Today (Sunday 22nd October 2017) was the 2017 VKFF Team Championship was held.  This is the second year that the event has been held.  The VKFF Team Championship is all about promoting the World Wide Flora Fauna (WWFF) program down here in Australia.  Over a 6 hour period (0000 UTC-0600 UTC) teams of amateurs compete against each other, with the goal of obtaining the most number of contacts, whilst operating from a qualifying VKFF park.  This year I was fortunate in receiving some cash donations towards trophies and I also secured some commercial sponsorship.  I would like to personally thank SOTABEAMS in the UK, and Pages of Cobram for their sponsorship of this year’s event.

The team name for Marija and I for the day was ‘The Walky Talkies’.

More information on the VKFF Team Championship can be found at……

http://www.wwffaustralia.com/vkff-team-championship.html

Marija and I had planned to activate the Scott Creek Conservation Park in the Adelaide Hills, but sadly the weather was not what the forecast said it was going to be when we awoke this morning.  It was drizzling with rain, and as vehicular access was not possible in Scott Creek, we decided to head east to activate the Monarto Woodlands Conservation Park 5CP-276 & VKF-1763.  Vehicular access is permissable in Monarto Woodlands, which meant we could extend out the annex/awning on the Toyota Hil Lux.

The park is located about 60 km east of Adelaide, and about 30 km east of our home QTH in the Adelaide Hills.

The Monarto Woodlands Conservation Park is about 426 hectares in size and extends about 15 km along the South Eastern Freeway from the edge of Murray Bridge, west to near Callington.  The park was proclaimed on the 22nd September 2016.

The scrub located within the park is a mixture of plant species from across Australia.  This is due to the extensive planting in the area due to the proposed satellite city of Monarto back in the 1970’s.

The then South Australian Premier, Don Dunstan had proposed that Monarto, or ‘New Murray Town’ would become the site of a satellite city of Adelaide.  However this concept was eventually abandoned.

Below is a short, very interesting video on Monarto dating back to 1975 which was produced by the South Australian Film Corporation.

The park provides important habitat for more than 60 bird species, five of which are of State Conservation significance.  During our visit we observed numerous White Winged Choughs and Spiny Cheeked Honeyeaters.

We also had a few reptile friends, when the sun came out.  Fortunately no snakes!

The little town of Monarto was just down the road from where we operated.  Don’t blink, you will miss Monarto.  The locality of Monarto was originally a private subdivision of section 210 of the Hundred of Monarto, from which it took its name, the hundred having been gazetted in 1847.  The township was laid out in 1908.  The name of the hundred was after an aboriginal woman, “Queen Monarto”, who lived in the area at the time of its proclamation.

Monarto is home to the 1,500-hectare (3,700-acre) Monarto Zoo, the world’s largest open range zoo.

We headed to Whites Road and accessed the park and set up in a clearing in amongst the scrub.

As the weather was still very ordinary, with drizzling rain, we put up the annexe/awning of the Toyota Hi Lux.  We ran the Yaesu FT-857d, and the 20/40/80m linked dipole for this activation.  We decided to stick to 10 watts PEP, as it was just to hard to go in and out of the menu.  For any overseas readers of this post, Marija VK5FMAZ, as a Foundation operator is limited to 10 watts PEP.

Marija started off the activation, with two Park to Park contacts with Mike VK5FMWW/p and Larry VK5FLHR/p, ‘Team Onka”, who were in the Onkaparinga River National Park VKFF-0402.  Although quite low, at both ends, the contacts were AOK due to the low noise floor experiences in the parks at both ends.  Marija racked up a total of 11 contacts, with conditions on 40m being very average.  The band conditions were well down compared to normal sadly.

I then took control of the mic and logged 4 stations, before Marija and I decided the best way to tackle the day was to work a station and then swap the mic to log the same caller.  This is what we did for the remainder of the activation.

Other Park to Park contacts we logged were with Rob VK4AAC/p and VK4FFAB/p in the Hays Inlet Conservation Park VKFF-1555; Mark VK4SMA/p in Main Range National Park VKFF-0300; and Mick VK3PMG/p in the Ararat Hills Regional Park VKFF-0958.  We also spoke with Kerry VK7FKEK on Flinders Island and Ron VK3DX portable at the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum in Warrnambool.

We logged around 40 stations each on 40m before giving the 80m band a go.  It was evident that close in propagation was just not working on 40, so we were hoping to get some South Australian contacts on 80.  Our first contact there was with Greg VK5GJ at Meadows, followed by John VK5BJE.  Les VK5KLV/p and Peter VK5KPR/p then gave us a shout from the Upper Spencer Gulf Marine Park VKFF-1757, about 400 kms to our north.  Marija and I logged a further 3 VK5’s: Tony VK5MRT at Strathalbyn, Hans VK5YX in Adelaide’s southern suburbs, and Adrian VK5FANA on the Yorke Peninsula.  But despite the 80m band being very good all across South Australia, they were our only stations logged on the 80m band.

