On May 31, I headed off to another local park that I’ve previously activated just under two years ago.
I’ve only put two APRS maps in as it really is local. Indeed you can see the local knowledge to avoid traffic in the first map (as well as the trip back for coffee at the end of the day).
Anyway, I parked just near the entrance to Chittaway Fire Trail which takes us in to the park.
Google Earth shows us well inside the park where I decided to set up. I think this is also pretty close to where I was last time.
It’s a little frustrating that the fire trail does not become part of the park for a little.
This is an interesting park in that it’s in town distinct parts. The top part backs on to Tuggerah Nature Reserve.
Looking at the entrance to the fire trail, you can see that it’s gotten a bit overgrown.
Here’s where I set up. I had to move a bit off the trail as there really wasn’t anywhere dry on the trail.
Which is probably shown better in this picture.
Looking to the east down the fire trail from where I set up.
I initially didn’t add the 80m segments on to the dipole. I then had a chat from Gerard pointing out that without 80m, I would be unlikely to get him park to park, so I added on the 80m segments to the existing setup and ran them as best I could. This is the join on the western end.
This end ran at about eye level.
Looking west from the western end of the antenna. The fire trail was pretty well overgrown, and perhaps needs a little work.
and here is how I ended up anchoring the western end with the velcro that I use to store it.
Looking back east from the western end.
Looking East from the setup.
The 80m segment join was a little higher on the Eastern leg.
Here is where the 40m rope is tied off.
and the below two show the end bending around a sapling,
and again using the velcro to anchor it.
Looking back to the setup from the Eastern end.
and again, the set up in as dry a place as I could use.
As I’m writing this a bit ver a week after the activation, I really can’t recall all of the activation details, save to say that I did manage to get Jess W6LEN on both 20m and 17m CW, as well as a few others in that mode. As usual most contacts on 40m, but a good smattering on the other bands.
The Statistics
The video link below has me thanking folks for 51 contacts. I actually made one more SOTA contact after I shot the video.
Modes CW: 9 SSB: 43 Parks VKFF-1505: 1 VKFF-1881: 2 VKFF-2785: 1 VKFF-0372: 1 VKFF-1683: 1 6 park contacts - 5 unique Bands 17M: 1 40M: 26 20M: 3 30M: 7 80M: 15 52 unique contacts (0 duplicates) 52 log entries
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