Sota Activation – VK3/VE-204 The Paps

Work took me into country north eastern Victoria. A long day of tasks and driving, a 700km loop!

I packed my sota backpack into the car just in case i had time to drop past a summit and undertake an activation.

I actually ended up on two summits. I had to visit an air services Australia tower above the town of Myrhee. Mt Believue VK3/VE-217. This is on private land, in a winery, I had contemplated activating this summit, and was readying myself for this activity, the summit didn’t present an easy activation, and while i was visiting this tower, didn’t have a specific permission for the private land beyond the tower, and since i was their representing my organisation, visiting this site, didn’t feel it was appropriate. So canceled the alert and continued on my way.

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Looking at my options and travel plans, left not many easy access summits, but i realised i could most likely make it to the Paps VK3/VE-204, my company has a tower on the top of this hill, and i could do some other things while on the summit. SO i headed that way and arrived around 4:45pm.

The notes for access talked about a rough track, not really 2wd suitable, but a 4wd would have no issues. I agree this is a rough track, with Spoon drains and large humps along it. Some large rocks in places and also very steep in places. I made it slowly up and parked near the comms compounds, grabbed the gear and walked back down the access road to get out of the activation zone, then back up the hill, pass the towers and up the last steep bit to the trig marker.

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I continued along the top a short way to a shady spot and used a dead tree stump to connect up the squid pole. This stump was pretty rotten and wobbled a bit, but it seemed to be OK!. i walked out the dipole legs, and came back to the middle point when the stump gave way and fell over! Whoops.

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A quick rejig of the pole to an adjacent tree (which put the pole at a funny angle and reduced the dipole height) but i was up and going around 5:15pm local time.

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A quick Activation, just over 10 mins, including an SMS to Christine my wife VK3FCEK and got her up on the air and we were also able to work.

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Thanks to all the chasers I worked.

 

Date:16/Jan/2015 Summit:VK3/VE-204 (The Paps) Call Used:VK3BQ/P Points: 4 Bonus: 0

Time Call Band Mode Notes
06:17z VK3FQSO 7MHz SSB Thanks Amanda
06:19z VK3YAR 7MHz SSB thanks ray
06:21z VK5WG 7MHz SSB thanks
06:22z VK5IS 7MHz SSB thanks
06:22z VK5FANA 7MHz SSB thanks
06:23z VK1MA 7MHz SSB thanks matt
06:23z VK3PF 7MHz SSB thanks peter
06:23z VK2IO/M 7MHz SSB thanks
06:24z VK2CCJ 7MHz SSB thanks
06:25z VK3FOWL 7MHz SSB thanks julie
06:25z VK3FPSR 7MHz SSB thanks peter
06:26z VK3TKK 7MHz SSB thanks
06:28z VK3FCEK 7MHz SSB thanks christine
06:28z VK3FMID 7MHz SSB thanks bryan
06:29z VK3ZPF 7MHz SSB thanks peter
06:30z VK3EK 7MHz SSB thanks robbie
06:30z VK1EM 7MHz SSB thanks
06:31z VK4JD 7MHz SSB thanks

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