On the 2nd July 2023 the kookaburra’s song was heard coming from my phone. It is an alert. A quick look at Parksnpeaks indicated that Adam, VK2YK was activating Mark Oliphant Conservation Park, VKFF-0782, a mere three kilometres away from home by road and much less as the Little Raven flies. At 05:56 UTC, I worked Adam on 14.320 Mhz SSB followed by a contact on 146.5 Mhz FM. Needless to say signals were five and nine on both bands. Adam indicated he was moving to Mylor Conservation Park, VKFF-0785. I decided I would go for a walk in the Park and say hello to Adam. I saw Adam near the gate and we had a few words and an inspection of his excellent station. Then I began my slow climb up the track and had contacts with Adam on 2 metres and 70 centimetres FM using my hand held. It was great to catch up with him and three quarters of an hour later when I arrived back at the main gate he was still working stations. Eye-ball qsos are a great amateur radio tradition and a lot of fun.
SA Conservation Parks
Kenneth Stirling Conservation Park, VKFF-0781, 3rd January 2023
I decided to return to Kenneth Stirling Conservation Park and try for a final activation of at least ten contacts for the Boomerang Award. The VKFF Boomerang Award recognises and rewards activators for multiple activations (at least five) to encourage ongoing visits to parks and generate activity.
I posted my intention to be on air at 00:01 UTC and I was a few minutes late. I was looking for a snake free location! Snakes have become active since the recent burst of warm/hot weather and I like to see what is around me (now more difficult because of the long grass). I get engrossed in my radio activity and it is too easy to not keep an eye open on the surrounds.
I made 11 contacts on HF: one on 80 metres and the remainder on 40. All these contacts were voice (ssb) and I used my VK5BJE call-sign.
Here is my log:
3.610 00:23 VK5KAA 59 58
7.144 00:48 VK5AYL 59 49
00:48 VK5KAA 59 49
00:51 VK2OAK/P p2p VKFF-2084 It was good to get a park to park contact with Malcolm 59 both ways.
00:52 VK3KYF 59 57
00:54 VK7QP 57 44
00:58 Vk3ZSC 56 57
01:00 VK3ACU/P qrp 53 51 Jordan was using an IC705 with power being drawn from the internal battery. I was using my IC705 with an external LiFePO4 battery.
01:04 VK3AHR 59 59 Ron at Wodonga
01:06 VK3PF 59 45
01:08 VK3SMW 59 56 Steve
I then posted on ParksPeaks that I would operate on 7.032 CW, as VK5PF. I called for 15 minutes without success. When I arrived home I checked my post and it was not on the list in ParksnPeaks. I am less surprised now about no CW contacts! I changed my radio for CW as I decided to use my stainless steel paddle which which is held in place by three strong magnets on the steel case of the radio, an FT857D. The IC705 is en-cased in a composite plastic material. Magnets do not work but I have Palm Key which also has magnets but is easier to use being held with the left hand and operated by the right. That is not an entirely satisfactory arrangement so the quest continues. the underlying parameter is to keep everything as simple and as light as possible.
The photos show, Chinese stainless steel paddle; the paddle attached to the FT857D by very strong magnets, the IC705 showing my operating frequency and finally my paper log. I can just decipher my writing!
The stainless steel paddle works well – but bear in mind it is not a precision instrument but with the internal electronic keyer in the radio the cw is quite acceptable.
Finally, I wish to thank all of the chasers and VK3OAK, Malcolm, for the park to park contact. Conditions on 40 metres are improving and I was delighted with my contact with VK3AHR at Wodonga, 5 and 9 both ways. VK2 and further north is conspicuous by absence from my log.
Kenneth Stirling Conservation Park, VKFF-0971, Sunday 6th November 2022
I last visited this park on 2nd October 2022 as part of my quest to qualify for the first level of the Boomerang Award for activators. However, I should have read the rules more closely: for an activation to count for this award you need ten contacts on the one UTC day. I reached the required number of contacts but they were spread over two UTC days. Here is a link to that activation:
https://wordpress.com/post/vk5bje.com/8399
Sunday was a warm early summer day, almost clear sky and no wind and I chose to visit the park in the mid afternoon.
