vk5pas

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Some 20m short path DX as AX5PAS on Anzac Day

Posted: 25 Apr 2019 08:04 PM PDT
https://vk5pas.org/2019/04/26/some-2...-on-anzac-day/


Last night (Thursday 25th April 2019) I was about to head off to bed when I
decided to go up into the shack and have a listen on the 20m band.

Almost immediately after turning on the transceiver I heard R4FBH in Russia
calling CQ with a big signal and I gave him a shout and got through on the
first go.

I then decided to head up the band and put out a few CQ calls using the AX
prefix.Â* What followed was a mad rush of contacts using AX5PAS before
midnight.Â* I made a total of 65 contacts on the short path into Europe in a
bit over an hour.
Above:- Map showing my 20m short path contacts.Â* Map courtesy of QSOmaps

My equipment was a Yaesu FT-2000, 100 watts, and a 5 element triband yagi
at about 16 metres off the ground.

If anyone is seeking a special ANZAC Day AX5PAS QSL card, please QSL via my
QSL Manager Charles M0OXO.
Above:- My AX5PAS QSL card


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Watts Gully Native Forest Reserve VKFF-2886

Posted: 25 Apr 2019 05:40 AM PDT
https://vk5pas.org/2019/04/25/watts-...rve-vkff-2886/


Today (Thursday 25th April 2019) is an extremely important day on the
Australian calendar.Â* It is ANZAC Day, a National day of remembrance for
Australia and New Zealand.Â* It commemorates all Australians and New
Zealanders who have served and died in all wars, conflicts and peacekeeping
operations.Â* It is also just one of three days during the year that
Australian amateur radio operators can replace the normal VK prefix with AX.
Above:- My special ANZAC Day QSL card.

I decided to head out and have some fun with the special prefix and
activate another one of the newly added parks here in South Australia.Â* My
choice was the Watts Gully Native Forest Reserve VKFF-2886, which is
located between Gummeracha in the Adelaide Hills and Williamstown in the
southern part of the Barossa Valley.
Above:- Map showing the location of the Watts Gully Native Forest Reserve
in the Adelaide Hills.Â* Map courtesy of Protected Planet.

I headed from home to Woodside and on to the town of Gummeracha.Â* I then
travelled north on the Forreston Road and into the little town of Forreston
which is named after Alexander Forrest.Â* He was a blacksmith by trade and
had arrived in South Australia in 1848.Â* He settled in the Forreston area
in 1850 and in 1858 laid out the village of Forreston.Â* At its peak, the
town had a post office, store, wine shop, wheelwright, blacksmith, butcher,
and school.Â* A number of the historic buildings remain, and a plaque
indicating the location of many of the buildings can be located outside of
the Forreston Hall.







I continued along the Foreston Road until I reached Watts Gull Road.Â* At
this location, you can find a monument for the historic site of the Robert
Burns Inn which was licenced between March 1851 to December 1857.Â* It was
located in the settlement of Kirkwood which was established in c. 1850, and
was later known as North Gummeracha.Â* The settlement once boasted a
midwife, wheelwright, carpenter, blacksmith, store, legal practitioner, and
sawmill.
Above:- Monument for the Robert Burns Inn.

This is truly beautiful country, with rolling hills and numerous vineyard
and orchards.Â* Albeit very dry, as we have had very little rain here this
year.





I soon reached the Watts Gully Native Forest Reserve, which is part of the
Mount Crawford Forest.Â* The park is well signposted.





The Watts Gully Native Forest Reserve is 342 hectares in size and comes
under the control of Foresty SA.Â* It was dedicated as Forest Reserve in
1918.Â* The reserve is recognised as a significant remnant of the original
vegetation in the area.Â* It is estimated that less than 15% of the original
vegetation remains in the area.Â* Much of the vegetation was previously
disturbed in the past by activities including mining and timber cutting.





The area surrounding the park includes a number of farms and pine
plantations under the management of Forestry SA.Â* The park is dissected by
Watts Gully Road.Â* There is no vehicular access into the park.

The reserve consists of Messmate stringybark and Long-leaved box Woodland.Â*
It contains plant species with high conservation significance, including
the Nationally vulnerable species, Clover glycine.

