On Friday 11th November 2016 I headed to Victoria for the annual parks activation weekend for the Keith Roget Memorial National Parks Award. And whilst interstate I had arranged to team up with fellow Director of the Wireless Institute of Australia (WIA), Andrew VK6AS to deliver some presentations. I returned home last night (Thursday 17th Nov 2016) after delivering 4 WIA presentations and activating a total of nine parks and five summits of the Summits on the Air (SOTA) program.
WIA PRESENTATIONS
- Four (4)
- Tangambalanga VICTORIA
- Frankston & Mornington Peninsula Amateur Radio Club, Melbourne VICTORIA
- Eastern & Mountain District Amateur Radio Club (EMDRC), Melbourne VICTORIA
- Geelong Amateur Radio Club, Geelong VICTORIA
PARKS
- Nine (9)
SOTA SUMMITS
- Five (5)
Details of the SOTA and Parks activations are as follows…..
Friday 11th November 2016
Leaghur State Park VKFF-0762
- 55 contacts
- 7 Park to Park (P2P) contacts
Kerang Regional Park VKFF-0970
- 61 contacts
- 5 P2P contacts
- 1 SOTA contact
Saturday 12th November 2016
Gunbower National Park VKFF-0740
- 68 contacts
- 16 Park to Park contacts
Terrick Terrick National Park VKFF-0630
- 59 contacts
- 19 P2P
- 1 SOTA contact
Sunday 13th November 2016
Barmah National Park VKFF-0739
- 64 contacts
- 16 Park to Park
- 1 SOTA contact
Murray Valley National Park VKFF-1178
- 72 contacts
- 10 P2P contacts
- 1 SOTA contact
Monday 14th November 2016
SOTA Huon Hill VK3/ VE-237 and Wodonga Regional Park VKFF-0980
- 32 contacts
- 4 P2P contacts
SOTA Mount Baranduda VK3/ VE-189 and Baranduda Regional Park VKFF-0959
- 30 contacts
- 1 P2P contact
Tuesday 15th November 2016
Wednesday 16th November 2016
SOTA One Tree Hill VK3/ VS-036 and Ararat Hills Regional Park VKFF-0958
- 74 contacts
- 2 P2P contact
- 2 SOTA contacts
Thursday 17th November 2016
SOTA Blue Mountain VK3/ VS-015
- 22 contacts
SOTA Point 756 Pyrenees VK3/ VS-018
- 33 contacts
- 3 Park contacts
VK5PAS 
Paul, I was in your EMDRC audience, clapping loudly. I meant to come up and introduce myself but had to leave before the session ended. Good job on all of your activities, the two-way ‘eyeball QSO’ will have to wait till another occasion. -73 vk3hn.
Hi Paul,
I think the presentations went well. It s very sad indeed that we need to give these presentations in the first place. Look forward to catching up in person during my next trip to VK3.
73,
Paul
VK5PAS
Hi Paul
Welcome home after quite a journey. Congratulations on the Park and Sota activations and I will be interested to catch up when and after you catch your breath!
Cheers
John D
VK5BJE/VK5PF
G’day John,
It was an enjoyable but quick trip around VK3. Caught up with plenty of amateurs who I had spoken to many times on air but never met in person. And a few new parks under my belt as well.
Cheers,
Paul
VK5PAS.
Hello Paul
Thanks for the work with the WIA presentation’s that you do hope to catch up with you at one some time and great to get you in the log with some P2P contacts over the weekend
Cheers mate
Hi Neil,
It was a bit of a lightning trip and I would have much preferred Marija to have been with me and the reason for our trip to have been leisure. But it was handy to mix the KRMNPA weekend with some WIA presentations whilst in VK3. Thanks for the contacts.
Cheers,
Paul,
VK5PAS.
“And a few new parks under my belt as well”
Understatement of the year
Well done and a massive thanks for what you and Andrew have achieved.
Chris
VK4FR/VK5FR
Hi Chris,
Many thanks for the comments. The current WIA situation has consumed a lot of our time and $$$. It is a situation which we sincerley wished we were not in, and which we hope improves dramatically and quickly.
Cheers,
Paul VK5PAS