I commenced my activation at 03:59 on 7.155 Mhz on the 40 metre band.
03:59 VK3ZPF, Peter 59 57
04:17 VK2IO/P Gerard, 51 45, Park to park Gerard was at Cape Banks Aquatic Reserve, VKFF-3251
04:07 VK2VH Rob 59 55
04:08 VK4AAC/2
04:08 VK3GJG 59 54
04:17 VK2EXA 59 45
04:19 VK5HAA 59 55
04:23VK2YK/5
04:23 VK5GA
04:29 VK3VJP 57 57
04:31 VK5YX 59 56
04:37 VK2MET. Alan, 53 52
04:37 VK1AO
04:39 VK5IS 59 59
04:40 VK5BJF
04:43 VK3BWS/P 57 41 Barry Park to park
Band conditions were better than the last few days despite QRN (mainly electrical storms in the north west and north east of the state) and atmospheric frying noise. Fading was slow and deep and I was most aware of this after calling CQ on 7.032. I called a few times and was answered by a station sending too fast for me to decode in my head. And his signal disappeared for seconds in the deep fades. I might have had a chance of a contact if the QSB was not so tough. So VK5PF didn’t get much of a run! Thanks to all who gave me a call.
Kenneth Stirling Conservation Park, VKFF-0971, Sunday 2nd October 2022
On Sunday morning I decided I would visit Kenneth Stirling Conservation Park, Wottons Scrub block, for a chance at completing five activations of this park with at least ten contacts per visit. Please check previous posts for details of this attractive park. As per usual with this park I had the place to myself. I enjoyed a slow, relaxed pathway to ten contacts, swapping antennas and I am fairly certain the the sun was responsible for a gap in the contacts mid to late morning: making contacts was hard going. Here is the link to my previous visit to this park.
https://wordpress.com/post/vk5bje.com/8307
Contacts
1.10.2022
23:23 7.135 Mhz VK5VC 59 57 Charlie. Charlie was conducting the call-back on 40m after the Sunday morning Wireless Institute of Australia broadcast. I listened to the broadcast on VK5RAD, two metre FM repeater, as I was driving to the park. He invited me to take the frequency after the call-back. Thank you Charlie.
23:38 VK5NPP 57 53
23:40 VK5AR/P 58 53
23:42 VK5PAS, Oceania DX station 59847, 59001. Paul went on to make over 1009 contacts in the Oceania DX contest. See Paul’s blog for a detailed report.
23:45 VK5YP, 59 53, Wayne at Kadina
23:48 VK5ZX/P in Riverland near SA/Vic border. Matt. 59 52
2.10.2022
7.130 00:54 VK5KAA 59 59 Gordon
14.316 01:15 VK5KAA 56 51
14.300 01:20 VK4BAR 59081 59002
14.190 01:30 VK2R (operator, Gerard, VK2IO) 59167 59003, Gerard was in VKFF-3260, making a Park to Park contact.
14.290 02:00 VK2W, 59055 59003
14.300 02:15 VK4BAR, 59082, 59006
Total 12 contacts, one duplicate. Thanks to all who gave me a call.
For all contacts made on 40 metres I used a Buddipole Pro vertical antenna. I am not in a position to make a comparison with the 40/20 metre home brewed dipole but it seemed to work well. It is smaller and fairly easy to erect and get going. I experimented in trying to get it tuned in the first instance following the instructions. In the end I found that using my analyser confirmed my settings . My practice took place at home and on some park visits. I could get a really good match. On Sunday I decided I would rely on my practice to get it going on two bands. I did not use the analyser. The radio, an IC705, showed a vswr of about 1 to 7, on 40 metres, therefore usable. However the AH5 tuner quickly adjusted the tuning so that the radio was looking into a 50 ohm load. Finding the correct positions for the taps on the antenna coil (centre loaded) is foolproof. The most critical adjustment is that for the counterpoise. There are coloured indicators on the wind-out wire for each band and on 40, 20 and 15 no adjustment of the whip is required.
