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Old January 2nd 19, 07:28 PM posted to rec.radio.amateur.moderated,aus.radio.amateur.misc,rec.radio.amateur.dx,rec.radio.amateur.equipment
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Default [VK5PAS] Mount Lofty VK5/ SE-005 and Cleland Conservation Park VKFF-0778


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Mount Lofty VK5/ SE-005 and Cleland Conservation Park VKFF-0778

Posted: 01 Jan 2019 02:37 AM PST
https://vk5pas.org/2019/01/01/mount-...ark-vkff-0778/


HAPPY NEW YEAR to all.Â*

Today being the 1st day of January 2019, means another New Years Day SOTA
event.Â* It has become custom now in VK & ZL to head out to activate a
summit on New Years Day, and take advantage of activator points either side
of the UTC rollover for the two calendar years.Â* And also plenty of Summit
to Summit opportunities.

A few times now Marija and I have headed north to activate Mount Bryan in
the Mid North of South Australia.Â* We have stayed overnight in Burra on New
Years Eve, and activated the summit bright and early on New Years Day.Â* But
this year we were not sure what time Marija would get off work on New Years
Eve, so travelling to a summit we had not activated in 2018 was not going
to be an option this year.

So at about 8.45 a.m. on New Years Day, with no hangover,Â* we headed to our
closest summit, Mount Lofty VK5/ SE-005.Â* Marija and I had both activated
Mount Lofty during 2018, so we wouldnt pick up the 4 SOTA points until
after the UTC rollover.

Mount Lofty is just a short 15 minute drive down the road from home.Â* The
summit is located about 17 km (by road) south east of the city of Adelaide,
and is located within the Cleland Conservation Park VKFF-0778.Â* It is in
the Mount Lofty Ranges Adelaide Hills.
Above:- Map showing the location of Mount Lofty.Â* Map courtesy of Open Topo
map.

Mount Lofty is worth 4 SOTA points and has been activated a total of 82
times.Â* Not surprising that it is so popular, as it is in very close
proximity to the city of Adelaide, and is very easily accessible.Â* It was
first activated by Andy VK5AKH in November 2012.
Above:- Map showing Mount Lofty, in close proximity to the city of
Adelaide.Â* Map courtesy of Open Topo map.

Mount Lofty is the highest point in the southern Mount Lofty Ranges.Â* Its
elevation is 727 metres above sea level.Â* Mount Lofty was named by the
explorer Matthew Flinders on the 23rd March 1802 during his
circumnavigation of the Australian continent.Â* But the summit was not
climbed until 29 years later in April 1831, when the explorer Collet Barker
climbed to the top.Â* This was six years prior to the settlement of
Adelaide.Â* Barker was speared to death later that year after swimming
across the Murray Mouth.

In 1855 an obelisk replaced the old stone cairn at the summit, which was
originally used to mark the trig point.Â* In 1902 the obelisk was named the
Flinders Column.

A cafe-restaurant and gift shop can be located at the summit, which is
incredibly popular with tourists as it offers spectacular views of Adelaide
and across Gulf St Vincent to the Yorke Peninsula.
Above:- An aerial view of Mount Lofty summit.Â* The arrow indicates our
operating spot.Â* Image courtesy of google maps

We parked just inside the gates leading to the summit and walked about 500
metres down the Heysen Trail and set up in our normal spot.Â* This is within
the activation zone, but away from the hoards of tourists.
Above:- Aerial shot of the summit, showing our operating spot.Â* Image
courtesy of google maps

We were set up and ready to go just before 9.15 a.m. local time (2245
UTC).Â* I called CQ on 7.100 and first in the log was Sid VK4/ZS5AYC and
Adele VK4/ZS5APT who were activating Tennison Woods Mountain VK4/ SE-177.Â*
It was a great way to start the activation with a couple of Summit to
Summit contacts.Â* Next was Andy VK3AJA, Chris VK3PAT, and Nev VK5WG.Â* It
was soon evident that the 40m band was in good shape, with good strong
signals.Â* And absolutely no man made noise on the band.Â* One of the many
reasons I enjoy working portable.