The are was used for grazing and cultivation purposes up to 1918.Â* Timber
cutting in the reserve continued up until the 1950s.
Above:- An aerial shot looking west, of the Watts Gully Native Forest
Reserve.Â* Image courtesy of google maps

The Watts Gully Native Forest Reserve is part of the Mount Crawford Forest
which is named after the nearby hill of the same name, Mount Crawford which
is 526 metres above sea level.Â* Apparently, it does not qualify for the
Summits on the Air (SOTA) program as it does not have the necessary
prominence.Â* The mountain was named in 1839 by explorer Charles
SturtÂ*afterÂ*James Coutts CrawfordÂ*(1817–1889).Â* Coutts and his drovers
arrived overland from New South Wales in April 1839 with 700 cattle,
setting up a hut and cattle run at the base of Mount Crawford.Â*Â*Crawford
soon moved on to be a pioneer of Wellington, New Zealand.
Above:- James Coutts Crawford.Â* Image courtesy of wikipedia

The reserve is home to a number of native mammals including Western Grey
kangaroo, Koala, Short-beaked echidna, Brushtail possum, and Common
ringtail possum.Â* Sadly a number of introduced pests can be found in the
park including Red fox, Fallow deer and European rabbit.

Birds SA have identified a total of 69 native bird species in the reserve.Â*
This includes Adelaide Rosella, Superb Fairywren, Yellow-faced Honeyeater,
Crescent Honeyeater, Striated Thornbill, Grey Shrike-thrush,Â*Common
Bronzewing, Brown Thornbill, White-browed Scrubwomen, Rufous Whistler,
White-browed Babbler.

Below are some of the birds I observed during my visit.






The area is historically significant due to its mining heritage.Â* The
reserve takes its name from James Watts who discovered gold in the area
during 1884.Â* Watts was a Norwegian sailor who settled near Forreston in
the 1850s.Â* At its peak, the goldfields had more than 200 men mining in the
area, two stores and three blacksmiths.

The Evening Journal, dated 20th June 1885 reported..

Whatever the ultimate success of the Watts Gully Goldfield may be there can
be no doubt that it has been exceedingly useful in providing employment for
a large number of men during a dull period of the year.
Above:- News article from The Evening Journal, Adelaide, Tuesday 28th July
1885.Â* Courtesy of Trove.

Watts was described as a first-class practical miner who had an almost
intuitive knowledge of where to sink for gold.Â* Unfortunately, he met with
an accident and had to have one of his legs amputated.Â* Watts lived with
his wife and five children in a tent on the goldfields.Â* Mrs Watts
subsequently built a hut and walked the seven miles into Gummeracha for
work as a washer, receiving four shillings for 27 dozen washed items.Â* To
supplement her income she cut down gum trees and split them into posts.Â*
She received one pound for 150 posts.Â* What a lady.

In 1931/32 another gold rush occurred in the area when a 20-ounce gold
nugget and other smaller pieces were found in the area.

The northeastern section of the reserve is currently part of the Mount
Crawford fossicking area.Â* Permits are required prior to any fossicking and
are available from the Mount Crawford Forest Information Centre.

I parked at the gate for Fire Track WG12.Â* The gate was locked and there
was no vehicular access.



However, it appeared that at one time there was vehicular access into the
reserve as at the end of the fire track there were a number of wooden
tables and benches.



I set up about 100 metres down the track.Â* I ran the Yaesu FT-857d, 40
watts, and the 20/40/80m linked dipole for this activation.
Above:- Aerial shot of the Watts Gully Native Forest Reserve, showing my
operating spot.Â* Image courtesy of Protected Planet.

I put out a CQ call on 7.144 and this was answered by Mike VK6MB/3 with a
strong 58 signal.Â* Mike kindly spotted me on parksnpeaks, which soon
resulted in a mini pile up, as you would expect considering this was a
unique park.Â* David VK5PL was second in the log, followed by Paul VK3DBP,
and then John VK4TJ.

Within 8 minutes I had qualified the park for VKFF with 10 contacts.Â* QSO
number ten was with Andy VK5LA.Â* Within 45 minutes I had contact number 44
in the log, and the park was qualified for the global WWFF program.Â* QSO
number 44 was with Kevin VK2HLK.

