vk5pas

///////////////////////////////////////////
Kinchina Conservation Park 5CP-277 and VKFF-1764

Posted: 24 Mar 2017 08:42 PM PDT
https://vk5pas.org/2017/03/25/kinchi...and-vkff-1764/


Last night (Friday 24th March 2017) I activated the Kinchina Conservation
Park 5CP-277 and VKFF-1764, for the final Friday event for the 2016/2017
Spring/Summer season for the VK5 National & Conservation Parks Award.

The park is about 80 km east of Adelaide, and located a few km to the west
of the town of Murray Bridge.

I have activated the park once previously, back in November 2016. Â*For more
information on that activation, please see my previous post at..

https://vk5pas.org/2016/11/03/kinchi...ark-vkff-1764/


Above:- Map showing the location of the Kinchina Conservation Park. Â*Map
courtesy of Location SA Map Viewer.

The park is just a short drive from home for me. Â*I headed east along the
South Eastern Freeway, until I reached the Callington interchange, and then
travelled east long the old Princes Highway until I reached Maurice
Road. Â*I soon reached the park boundary on the western side of the
park. Â*The park, being very new, is well signposted. Â*It is interesting to
note that Location SA Map Viewer does not show the park on the southern
side of the railway line. Â*It only shows the park being on the northern
side of the railway line.

Out of interest I crossed the railway line to see if I could access the
park on the northern side of the line. Â*The track ended within about 20
metres and there were some gates leading to private property, so access to
that section of the park was not possible. Â*If you choose to activate from
the southern section of the line (which is where I have operated from
previously), there is a small car parking area. Â*The scrub here is quite
heavy, but there is enough room to string out Â*dipole.


Above:- The western side of the park, off Maurice Road.

I headed further east along Maurice Road for a few km, passing the quarry
on the northern side of the road, until I reached the second entry point to
the park from Maurice Road. Â*There is a large car parking area here, with a
small pedestrian gate leading into the park.







I decided to go for a walk through the park before setting up. Â*Kinchina
Conservation Park was gazetted in September 2016. Â*It is 414 hectares in
size and protectsÂ*grassy woodland communities considered of high
conservation significance. Â*The park was named for the rail siding where
local Monarto Granite was loaded to be sent to Adelaide by Jessie and
Charles Duncan from 1879. Â*This granite was used in many buildings
including Colonel Light’s statue, St Peters Cathedral stepgs, Electra House
on King William Street and for kerbing in Adelaide’s central business
district.









The eastern section of the park is very close to the eastern side of the
town of Murray Bridge. Â*Glimpses of the town, including the prison, can be
seen through the trees from Kinchina.






The Getaway Car Loop is an easy 30-45 minute walk from the carpark. Â*It is
a little hilly, but is an easy walk. Â*It took me passed an old well and
stock drinking area.





There is also an old cottage and well which you pass on the walk.





Once back from the walk, I decided to set up at this spot. Â*It was a warm
afternoon, with the temperature being 31 deg C, so I set up the fold up
table and deck chair under the shade of some trees. Â*I ran my normal
equipment for this activation, which consisted of the Yaesu FT-857d, 40
watts, and the 80/40/20m linked dipole, supported on the 7m heavy duty
telescopic squid pole.


Above:- Map showing my operating spot in the western section of the
park. Â*Map courtesy of Location SA Map Viewer.

Prior to calling CQ I had a tune around the band hoping to find some other
park activators. Â*It wasnt long before I found Adrian VK5FANA calling CQ on
7.135 from the BirdÂ*Islands Conservation Park 5CP-021 and VKFF-0871 on the
Yorke Peninsula. Â*Adrian was romping in, 5/9 plus.