We moved back to 40m and as the day progressed, the band conditions improved.  There were periods of no response to our CQ calls, but we have learnt from previous activations that persistence pays off, and we kept calling and calling.

Park to Park contacts logged during this stint on 40m included:-

• VK2IG/p (Bango Nature Reserve VKFF-1884)
• VK2FENG/p (Bango Nature Reserve VKFF-1884)
• VK1DI/p (Lower Molonglo River Corridor Nature Reserve VKFF-0990)
• VK2IO/p (Agnes Banks Nature Reserve VKFF-1881)
• VK3XV/p (Ararat Hills Regional Park VKFF-0958)
• VK6ADF/p (Penguin Island Conservation Park VKFF-1436)
• VK6XN/p (Penguin Island Conservation Park VKFF-1436)
• VK4HNS/2 (Maroomba State Conservation Area VKFF-1347)
• VK2IO/p (Wianamatta Nature Reserve VKFF-2018)

We also logged Sam VK2GPL who was on SOTA peak, Mount Tassie, VK3. VT-046.

Marija and I stuck it out until 0600 hours.  In the end we logged a total of 197 QSOs, which included 32 Park to Park (P2P) contacts.  It was certainly terrific to get that many P2P contacts in the log.

THANKYOU to the other 6 teams who ventured out today. We managed to log all of the other teams:-

• ‘The Special K’s comprising Les VK5KLV and Peter VK5KPR
• ‘The VK4WIPeouts‘ comprising Mark VK4SMA and Murray VK4MWB
• ‘Team Kookaburra’ comprising Mick VK3GGG and Tony VK3XV
• ‘Team Onka’ comprising Mike VK5FMWW and Larry VK5FHLR
• ‘Penguin Pirates’ comprising Hans VK6XN and Phil VK6ADF
• ‘The 2 Robbies’ comprising Rob VK4AAC and Rob VK4FFAB.

And THANKYOU to everyone who called us today, and special thanks to those who took the time to spot us.  As this was a competitive event, we made the decision not to self spot.

Marija and I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

1. VK5FMWW/p (Onkaparinga River National Park VKFF-0402)
2. VK5FLHR/p (Onkaparinga River National Park VKFF-0402)
3. CK3PWG
4. VK2HHA
5. VK4HNS
6. VK7DIK
7. VK3OHM
8. VK3JP
9. VK7JON/m
10. VK7FOLK/m
11. VK2KYO
12. VK2PKT
13. VK4RF
14. VK4HA
15. VK4AAC/p (Hays Inlet Conservation Park VKFF-1555)
16. VK4FFAB/p (Hays Inlet Conservation Park VKFF-1555)
17. VK3ZZS/p
18. VK4WIP/p (Main Range National Park VKFF-0300)
19. VK7VZ/2
20. VK3PAT
21. VK2PDW
22. VK3ZPF
23. VK3MCO
24. VK3FSPG
25. VK3MPR
26. VK7VKV/3
27. VK7FRJG
28. VK7FKEK
29. VK3SQ
30. VK3FCMC
31. VK3PMG/p (Ararat Hills Regional Park VKFF-0958)
32. VK3FTOM
33. VK3PF
34. VK2JNG/m
35. VK3BNJ
36. VK2UH
37. VK3KLB
38. VK3NBL
39. VK1LAJ
40. VK3UH
41. VK3VGB
42. VK4FDJL
43. VK3FAHS/p
44. VK2YK
45. VK7DW
46. VK3TKK/m
47. VK3ZVX
48. VK2IG/p (Bango Nature Reserve VKFF-1884)
49. VK2FENG/p (Bango Nature Reserve VKFF-1884)
50. VK1DI/p (Lower Molonglo River Corridor Nature Reserve VKFF-0990)
51. VK3WAC/m
52. VK2IO/p (Agnes Banks Nature Reserve VKFF-1881)
53. VK3XV/p (Ararat Hills Regional Park VKFF-0958)
54. VK3MRH
55. VK2NP
56. VK2LX
57. VK6ADF/p (Penguin Island Conservation Park VKFF-1436)
58. VK6XN/p (Penguin Island Conservation Park VKFF-1436)
59. VK7JON
60. VK3KMH
61. VK2FSAV
62. VK3ARH
63. VK3EF
64. VK4TJ
65. VK3NDJ
66. VK3FLES
67. VK4HNS/2 (Maroomba State Conservation Area VKFF-1347)
68. VK2FANT
69. VK3PAt/p
70. VK7FOLK
71. VK7ABY
72. VK7NWT
73. VK2SLB
74. VK2FOUZ
75. VK3DRE
76. VK3AUR
77. VK3FMKE
78. VK3YE/p
79. VK2XXM
80. VK2IO/p (Wianamatta Nature Reserve VKFF-2018)
81. VK3PDG
82. VK3IH
83. VK2FKDM
84. VK2YMU
85. VK2GPL/3 (SOTA VK3/ VT-046)
86. VK3RW
87. VK7FGRA
88. VK2SR
89. VK3HJA/m
90. VK3NLK
91. VK3FMLB
92. VK3FADM/1
93. VK4DNA
94. VK4PDX

