaks, Booroomba Rocks VK1/AC-026.

Drove to the Booroomba Rocks car park, took about an hour from home, got there at 10 am. Quite a few cars in the car park, probably rock climbers and other walkers.

Sign at the start of the track. a 2.5 Km walk.



The track climbs slowly at first, then gets steeper. A large granite boulder along the way.


Once reaching the top of the track headed off into the scrub to try and break into the first rock slab. The bush was pretty thick but didn't last. There used to be little rock piles to guide you along the easier path through the scrub, I couldn't find any of these until getting to the top of the intermediate summit.

Looking towards the SOTA summit from the intermediate summit.


Descended into the treed gully, luckily the rock piles here made it easier.

Walking up the rock slabs towards the SOTA summit. There are rock piles that lead you around to the left and up the Eastern side of the summit, avoiding the worst of the scrub just before the top.


After over an hour reached the summit. Someone had scattered the summit cairn rocks apart :(... thankfully the single gum tree for my usual squid pole support was still going strong.


Always enjoy the fantastic views up here, at over 1300 m. Canberra visible to the North East.


Looking West to the Brindabella Range


I put the summit cairn back together :) It used to be quite large many years ago.


Set up the squid pole on the lone gum tree, legs of the dipole tied to the rocks one end and to a dead snow gum branch at the other end. Also set up the 2m Jpole ribbon antenna. This is a really good VHF site.


Shack on the tarp at the base of the tree. It afforded little shade... luckily not too warm a day. There were lots of small ants here, seemed to like running over the radio, hopefully none got inside.


Got on 40m. Started by working Peter VK3ZPF/p in VKFF-0480 Tarra Bulga National Park with a good signal.

Then spotted myself on ParksnPeaks. Went on to work VK3EQ Rick, VK3LED Col, VK7CW Steve, VK3PF Peter, VK3CAT Tony, VK4RF/VK4HA Rick. Took me a few attempts to get my report to Rick, not that strong. A big signal from local VK1NK Nick, VK2HHA Dennis, VK2KYO Ken.

After 40 m died down went to 2m on 146.500 Mhz the FM calling frequency. Worked VK1MT/m Matt, VK2KBB/m David and VK1MA Matt with a huge signal as usual.

VK1AD/2 Andrew and VK1DA/2 Andrew had come up on VK2/SM-024 Tantangara Mountain. This was on the other side of the Brindabella Range in the Kosciusko National Park, over 50 Km away, but they were up at 1700 m so an easy S9 copy on 2m FM for S2S contacts.

Returned to 40 m for another park contact with VK3ZPF/p Peter, this time in VKFF-0626 Morwell National Park.

There was a spot for Rob VK4AAC/5 in VKFF-0796 Ewens Ponds Conservation Park. Rob was fairly weak, I gave him a 53 report, and he was struggling to copy me at 22.

Worked Gerard VK2IO, Robert VK7VZ/2 portable at Braidwood and Chris VK2SR/m near the ACT border, running 400w in the mobile.

After 25 contacts packed up and headed back down. Took about an hour to get back to the car.




3 comments:

  1. Nice activation, Ian. Conditions were better for you than for me the following day. I only managed three contacts from VK4/SE-059.

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  2. Gosh, I find it difficult to believe someone would disassemble the rock cairn, what's wrong with people? Good post Ian, thanks for the excellent VHF 2m S2S QSO between Tantangara Mountain and Booroomba Rocks, excellent signal report.
    73 Andrew VK1AD

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  3. Thanks Grant and Andrew,

    Grant saw your spots but nothing heard here, propagation was not good. Find it helps to have other bands to fall back to, 2m, even 80m if conditions are really poor.

    Andrew, Yes surprised anyone would attack a rock cairn, can't see the point? At least it proved easy enough to put back again. You had a good signal from Tantangara Mountain to Booroomba Rocks on 2m FM. It is a good spot for VHF up there with nothing in the way.
    73 Ian VK1DI

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