I then moved up to 7.144 and asked if the frequency was in use, and this
was answered by Mick VK3GGG/VK3PMG to advise that the frequency was
clear. Â*Mick was a strong 5/9 + from western Victoria. Â*This was followed
by Dennis VK2HHA who was very strong from Albury in New South Wales. Â*It
wasnt long before a mini pile up ensued, with many of the regular park
hunters featuring in my log. Â*Contact number 15 for the activationÂ*was
another Park to Park QSO, this time with Neil VK4HNS who was portable in
the Plunkett Conservation Park VKFF-1631.

I was then called by Mark VK5QI to advise that T2AQ from Tuvalu was on
7.139 and listening on my frequency of 7.144. Â*Although the frequency was
totally quiet at my end, I decided to QSY up the band to 7.148. Â*First
caller there was Wade VK1FWBD, running QRP 5 watts. Â*I went on to work a
total of 32 stations on 7.148, from VK1, VK2, VK3, VK4, VK5, VK6, VK7, and
New Zealand. Â*This included Ken ZL4KD, who is the ZLFF co-ordinator in New
Zealand, and my good wife Marija VK5FMAZ who had just arrived home from
work.



It was getting quite late, 0820 UTC (6.50 p.m. South Australian local time)
and I was a bit concerned that I may have left my run on 20m a little too
late. Â*I headed to 14.310, but found the normal net on 14.307, so I moved
up a little and called CQ on 14.311. Â*This was answered by Maurizio IU5HIV
in Italy. Â*This was followed by Ray VK4LN, Greg VK8GM in Alice Springs, and
then Gerard F1BLL in France. Â*I worked a total of 12 stations on 20m, with
signals being quite low down from Europe on the long path. Â*Im pretty sure
I had left it a little too late to work Europe.

I then saw a facebook post that Adrian VK5FANA was calling CQ on 3.610 on
80m and was desperate for contacts. Â*So I lowered the squid pole and
inserted the links in the dipole and headed off to 80m. Â*When I got to
3.610 it was completely quiet, so I thought I may have missed Adrian. Â*I
listened for a few minutes but didt hear a thing, so I decided to give
Adrian a call, who responded with a 5/9 + signal. Â*After speaking with
Adrian I moved up the band to 3.615 where I worked a total of 8 stations
from VK3, VK4, VK5 Â*and New Zealand. Â*It was nice to log Neil ZL4UC at
Dunedin with a strong 5/9 signal.

Bill VK4FW called me to advise that there was an Italian station in a IFF
reference area on 14.280. Â*So down with the squid pole and out with the
links. Â*Sadly when I got to 14.280 I couldnt hear a thing. Â*I tuned across
the band, and only heard a handful of European stations. Â*It was now 0900
UTC (7.30 p.m. South Australian local time) and long path had almost
closed. Â*I did however, hear Take JA1RKL calling CQ on 14.265 with a strong
signal. Â*So I called Take and we had a short chat. Â*My signal in Japan was
5/7.

I then headed back to 40m and called CQ on 7.135. Â*It was now getting dark
and was a beautiful 24 deg C. Â*My CQ call was answered by Chris VK2SR,
followed by John W2VP who was 5/9 +. Â*John and I had a 20 minute chat and
we were joined by Adrian VK5FANA who tried to get through to John, but was
unfortunately just under Johns noise floor. Â*John was using a 40m station I
can only dream of: a 4 element beam at 150 feet and 1.2 kw. Â*No wonder he
was so loud.

I went on to work a further 15 stations from VK2, VK3, VK4, VK6, and
VK7. Â*Unfortunately whilst I was in QSO with Kim VK3KIM, the squid pole
came crashing down in the gully breezes and this resulted in the wire for
the dipole snapping near the centre piece. Â*So it was a mad rush back to
the vehicle to get a replacement antenna. Â*By the time I had got back on
air Kim had moved on.



Time as marching on and I was hoping to book into the 7130 DX Net for a few
rounds before going QRT. Â*But before checking in to the net, I tuned across
the 40m band and found Yves FK4RD calling CQ on 7.153 from New
Caledonia. Â*Yves had quite a pile up going, with stations calling from
North America, VK & ZL. Â*I remained patient, and got through after half a
dozen calls.