On 20 metres the first two contacts were made on the vertical and the remainder on the dipole. I had a tune around the bands and the DX was strong. Operating at ten watts I decided not to get amongst the DX stations. I worked a few Australians on 20 metres and all were easy contacts. I found to ensure a repeatable installation the counterpoise needs to be close to a metre above ground (three feet above the ground, US manufactured antenna) and I used a steel electric fence pole, just a bit over a metre long and with plastic insulators strategically placed along the pole and a place for your foot to drive it into the ground. Using the top insulator the counterpoise is at least three feet above ground. I had trouble with the tuning until I sorted out the counterpoise. The antenna is very well made and I mounted mine on an aluminium camera tripod. I will take some photos next time I use the antenna in a park.
I suspect theoretically the dipole will work better on close-in stations and the vertical, with a lower angle of radiation, may be better with DX stations.
I will try the vertical on DX soon.
Kenneth Stirling Conservation Park, VKFF-0971 9th August 2022
.
On Monday evening I checked the weather forecast and the Bureau of Meteorology suggested a fine and sunny day for Adelaide.I decided that I would activate Kenneth Stirling Conservation Park at the Wottons Scrub Block. This park has four sections and a fuller description can be found at my earlier post on this park dating from April 2016.
On that occasion I made 51 contacts thus activating the park for the WWFF award. Here is a link to that activation – https://vk5bje.com/category/amateur-radio/sa-conservation-parks/kenneth-stirling-conservation-park/
I set up my station in the same location. But just about everything had changed – previously I used a second hand Yaesu 897D and a Sota beams linked dipole antenna. I no longer own the 897D – it was a good radio but a bit too big and I mainly used 10, sometimes 20 watts, so I purchased a Yaesu 857D, the same radio apparently in a smaller package. I had it with me yesterday but did not use it. My set up is now an IC705 and the matching AH5 tuner, a 12 amp hour LiFePO4 battery and two home made antennas. One is a linked dipole for 40 and 20 metres and the other is a linked dipole for 15, 17 and 10 metres.
I set up for 15 metres and did not get a contact. I did not try 17 but moved to 40 metres after changing the antenna. Propagation was strange. Signals came and went in seconds I could get a word, for example, a callsign and not hear the rest of the transmission. This happened with VK2IO on 20 metres. There was also echo on some signals. I was told by others who were activating parks on the east coast that they had similar experiences. At least it wasn’t a total black-out. I was told what we experienced was the end of solar storms and ejections and that conditions will probably stabilise in a day or two! A check of some of the sun weather internet sites confirmed what I was told and what I had suspected, that the earth was in a direct path from a storm on the sun; a second wave, on Monday.
I enjoyed the following contacts on 40 metres before transferring to 20 metres.
01:44 Z VK3BEZ/P in VKFF-0753 Brian
VK2RK Robert
VK2ACR Robert
VK5IS, 59 56 There was an interesting echo on Ian’s voice.
VK5GY Gordon
VK5LA Andy
VK3PF Peter
VK3MTT Therese
VK2IO Gerard
VK4JT John
VK5KAA Gordon
VK3BWS/P in VKFF-0747 Barry
20 metres 02:37 Z
ZL1BQD 51 52 Roly
VK3BWS/P in VKFF-0747 Barry
VK5HAA John
VK4EMP Mark Brisbane
VK4TJ John
ZL1TM 52 57Andrei
Thank you to the successful callers and to those who tried to make a two way contact.
Mylor Conservation Park, VK5BJE, Pedestrian Mobile, Sunday 24th July 2022
One of my regular activities is walking and on Sunday last, I walked my usual trail in Mylor Conservation Park. I listen to the Wireless Institute of Australia (WIA) broadcast on the VK5RDF, two metre C4FM repeater. The signal is good for the whole walk, although it weakens towards the northerly end of the park because of a rise on the westerly side. I always call in on the callback and announce that I am pedestrian mobile. Now I know that this is not HF, no WWFF, but it is still fun. I have taken this walk for a number of years and never mentioned that this is how I usually listen to the broadcast. Of course the regular listeners know! I use a Yaesu FT-70D set for 0.5 watts, that is, half a watt. I have no trouble accessing the two metre and 70 centimetre repeaters (VK5RDF) with such such low power.
