The Amateur Radio Experimenters Group celebrated its 25th anniversary during July and August 2023. The club had a number of interesting events planned and also obtained the special callsign, VI25AREG.

I chose to use this call for an “atno” activation of Woorabinda Bushland Reserves. This park is owned by the Adelaide Hills Council and is protected by a State Government Heritage Agreement. (see page called Radio Language for definition of ‘atno’).

It is an interesting park comprising a number of blocks that appear to join at one point. The standard gauge railway to Melbourne leaves Adelaide and climbs through the Adelaide Hills until it reaches Murray Bridge. The track not only travels through Belair National Park but traverses Woorabinda on the far side of the lake across the hills face.

The track is not visible in the photo above but when trains go by they are clearly observable and the noise of the train echoes through the hills. I had to stop transmitting on each occasion a train passed.

Click to expand map

Here is a map of the Woorabinda Bushland Reserves at Stirling. Milan Terrace, the main road on the right hand side of the map will take you to Stirling and the reserve is very close to Mark Oliphant Conservation Park.

Contacts

All contacts have been uploaded to WWFF as VI25AREG (operator VK5BJE) and also uploaded to Club Log under AREG. ADIF file from Fast Log Entry.

click to expand Log

Unfortunately I was unable to complete the activation as VI25AREG before the end of August 2023 when the callsign expired. However, I will return to the Park and aim for 44 contacts, both voice and CW.