Wednesday 27 December 2023
Yet another hot day was forecast. I considered my options and headed to another new Park to the SW of Wodonga. I headed west towards Barnawartha, then south on Indigo Creek Road to reach the target Park, just north of the junction with Watchbox Road.
Indigo Creek Streamside Reserve VKFF-3728 Not previously activated
MapshareVic shows that parts of this reserve are licensed – primarily the sections immediately adjacent to the creek. There is a section about 200 m north of the road junction mentioned where the wide portion of the reserve is not licensed and shown as under Direct Management.
There was an unlocked gate about 200 m north of the road junction, so I opened the gate and drove into the Reserve and parked. I soon had two lines over tree branches, one for the doublet and one for a 15 m vertical. I set up the gear on the tailgate.
I started on 40 m SSB, with two Park to Park (P2P) contacts: Chris VK1CHW in VKFF-3182, followed by Peter VK3TKK in VKFF-4279 as the first caller when I moved to a clear frequency. Over the next 20 minutes I made 20 contacts. I briefly jumped down to 40 m CW to work VK3TKK for a P2P on CW before returning to SSB. The next 20 minutes produced another 15 contacts, including some repeats on the new UTC day.
I then tried CW on some of the higher bands, working Steve KG5CIK and Jess W6LEN on 15 m and 10 m. I jumped back to 40 m SSB to again work VK3TKK, now in VKFF-4280. I returned to CW mode on higher bands, again working Jess and Steve on 24 m, 17 m and 20 m. Back to 40 m SSB to work VK1CHW, now in VKFF-0851. As I finished working Chris, a large truck pulled up at the side of the road. The driver jumped out and entered through the gate, so I walked around the vehicle to greet him. After introductions, I found that he was the landowner of the property on the eastern side of the creek and the licence holder of part of the Reserve. I explained what I was doing and he was happy, agreeing with my assessment that I was located in a publicly accessible portion of the Reserve. We chatted for a while before he departed.
I resumed radio activity by chasing Peter VK3TKK on 40 m CW, now in VKFF-4278. I moved to a clear frequency for 40 m CW and made another seven contacts.
Back to 40 m SSB for a final run, making 19 contacts in the next 17 minutes, including Rhian VK2FRBQ in VK-1711. With a total of 78 contacts in the log, I decided to close down and pack up.
I then headed north to Barnawartha.
Frying Pan Creek Streamside Reserve VKFF-3692 Not previously activated
The northern part of this Reserve is licensed. The remainder appears to be under “Delegated management”. I drove around to the western end of Short Street and drove towards Frying Pan Creek. The road swings right to pass under the rail line – low clearance! There was a gate just as the road swung south, next to which I stopped. On the other side of the gate was a sign indicating the Reserve. The gate was not locked, so I opened it and drove in to park.
I found a spot near a suitable tree branch and soon had the doublet in the air. The gear was again set up on the tailgate.
The activation started with two P2P contacts: Chris VK1CHW in VKFF-1775 and Peter VK3TKK in VKFF-4293. I moved to a clear frequency and spotted. I worked 30 stations in only 15 minutes! I then jumped to 40 m CW to work Ian VK5CZ in VKFF-4055. I then tried 17 m CW, making five contacts. I jumped back to 40 m SSB for another P2P with Peter VK3TKK, now in VKFF-4292. Next was 20 m CW for a SOTA contact with Isam VK2/JH0WMN on VK2/SY-001. I next tried CW on some higher bands, working Tada JA1VVH on both 12 m and 10 m. A spot induced another jump back to 40 m SSB to again work VK3TKK, now inVKFF-4291. I then tried 20 m CW, working Steve KG5CIK. Another spot induced a change to 20 m SSB, to again work Ian VK5CZ in VKFF-4055. I next tried 30 m CW, making three contacts. Another spot caused a jump to 20 m CW to again work VK5CZ in VKFF-4055. I then moved to 40 m CW, making six contacts. I then returned to 40 m SSB, making another 14 contacts, plus two more on CW. With 71 in the log, I closed down and packed up. I then returned to Wodonga.
Thursday 28 December 2023
The morning started with some domestic duties, undertaking some tasks for Mum. When I returned to base, I grabbed the last couple of items and headed off. When I was about half way to my destination, I remembered that I had forgetten to pick up the big battery, left on charge in the garage. I would need to rely on the two small batteries….
I drove to the area previously identified as a possible operating site, but found that there were few trees suitable to support the antenna and provide some shade. I drove a few hundred metres back and found a spot to park off a track leading to private property on the far side of the creek. There was a white letterbox on the side of the road (# 877). I pulled off the track and parked and soon had the doublet in the air. Note that there was a Private Property sign on the Reserve side of the bridge across the Creek.
Barwidgee Creek Streamside Reserve VKFF-3589 Not previously activated
I again set up on the tailgate. On switching on, I could hear Marty VK4KC in VK-7162 on 7.144 MHz. I waited for a chance and called. Signals were weak but workable. I soon had eight contacts in the log: four callsigns from Marty and two each from Richard VK2OKR/4 and Mark VK4TI. Next was Deryck VK4FDJL in VKFF-0677. When I returned to listen briefly on 7.144 MHz, I heard Marty announce that he was moving to 15 m SSB. After a short wait, I started calling CQ. Less than 20 minutes after switching on, I had 26 contacts in the log. I moved to 40 m CW, working 10 stations in 20 minutes. I then started exploring higher bands, spotting myself and calling CQ for around 10 minutes before change band or mode. I had two contacts on 10 m SSB, but none on CW. I moved back to 40 m SSB to work Peter VK3TKK in VKFF-3746. Then 20 m SSB to work John ZL3MR and Nick ZL3NLA, both on ZL3/CB-419 in ZLFF-0022. 17 m CW produced one contact before I returned to 40 m CW to gain work Peter VK3TKK. I returned to 17 m without success, and nothing was heard on 12 m. I had no callers on 20 m SSB or CW. 30 m SSB yielded a single contact, followed by four contacts on CW. I next returned to 40 m CW, making three contacts. I finally moved to 40 m SSB, making 15 contacts over the next 11 minutes.
I was about to close down when a spot came through for Wade VK1MIC on VK2/ST-039. I moved down but heard nothing. On checking SOTAwatch, he had just spotted on 20 m SSB. Again, nothing heard. I tried to send a message via SOTAwatch that he needed to allow at least five minutes for the Spot to propagate from SOTAwatch to ParksnPeaks. While I was doing that, he had jumped back to 40 m, then jumped back to 20 m only a few minutes later. Nothing was heard of him. Fred VK3DAC also said that he had not heard Wade on 40 m. A few minutes later, Wade spotted that he was going QRT with no contacts. I hope that he sorts out whatever problem that he had prior to heading out again.
I had been on air for 2.5 hours, so closed down and packed up. I had 66 contacts logged. I then headed back to Wodonga via Stanley and Beechworth, taking the scenic drive as the afternoon warmed up.
vk3pf 
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