You can see from the walk profile that the total ascent is just 42 metres and most of that is from the entry to the park to the north-south track – the hard part of the walk (about 500 metres) is over at the beginning!
And the listening is great, the WIA national news, VK5 club news and then the call back. We have a group from Detroit, Michigan, which is expanding in numbers and who call in, a Californian and one or two from the East plus some interstate amateurs. VK5RDF is linked to all of the C4FM repeaters in the state and the 10G backbone as well as being accessible through Wires x.
Thanks go to Pete, VK5JP and friends.
Mylor Conservation Park, VKFF-0785, 21 July 2022
Thursday was a magic Winter’s Day. While the temperature was in the low teens the sun shone in a cloudless sky and there was no wind. I thought I would make it a radio day and try out my new Icom 705 in the field. My last activation was on the 18th April and I sustained an injury which kept me at home following hospital treatment.
I went to my usual activation spot about 100 metres into the Park on Whitehead Track. I tried out the radio as a QRP rig, running five watts, using the supplied battery and later supported by a Lithium Iron battery (LiFePO4) I ran 10 watts. I used a home made dipole and the Icom AH5 coupler. What I am attempting to do is make my footprint and load smaller, without going overboard! I have even tried out my Palm Iambic paddle matched to the keyer in the radio. It works well. I have had it for some years but did not use it, preferring a hand key. But I have made this move to reduce weight as I want to walk to more activation spots.
Secondly, I am chasing the first level WWFF Boomerang Award, that is, five activations on separate days with at least 10 contacts at each activation. I will check this out over the next few weeks.
Here is a link to my last activation at Mylor Conservation Park.
https://wordpress.com/post/vk5bje.com/8094
Contacts
7.144 Mhz 0136 VK3BEZ/P Park to Park VKFF-2094
7.150 VK5PAS Paul
VK3PF Peter
VK2YK/5 Adam
VK5GA/P Adam
VK5BJF Geoff
VK5LA Andy
VK3SQ Geoff
All the contracts listed above were completed using the internal battery on the IC 705, that is, five watts. I then changed to an external battery and worked the following stations:
VK5KAA Gordon
VK5NFT Tom
VK3ZFC Graham
0226 VK3BEL/P Ross Park to Park VKFF-2021
Thanks to all who gave me a call and to Paul, VK5PAS, who spotted me on ParksnPeaks. Unfortunately, my Night Hawk modem has died!
Today the weather was not as good and I was going to add a few more contacts using a vertical antenna – but I changed my mind and walked the Park instead.
I entered the Park at the Whitehead Road entrance and walked up the hill on Whitehead track to the junction and turned left and walked to the end of the park at Hooper Road. I then re-traced my steps to the southern end of the Park near the entrance to the Thai Forest Monastery. The walk is about three and a half kilometres and took me about 47 minutes, including time out to speak with another walker.
I have described this park in previous posts and I have enjoyed my many visits. However, I will now shift most of my walking to Mark Oliphant and Scott Creek Conservation Parks where the walks are more challenging. Mylor Conservation Park is one of a number of parks make up the Greater Mount Lofty Parks.
I am interested in the Park tracks, which includes a section of the iconic Heysen Trail. Are these tracks built on earlier walking paths established by the local First Nations People? I cannot answer this definitely. It is unlikely as the Park contains re-growth forest and there is a sign near the main gate which suggests the Park was once a farm.
Here is some photographic evidence I have collected on my camera as I have gone about my walks.
I have found about five of these stumps and they are all located on the Eastern side of the Whitehead track and all are on the shoulder of the road. These were big trees and my guess is that they were removed when the road was made. Much of the forest re-growth is made up of trees with smaller diameters.