A little pile up soon ensued which I was very pleased with.Â* I logged a
total of 39 stations from VK1, VK2, VK3, VK4, and VK5, before swapping the
mic with Marija.Â* Summit to Summit contacts logged were as follows:-

Sid VK4/ZS5AYC Tennison Woods Mountain VK4/ SE-177
Adele VK4/ZS5APT Tennison Woods Mountain VK4/ SE-177
Peter VK3PF/2 Great Yambla Ridge VK2/ RI-018
Leigh VK3SG/p Mount McKay VK3/ VE-007
Malcolm VK3OAK/p Blue Mountain VK3/ VS-015
Gerard VK2IO/p Mount Elliot VK2/ HU-093
Brian VK3BCM/2 Mount Black Jack VK2/ SW-010
Compton VK2HRX/p Mount Loch VK3/ VE-005
Andrew VK1AD/2 Mount Mundoonen VK2/ ST-053
Hugh VK5NHG/p Hallett Hill VK5/ SE-003
Hugh VK5/M6OVY/p Hallett Hill VK5/ SE-003


Park to Park contacts logged were as follows:-

Peter VK3PF/2 Benambra National Park VKFF-0029
Mike VK6MB/2 Clyde River National Park VKFF-0102
Malcolm VK3OAK/p Landsborough Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2129


It was pleasing to log a number of South Australian stations.Â* Close in
propagation has been pretty patchy for quite some time now, so I was very
pleased to hear 5/9 plus signals from Nev VK5WG, John VK5MJC, & Hugh
VK5NHG/p in the Mid North, Les Vk5KLV at Port Augusta, Rob VK5TRM, Rob
VK5TS & Ivan VK5HS in the Riverland , Rick VK5VCR & Dave VK5LEX south of
Adelaide, Sue VK5AYL on the Fleurieu Peninsula, and John VK5NJ in Mount
Gambier who was QRP with around 4 watts.



With about 25 minutes before the UTC rollover, Marija started calling CQ on
7.100, after we had lowered the power down from 40 watts to 10 watts PEP,
to abide by Marijas licencing conditions.Â* First in the log for Marija was
Phil VK3BHR, followed by Leigh VK3SG/p on Mount McKay VK3/ VE-007, and then
Hugh VK5NHG/p on Hallett Hill VK5/ SE-003.

Marija logged a total of 15 stations before the UTC rollover, including the
following Summit to Summit contacts:-

Leigh VK3SG/p Mount McKay VK3/ VE-007
Hugh VK5NHG/p Hallett Hill VK5/ SE-003
Hugh VK5/M6OVY/p Hallett Hill VK5/ SE-003
Ian VK5CZ/p Mount Gawler VK5/ SE-013
Matt VK1MA/p Yellow Rabbit Hill VK1/ AC-039
Compton VK2HRX/3 Mount Loch VK3/ VE-005
Col VK3GTV/p Mount Macedon VK3/ VC-007
Ian VK1DI/p Mount Taylor VK1/ AC-037


And the following Park to Park contacts:-

Col VK3GTV/p Macedon Regional Park VKFF-0972
Ian VK1DI/p Mount Taylor Nature Reserve VKFF-0854


I also logged some of the above stations who I did not already have in the
log.

Marija continued after the UTC rollover and logged a further 8 stations
including the following Summit to Summit contacts:-

Ian VK1DI/p Mount Taylor VK1/ AC-037
Leigh VK3SG/p Mount McKay VK3/ VE-007
Allen VK3ARH Mount Saint Phillack VK3/ VT-006
Andrew VK3ARR/p Mount Saint Phillack VK3/ VT-006


And the following Park to Park contacts:-

Ian VK1DI/p Mount Taylor Nature Reserve VKFF-0854


I also logged these stations.





I then jumped back on the mic and logged a further 31 stations, including
the following Summit to Summit contacts:-

Peter VK3ZPF/p Mount Toorongo Range VK3/ VT-026
Malcolm VK3OAK/p Blue Mountain VK3/ VS-015
Compton VK2HRX/3 Mount Loch VK3/ VE-005
Matt VK1MA/p Yellow Rabbit Hill VK1/ AC-039
Al VK1RX/2 Livingstone Hill VK2/ SM-093
Brian VK3BCM/2 Mount Black Jack VK2/ SW-010
Gerard VK2IO/p Mount Elliot VK2/ HU-093
Alan VK3ALN/p Mount Donna Buang VK3/ VC-002
Ian VK5CZ/p Mount Gawler VK5/ SE-013
Ron VK3AFW/p Mount Matlock VK3/ VC-001
Nik VK3ZNK/p Arthurs Seat VK3/ VC-031
Peter VK3PF/2 Great Yambla Ridge VK2/ RI-018
Col VK3GTV/p Mount Macedon VK3/ VC-007
Craig VK3KLR/p Mount Macedon VK3/ VC-007


And the following Park to Park contacts:-

Malcolm VK3OAK Landsborough Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2129
Alan VK3ALN/p Yarra Ranges National Park VKFF-0556
Nik VK3ZNK/p Arthus seat State Park VKFF-0750
Peter VK3PF/2 Benambra National Park VKFF-0029
Col VK3GTV/p Macedon Regional Park VKFF-0972


I then decided it was time to try the 20m band.Â* I changed bands on the
transceiver and was monitoring 14.310 as I was lowering the squid pole and
removing the 40m links.Â* I could hear Andrew VK1AD/2 calling CQ, so I
hoisted the squid pole up with haste, but found that Andrew had gone.Â* I
had however, heard John VK6NU/p trying to get through (unsuccessfully) to
Andrew.Â* So I logged John who was activating SOTA peak VK6/ SW-039.