Marija worked the following stations on 80m SSB:-

1. VK5GJ
2. VK5BJE
3. VK5KLV/p (Upper Spencer Gulf Marine Park VKFF-1757)
4. VK5KPR/p (Upper Spencer Gulf Marine Park VKFF-1757)
5. VK5MRT
6. VK5YX
7. VK5FANA

I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

1. VK3DX
2. VK3VBI
3. VK3PAH
4. VK2PKT
5. VK4RF
6. VK4HA
7. VK4HNS
8. VK2HHA
9. VK4AAC/p (Hays Inlet Conservation Park VKFF-1555)
10. VK4FFAB/p (Hays Inlet Conservation Park VKFF-1555)
11. VK3ZZS/7
12. VK4WIP/p (Main Range National Park VKFF-0300)
13. VK5FMWW/p (Onkaparinga River National Park VKFF-0402)
14. VK5FLHR/p (Onkaparinga River National Park VKFF-0402)
15. VK3FSPG
16. VK3MPR
17. VK3KMH
18. VK2VW
19. VK7VZ/2
20. VK3PAT
21. VK2PDW
22. VK3ZPF
23. VK3MCO
24. VK7VKV/3
25. VK7FRJG
26. VK7FKEK
27. VK3SQ
28. VK3FCMC
29. VK3PMG/p (Ararat Hills Regional Park VKFF-0958)
30. VK3FTOM
31. VK3PF
32. VK2JNG/m
33. VK3BNJ
34. VK2UH
35. VK3KLB
36. VK3NBL
37. VK1LAJ
38. VK3UH
39. VK3VGB
40. VK4FDJL
41. VK3FAHS/p
42. VK2YK
43. VK7DW
44. VK3TKK/m
45. VK3ZVX
46. VK2IG/p (Bango Nature Reserve VKFF-1884)
47. VK2FENG/p (Bango Nature Reserve VKFF-1884)
48. VK1DI/p (Lower Molonglo River Corridor Nature Reserve VKFF-0990)
49. VK3WAC/m
50. VK2IO/p (Agnes Banks Nature Reserve VKFF-1881)
51. VK3XV/p (Ararat Hills Regional Park VKFF-0958)
52. VK2NP
53. VK2LX
54. VK6ADF/p (Penguin Island Conservation Park VKFF-1436)
55. VK6XN/p (Penguin Island Conservation Park VKFF-1436)
56. VK7JON
57. VK2FSAV
58. VK3ARH
59. VK3EF
60. VK4TJ
61. VK3NDJ
62. VK3FLES
63. VK4HNS/2 (Maroomba State Conservation Area VKFF-1347)
64. VK2FANT
65. VK7ABY
66. VK7NWT
67. VK2SLB
68. VK2FOUZ
69. VK3DRE
70. VK3AUR
71. VK3FMKE
72. VK3YE/p
73. VK2XXM
74. VK2IO/p (Wianamatta Nature Reserve VKFF-2018)
75. VK3PDG
76. VK3IH
77. VK2FKDM
78. VK2YMU
79. VK2GPL/3 (SOTA VK3/ VT-046)
80. VK3RW
81. VK7FGRA
82. VK2SR
83. VK3HJA/m
84. VK3NLK
85. VK3FMLB
86. VK3FADM/1
87. VK4DNA
88. VK4PDX

I worked the following stations on 80m SSB:-

1. VK5GJ
2. VK5BJE
3. VK5KLV/p (Upper Spencer Gulf Marine Park VKFF-1757)
4. VK5KPR/p (Upper Spencer Gulf Marine Park VKFF-1757)
5. VK5MRT
6. VK5YX
7. VK5FANA

References.

Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources, 2017, <https://www.environment.sa.gov.au/Home/Full_newsevents_listing/News_Events_Listing/160922-new-conservation-parks&gt;, viewed 22nd October 2017

Wikipedia, 2017, <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monarto_Woodlands_Conservation_Park&gt;, viewed 22nd October 2017

Wikipedia, 2017, <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monarto,_South_Australia&gt;, viewed 22nd October 2017