Once again I thank all of the radio amateurs who gave me a call and got me over the Boomerang Award threshold.
.
World Amateur Radio Day, 18th April 2022
Re-opening of Scott Creek Conservation Park, April 2022, 23rd April 2022, VKFF-0788
World Amateur Radio Day
I can do no better than to start this post with a direct quotation from the IARU. Each year for World Amateur Radio Day a different theme is chosen and this year the flavour is one of history and gaining access to radio frequency spectrum.
‘Every April 18, radio amateurs worldwide take to the airwaves in celebration of World Amateur Radio Day. It was on this day in 1925 that the International Amateur Radio Union was formed in Paris.
Amateur Radio experimenters were the first to discover that the short wave spectrum — far from being a wasteland — could support worldwide propagation. In the rush to use these shorter wavelengths, Amateur Radio was “in grave danger of being pushed aside,” the IARU’s history has noted. Amateur Radio pioneers met in Paris in 1925 and created the IARU to support Amateur Radio worldwide.
Just two years later, at the International Radiotelegraph Conference, Amateur Radio gained the allocations still recognized today — 160, 80, 40, 20, and 10 meters. Since its founding, the IARU has worked tirelessly to defend and expand the frequency allocations for Amateur Radio. Thanks to the support of enlightened administrations in every part of the globe, radio amateurs are now able to experiment and communicate in frequency bands strategically located throughout the radio spectrum. From the 25 countries that formed the IARU in 1925, the IARU has grown to include 160 member-societies in three regions. IARU Region 1 includes Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Northern Asia. Region 2 covers the Americas, and Region 3 is comprised of Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific island nations, and most of Asia. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has recognized the IARU as representing the interests of Amateur Radio.
Today, Amateur Radio is more popular than ever, with more than 3,000,000 licensed operators!’
Scott Creek Conservation Park fire January 2021
Scott Creek Conservation Park was badly damaged by a fire on January 24th 2021. The Park was immediately closed to the general public and has only just re-opened after a break of 14 months. During the time the park was closed work began to make the park safe again. There are a number of matters that needed attention: tracks repaired; fences replaced; fallen trees cleared; trees with obvious damage needed attention, pruning or removal and holes and hazards on the ground repaired. As well a thorough inspection of the park was undertaken. I used to walk in the park almost every day and had my favourite tracks, high and with views. I was often pedestrian mobile in the park with a hand held vhf/uhf amateur transceiver. I did drive around the perimeter on public roads but then put the park out of my mind for the time being. I began walking more regularly in Mark Oliphant Conservation Park. However, that had to cease when the Government decided to increase the amount of parking at the main gate. I called by the park yesterday 22nd April 2022 and had a look at the completed work. It is excellent and my wife and I spent some time speaking with a couple of contractors and they were pleased we had noticed their work. It is good to see the plaque honouring Sir Mark Oliphant clearly visible again. I have done most of my walking in Mylor Conservation Park over the last eight months or so and enjoy that park.
So my contribution to world amateur radio day was to set up my station just inside Gate 9 and hope that the weather would remain fine. I worked (had contacts or qsos) with 16 stations in the VK call areas of 2, 3 and 5, that is, 2 in NSW, 3 in Victoria and 5 in South Australia. Conditions on the air were really good and signals were strong. I used to activate from Gate 8 (see earlier posts for the park) but the new fence is on a different alignment and there is just parking for one car at Gate 8. The Senior Ranger is keen to get the fence shifted to increase parking places.
Here is a link to my last Scott Creek Conservation Park radio activation.
https://vk5bje.com/category/amateur-radio/scott-creek-conservation-park/
Contacts (qsos)
I was on the air at 04:45 UTC and worked the following stations:
VK3FKL/P
04:49 VK5BJF
04:53 VK5PX
04:58 VK5KKT
05:04 VK5PL
05:08 VK5FANA
05:14 VK5BBB
05:15 VK2CCP/3
05:17 VK5ZPF
05:20 VK2YK/5
05:23 VK3PF
05:26 VK5WWW
0530 VK5KLV
05:33 VK5HAA
05:34 VK2VW
05:36 VK2HFI
Sixteen stations in just over 45 minutes is not difficult to achieve and during that time I was visited by the Senior Ranger and we talked about radio and other things for a few minutes. He knew who I was and I know about him – probably because my wife is very active with the Friends of Scott Creek Conservation Park!