I then moved up to 14.315 and logged a total of 18 stations from VK2, VK3,
VK4, and New Zealand.Â* This included the following Summit to Summit
contacts:-

Andrew VK1DA/2 Mount Bowning VK2/ ST-042
Peter VK3PF/2 Great Yambla Ridge VK2/ RI-018
Nik VK3ZNK/p Arthurs Seat VK3/ VC-031
Andrew VK1AD/2 Mount Mundoonen VK2/ ST-053
Alan VK3ALN/p Mount Donna Buang VK3/ VC-002
John ZL1BYZ/p Puketutu ZL1/ WK-158
Sid VK4/ZS5AYC Tennison Woods Mountain VK4/ SE-177
Adele VK4/ZS5APT Tennison Woods Mountain VK4/ SE-177
Matt VK1MA/2 Yellow Rabbit Hill VK1/ AC-039


And the following Park to Park contacts:-

Peter VK3PF/2 Benambra National Park VKFF-0029
Nik VK3ZNK/p Arthurs Seat State Park VKFF-0750
Alan VK3ALN/p Yarra Ranges National Park VKFF-0556


John ZL1BYZ was my first New Zealand Summit to Summit for this activation,
so I was very pleased to get him in the log, albeit a little bit of a
struggle.Â* I also logged Johns wife, Jacky ZL1WA, who was operating from
home.

A few stations had mentioned that 15m was open, so Marija and I lowered the
squid pole, and replaced the linked dipole with the 15m 1/2 wave dipole.Â* I
called CQ on 21.250 and it wasnt long before I had my first 15m caller,
John VK4TJ.Â* What followed really surprised me.Â* A steady flow of callers
from VK1, VK2, VK3, VK4, VK7, and New Zealand.Â* I logged a total of 36
stations including the following Summit to Summit contacts:-

Nik VK3ZNK/p Arthurs Seat VK3/ VC-031
Gerard VK2IO/p Mount Elliot VK2/ HU-093
Ron VK3AFW/p Mount Selma VK3/ VT-013


And the following Park to Park contacts:-

Nik VK3ZNK/p Arthurs Seat State Park VKFF-0750
Mike VK6MB/p Murramarang National Park VKFF-0371
Mark VK4SMA/p Moogerah Peaks National Park VKFF-0326
Peter VK3ZPF/p Crossover Regional Park VKFF-0965


Some of the signals on 15m were exceptionally good.Â* It was so great to see
this band open.



I encouraged Marija to get up on 15m and I think she was pleased I did, as
she does not normally make a lot of contacts on that band.Â* Marija ended up
logging 25 including the following Summit to Summit contacts:-

Gerard VK2IO Mount Elliot VK2/ HU-093
Nik VK3ZNK/p Arthurs Seat VK3/ VC-031
Ron VK3AFW/p VK3/ VT-013


And the following Park to Park contacts:-

Mark VK4SMA/p Moogerah Peaks National Park VKFF-0326
Nik VK3ZNK/p Arthurs Seat State Park VKFF-0750
Mike VK6MB/ Murramarang National Park VKFF-0371
Peter VK3ZPF/p Crossover Regional Park VKFF-0965


To complete the activation I put out a few final CQ calls on 21.250 and
logged a further 8 stations from VK2, VK4, VK7 and New Zealand.

Our final tally for the day:-

Paul VK5PAS

number of QSOs 142
number of Summit to Summit 46
number of Park to Park 18


Marija VK5FMAZ

number of QSOs 48
number of Summit to Summit 16
number of Park to Park 7


TOTAL QSOS 190

TOTAL SUMMIT TO SUMMIT 62

TOTAL PARK to PARK 25

During the activation we were also visited by John VK5FLEA.Â* John, who is a
new ham, has become a very enthusiastic parks activator.Â* He also activated
Mount Lofty, and this was his first ever SOTA activation.



Marija worked the following stations before the UTC rollover:-



Marija worked the following stations after the UTC rollover:-



I worked the following stations before the UTC rollover:-



I worked the following stations after the UTC rollover:-







References.

Wikipedia, 2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Lofty, viewed 1st
January 2019


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