I logged a total of 69 contacts on 7.144 from VK1, VK2, VK3, VK4, VK5, VK6,
and VK7.Â* This included the following Park to Park contacts:-

Allen VK3ARH/p Alpine National Park VKFF-0619
Peter VK3TKK/p Holden Flora Reserve VKFF-2333
Peter AX3TKK/p Holden Flora Reserve VKFF-2333
Alan AX2MG/p Brisbane Water National Park VKFF-0056
Ian VK1DI/2 Queanbeyan Nature Reserve VKFF-1988
Peter AX3ZPF/p Warramate Hills Flora & Fauna Reserve VKFF-2886
AX1DA/p Bullen Range Nature Reserve VKFF-0984


It was also great to speak with Amanda VK3FQSO after such a long time, and
her hubby Bob VK3FLAK.Â* Great to hear you guys on the air.Â* Another nice
contact was with Perrin VK3XPT using his Clansman military transceiver.Â*
Very appropriate considering it was ANZAC day.

I then headed off to 20m where I called CQ on 14.310.Â* First in the log was
Greg VK4VXX/p who was activating the Fitzgerald River National Park
VKFF-0171.Â* It was a nice way to start off on 20m.Â* I then logged Andrei
ZL1TM who is a very big VKFF hunter.Â* I logged a further 4 stations on 20m,
one from VK2, and three from VK4.
Above:- the shack for the afternoon

It was then off to the 80m band.Â* I called CQ on 3.610 after placing a spot
on parksnpeaks.Â* My good wife Marija VK5FMAZ came back to my call.Â* I
worked a total of 12 stations on 80m from VK2, VK3, and VK5.Â* This included
three Park to Park contacts:-

Peter VK3TKK/p Gisborne Flora ReserveÂ*VKFF-2322
Liz VK2XSE/p Murrumbidgee Valley Regional Park VKFF-1786
Peter AX3ZPF/p SOTA VK3/ VC-029 & Warramate Hills Flora & Fauna Reserve
VKFF-2224


When things slowed down I tuned around the band and found Ian VK1DI/2 on
3.620 in the Queanbeyan Nature ReserveÂ*VKFF-1988.Â* Although both of our
signals were low, we were able to comfortably have a contact.

I then headed back to 40m and spoke with Tony VK3WI (VK3XV) activating the
HMAS Castlemaine, a Bathurst-class corvette which was constructed during
World War II.Â* Â*She is just one of two surviving examples of the Bathurst
class, and is now a museum ship at Williamstown.Â* What a great contact on
ANZAC Day.
Above:- HMAS Castlemaine.Â* Image courtesy of Wikipedia.Â*

I then moved up the band to 7.144 where I put out another CQ call.Â* Peter
VK2FPAR came back to my call, followed by Ross AX7LH, and then Rod
VK7FRJG.Â* I logged a further 20 stations which included Max IK1GPG in
Italy.Â* Max has called me a few times now during my recent park activations
and had a nice 5/7 signal.

It was that time of the day that the band was opening to Europe, and I soon
had GW4UXS calling CQ on the frequency competing with me.Â* Sadly he couldnt
hear my little signal.

I moved back to 20m hoping for some long path Europe DX, but was sadly
disappointed.Â* There appeared to be no DX opening.Â* I did, however, log Ray
VK4NH up in Queensland who was a big 5/9 signal.

It was then back to 40m for a final CQ call before going QRT for the day.Â*
I ended up being there for a little longer than expected, with a further 25
stations logged on 7.144 from VK1, VK2, VK3, VK4, VK7, New Zealand, and
Belgium.Â* The big surprise was to be called by Danny ON4VT in Belgium who
had a nice 5/7 signal.

To complete the activation I had a tune across the band and worked Gerard
VK2IO/p who was on 7.155 activating the Solitary Islands Marine Park
VKFF-1411.Â* It was a nice way to end the activation with a Park to Park
contacts.

It had been another terrific activation, with my past 4 park activations,
exceeding 100 QSOs each activation.Â* This time I had a total of 144
contacts in the log, including 14 Park to Park contacts.Â* Thank you to
everyone who called, and a big thanks to those who took the time to spot
me: VK6MB/3, VK3PF, VK5FANA, VK3SQ, ZL1TM, VK3ZPF, VK5FMAZ, VK5VC, VK5DW, &
VK3ANL.Â* It is greatly appreciated.

LEST WE FORGET.