I swapped to the 20m antenna and the band was alive. I listened to SP4LVG, from Poland, whose signal was over strength nine. I was competing with some Australian amateurs running a lot more power and I could not break through. As the rain was now making its presence felt I packed up my gear, but tripped!
I managed drive home and then the Emergency Department at a city hospital became my QTH (home) until Friday evening. I will be a home station for Anzac Day.
Operating Conditions
I used my Yaesu 857D transceiver set for 10 watts, powered by a seven amp hour LiFePO4 battery, a linked dipole, a log book and clock set for UTC time. A squid pole completed the set up and I went to Gate 9 for the activation. I do not recommend Gate 9 as an activation spot: there is not enough space without going off track. Gate 8 is now unsatisfactory as the new park fence is is on a different alignment and there is space for only one vehicle. The Senior Ranger for the park is going to get the fence re-established on its earlier alignment. I enjoyed the activation and thanks to all of the operators who gave me a call. I was pleased to work Adam VK2YK/5 who was in Porter Scrub, VKFF-0787, making one park to park contact on the day.
Mylor Conservation Park, VKFF-0785, Sunday 28th November 2021
Excellent weather greeted me on day two of the special WWFF Activation Weekend. My chosen park was the Mylor Conservation Park near home. This is also quite a small attractive park which I have been walking in (along with the Mark Oliphant Conservation Park) while Scott Creek Conservation Park remains closed due to the fire about 12 months ago. I was hoping the Scott Creek Conservation Park might have been opened in time for this weekend. It was not to be. I have activated Mylor Conservation Park on three previous occasions and I will return for a fifth to make up for the lack of contacts over the weekend due to antenna faults.
I arrived at the Park about 8.30 on Sunday morning and carried my gear into the park: about four trips. I have got to reduce the amount of clutter I carry. Take antennas for example. I carry about five antennas for all bands but only one of my antennas is designed for 80 metres. I have resolved to build another antenna which will cover 80 metres. There are lots of antenna designs for 80 metres but by the time you filter out verticals, loops and doublets you are left with just dipoles. I use a centre fed resonant linked dipole for 80 metres. Mine is from SotaBeams. I laid it out on the ground, an old sealed road, Whitehead Track, and armed with my MFJ analyser and my eyes I set out to find the fault in what has been an excellent antenna. Now I am gentle with my gear and look after it carefully but the antenna is long and it is easy to snag on a bush or a stick on the ground while laying it out or packing it up. The antenna works 80, 40, 30, 20 and 15 metres and a check with my analyser confirmed it was not working on any of the bands. With a linked dipole set for 80 metres all of the links need to be closed. I checked mine and found that to be correct. At the Knoll on Saturday I confirmed my radio was working by changing to a home brew antenna for 40 and 20 metres. So I started at one end and began a check by examining every soldered joint. I eventually found the fault: the wire had broken at the point where is attaches to the crocodile clip at the 15m metre links just on one side. It was hanging together by the insulation on the wire!
So I packed the antenna away and substituted another and proceeded to work 17 stations on 40 metres. I missed the 80m band. I enjoy this band for close-in contacts in South Australia and Victoria. I only worked one VK5 station at home (John VK5HAA).
The Park
I have visited Mylor Conservation Park on three occasions and here is a link to my last visit:
https://vk5bje.com/category/amateur-radio/sa-conservation-parks/mylor-conservation-park/
This Park has been described in detail with photos in my previous posts.