I then moved down the band and found Pedro NP4A working VKs on
7.140. Â*Pedro was 5/9 +, and was with Guy FM5WE in Martinique. Â*I was quite
excited, as Martinique would be a new country for me whilst operating
portable. Â*I did manage to get through to Pedro, but sadly Guy had moved on.

I then booked in to the 7130 DX Net, where I worked Bill W1OW in
Massachusetts. Â*Bill is a keen park hunter and I was pleased to be able to
give him a new park. Â*I also spoke with Chuck K9RM in Indianna, Michael
KA5PNX in Nebraska, and Brian ZL2ASH in Wellington New Zealand.

At the end of the net I called CQ on 7130 and this was answered by Robert
VK7VZ, followed by Glyn VK5GP in Murray Bridge who was 5/9 ++++. Â*I then
had a chat with Greg VK8HLF in Darwin who reported that my signal was
progressively getting stronger, 3000 km to the north. Â*I then had a little
run of calls from North AmericanÂ*stations, thanks to being posted on the DX
cluster. Â*This included Mark K1RO in New Hampshire, Bill N3JDR in
Pennsylvania, Rich KB2DMD in Pennsylvania, Gary K9RX in South Carolina, Luc
VA2HP in Quebec Canada, Bryan WA7PRC in Washington, Pete N0FW in Ohio, Kay
KA9CFD in Illinois, and Dick K5AND in Texas.

I had spent 5 hours in the park and had a total of 109 contacts in the log,
including some terrific DX on 40m. Â*I was really pleased.

Here is a short video of some of the DX I worked on 40m..



I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

VK5FANA/p (Bird Islands Conservation Park 5CP-021 and VKFF-0871)
VK3GGG
VK3PMG
VK2HHA
VK4AAC/p
VK3TKK/m
VK3OF
VK5PL
VK4FW
VK2IO
VK5KLV
VK2LEE
VK1DI
VK4KUS
VK4HNS/p (Plunkett Conservation Park VKFF-1631)
VK5QI
VK1FWBD
VK4PDX
VK4FSCC
VK3GTS
VK2MOR/m
VK7DW
VK2YW
VK3FLES
VK5KC
VK3FSPG
VK3MPR
VK5FMWW
VK5FVSV
VK5ZGY
VK4NH
VK4BTF
ZL4KD
VK5NIK
VK5FMAZ
VK3HSB
VK6NU
VK3AJA
VK2SK
VK4QQ
VK3HK/p
VK3CBP
VK2NAI
VK7JON
VK3HBG
VK2RR
VK3VIN
VK3QA
VK2SR
W2VP
VK4RZ
VK2QK
VK2NEO
VK4HNS
VK3FORD
VK3QB
VK3ZD
VK3MKM
VK6AV/p
VK7FRJG
VK3ARH
VK7CW
VK3ACT
VK4SMA
VK3KIM
FK4RD
NP4A
W1OW
K9RM
KA5PNX
ZL2ASH
VK7VZ
VK5GP
VK8HLF
K1RO
N3JDR
VK4HBT
VK2CPC
VK4HG
KB2DMD
K9RX
VA2HP
WA7PRC
VK2ARL
N0FW
KA9CFD
K5AND


I worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-

IU5HIV
VK4LN
VK8GM
F1BLL
IZ8DFO
ON4VT
IK4GRO
VK4FW
VK6NU
ON4BB
JA1VRY
F4GYG
JA1RKL


I worked the following stations on 80m SSB:-

VK5FANA/pÂ*(Bird Islands Conservation Park 5CP-021 and VKFF-0871)
VK5TW
VK3SQ
VK3PNF
ZL4UC
VK4FW
VK4SC
VK3LSD
VK2YX






References.

Government of South Australia, 2016,
https://www.environment.sa.gov.au/Ho...ervation-parks,
viewed 25th March 2017