I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

VK6MB/3
VK5PL
VK3DBP
VK4TJ
VK4/AC8WN
VK4/VE6XT
VK3MDH/p
AX3PF
VK3MCK
VK5LA
AX3DAC
VK3MPR
VK3ARH/p (SOTA VK3/ VE-046 & Alpine National Park VKFF-0619)
VK3AHR
AX3AFW (AM)
AX2PKT
VK3UH
AX2HHA
VK2KYO
VK2NP
VK3TKK/p (Holden Flora Reserve VKFF-2333)
AX3TKK/p (Holden Flora Reserve VKFF-2333)
AX4HNS
VK4HNS
VK3PI
VK3FRAB
VK4CZ
VK2FJGO
VK5WU
VK7QP
AX3KZ
AX3VBC
VK3GMO
VK3MB
VK4FDJL
VK5KLV
VK5GY/p
VK3FPSR
VK1VIC
VK2VIC
VK3AQZ
VK3VLA
VK4SYD
VK2HLK
AX2FSAV
AX2MG/p (Brisbane Water National Park VKFF-0056)
VK2ADB
AX2IO/p (SOTA VK2/ NR-0239)
VK2BXT
VK2VW
VK1DI/2 (Queanbeyan Nature Reserve VKFF-1988)
AX3UKW
AX2YW
AX3KTO
VK3FLAK
VK3FQSO
VK3OHM
VK5FANA
VK2ARJ/m
VK3XPT
VK3SQ
AX4NH
AX4DXA
ZL4TY/VK4
VK4NH
VK4DXA
AX3ZPF/p (SOTA VK3/ VC-029 & Warramate Hills Flora & Fauna Reserve
VKFF-2224)
AX1DA/p (SOTA VK1/ AC-033 & Bullen Range Nature Reserve VKFF-0984)
VK6KJ
VK3WI (HMAS Castlemaine)
VK3XV (HMAS Castlemaine)
VK2FPAR
AX7LH
VK7FRJG
AX3TNL
VK3PWG
AX2XSE/pÂ*(Murrumbidgee Valley Regional Park VKFF-1786)
VK5VCR
VK2YK
VK3KTT/m
VK3CWF
AX3ASU
VK4SMA
VK3BHR
IK1GPG
AX3MKE
AX2WQ
VK3ANL
AX3ANL
VK7AN
AX3MH
VK4GSF
VK4MWB
VK4FARR
VK7JON/p
AX7FOLK/p
VK7MD/p
ON4VT
VK1AT
VK3OY
VK2MJW
VK3ZSG
VK3MXT
VK4OZI
VK3NL
VK2MOR
AX3BY
VK3BSG
VK3JK
VK2HMV
VK2BXE
VK3UP
VK3FCMC
ZL1TM
VK2UXO
VK4RF
VK4HA
VK4PDX
VK3FGSL
AX2IO/p (Solitary Islands Marine Park VKFF-1411)


I worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-

VK4VXX/6 (Fitzgerald River National Park VKFF-0171)
ZL1TM
VK2NP
VK4MWB
VK4TJ
VK4VSM
AX4NH
AX4DXA
ZL4TY/VK4
VK4NH
VK4DXA


I worked the following stations on 80m SSB:-

VK5FMAZ
VK5VC
VK5DW
VK3TKK/pÂ* (Gisborne Flora ReserveÂ*VKFF-2322)
VK5FANA
VK2XSE/p (Murrumbidgee Valley Regional Park VKFF-1786)
AX3ZPF/p (SOTA VK3/ VC-029 & Warramate Hills Flora & Fauna Reserve
VKFF-2224)
VK5LA
AX5LA
VK6MB/3
VK5PL
VK5BJE
VK1DI/2 (Queanbeyan Nature Reserve VKFF-1988)






References.

Birds SA, 2019,
https://birdssa.asn.au/location/watts-gully-native-forest-reserve/,
viewed 25th April 2019

Forestry SA, 2016, Watts Gully Native Forest Reserve Management Plan.

State Library SA, 2019,
http://www.slsa.ha.sa.gov.au/digitalpubs/placenamesofsouthaustralia/W.pdf,
viewed 25th April 2019

Wikipedia, 2019, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anzac_Day, viewed 25th
April 2019

Wikipedia, 2019,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forreston,_South_Australia, viewed 25th
April 2019

Wikipedia, 2019, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMAS_Castlemaine, viewed
25th April 2019

Wikipedia, 2019,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Crawford_(South_Australia), viewed
25th April 2019