Contacts
2234 7.150 VK7DW/P 53 41 VKFF-1818 Drew
2236 7.155 VK3PF/P 57 57 VKFF-2329 Peter
2240 7.160 VK3VIN 59 57 Ian, Bendigo
2250 7.160 VK4AAC/3 59 53 VKFF-2189 Rob also spotted me on 7.160 Thanks Rob
2253 7.160 VK2VH/3 59 54 VKFF-2189
2253 7.160 VK3SQ 59 55 Geoff Beechworth
2255 7.160 VK3YE/P 53 54 Peter portable at Seaford Beach
2257 7.160 VK2VW 57 55 Brett
2258 7.160 VK2HFI 57 55
2252 7.160 VK5HAA 59 39 John at home in noisy environment
2301 7.160 VK3IH 59 54 Paul at Walkerville
2318 7.113 VK5MAZ/P 51 52 Marija VKFF-1078
2319 7.113 VK5PAS/P 51 52 Paul VKFF-1078
2321 7.120 VK3PF/P 59 59 Peter VKFF-2431
2326 7.160 VK3AWA/P 59 57 Darryl VKFF-2141
2328 7.160 VK3TV 59 57 Mal 2141
2352 7.140 VK2IO/P 51 44 Gerard VKFF-0473
I enjoyed the morning in the park and spent some time speaking with visitors about amateur radio. And a special thank you to all who gave me a contact.
World Ranger Day 31st July 2019, Mylor Conservation Park, VKFF-0785.
Dr Dame Jane Goodall
”World Ranger Day both commemorates Rangers killed or injured in the line of duty and celebrates the critical work Rangers do to protect the world’s natural and cultural treasures.
World Ranger Day is observed annually on the 31st of July and is celebrated by the International Ranger Federation’s (IRF’s) member Associations, The Thin Green Line Foundation, and by organisations, schools and individuals who support the work of Rangers and the IRF worldwide.
The first World Ranger Day was observed in 2007 on the 15th anniversary of the founding of the IRF.
Let’s pause for a moment to reflect on the sacrifice that these Rangers make; to honour the fallen Rangers and their colleagues who still bravely undertake their role in the field.”
The Photo and article comes from the This Green Line Organisation.
I chose to spend some of a bleak and cold winter’s day in Adelaide in the Mylor Conservation Park. This park is close to home: about six kilometers and is one of a number of the Greater Mount Lofty Parks nearby. I have activated the park a number of times and here is a link to my most recent activation:
https://vk5bje.com/category/amateur-radio/sa-conservation-parks/mylor-conservation-park/
Contacts
I worked Peter, VK3PF/P, at 02:59 from The Tara Bulga National Park (VKFF-0480). I had just set up and the antenna was set for 40 metres. However, I knew I had locals waiting for me on 80 metres and the following stations were worked:
VK5ZK
VK5KKT
VK3TKK/p VKFF-2452 The Spit Wildlife Reserve
VK5WG
VK2IO/5 Wabma Kadarbu Mound Springs National Park VKFF-1114
VK3LY
VK6MB/3 Wychitella Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2236
40 Meters
VK4SOE/P Sundown National Park VKFF-0471
VK5OQ/3 Alpine National Park VKFF-0619
VK6MB/3 Wychitella Nature Conservation Park VKFF-2236
VK4TJ
VK4/AC8WN
VK4/VE6XT
VK2IO/5 Wabma Kadarbu Mound Springs National Park VKFF-1114
VK3PI/P Kinglake National Park VKFF-0264 and VK3/VU-009
VK3SQ
VK4HAT
VK4HNS/P Tamborine National Park VKFF-0475
VK4RF
VK4HA
VK3PF/P Traralgon South Nature Reserve VKFF-2465
I made 21 contacts which included 11 park to park qsos. Soon after 04:12 I indicated that I would go QRT. It was cold!
I thank all of the chasers who gave me a contact and was delighted with my 80 metre results of seven stations which included two from VK3 and Gerard, VK2IO/5 at the Mound Springs in outback South Australia. I was pleased to participate in World Ranger Day from Mylor Conservation Park. I enjoyed the time out in the park especially the friendly, familiar voices and the chasing of other park operators.
vk5bje 