Our first park for Saturday (30th November 2019) and the 2019 VKFF Activation Weekend was the Dimboola Flora & Fauna Reserve VKFF-2308.

The park is located about 336 km northwest of the city of Melbourne in western Victoria.

This was to be a first-time activation of the park for the World Wide Flora and Fauna (WWFF) program.

Before heading to the park we had a quick look around the town of Dimboola and to get a cup of coffee.

The Dimboola Flora & Fauna Reserve is located just to the northern boundary of the town of Dimboola.

The park is about 39 acres in size and conserves a remnant piece of native scrub.

The park was alive with numerous birds during our visit, including Corellas and Galahs (photos below).

We accessed the park via Lil Lil Dam Road.  The park was well signposted.

We drove down Lil Lil Dam Road towards the northern part of park.  We were conscious that the park was close to town and we were worried there might be a little bit of man-made noise on the bands as a result.

We parked the 4WD off the side of the road and found the shade of a gum tree as it was quite a warm sunny morning.  We ran the Yaesu FT-857d and the 20/40/80m linked dipole for this activation.

Sadly when we turned on the transceiver we found that we had strength 6 to 7 noise on the 40m band.  Our only ‘suspect’ was some power lines and solar panels on a farm house about 300 metres away.

Feeling rather frustrated with the noise, Marija placed a spot up on parksnpeaks for me, and I called CQ on 7.144.  First in the log was David VK3VRA who was 5/9, well above the noise.  This was followed by Rod VK7FRJG, Deryck VK4FDJL/5 and then Keith VK2PKT.

After 14 minutes I had contact number ten in the log, and the park was qualified for VKFF.  QSO number ten was with John VK4TJ.

Our first Park to Park contacts for the 2019 VKFF Activation Weekend came 20 minutes into our activation.  It was with Peter VK3PF/p and Sergio VK3SFG/p who were activating Outrim Cemetery Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2171.

I logged a total of 27 stations on 40m from VK2, VK3, VK4, VK5, and VK7.  I then swapped the mic with Marija.

Marija called CQ on 7.144 and this was answered by Les VK5KLV at Port Augusta in the north of South Australia, followed by Liz VK2XSE mobile, and Peter VK2KNV mobile.  Marija’s tenth contact was with Nik VK3ZK/p who was activating the Cobram Regional Park VKFF-0961.  I also logged Nik for a Park to Park contact.  A few QSOs later, David VK2LDW/p called in while activating the Jerrawangala National Park VKFF-0248.

Marija logged a total of 22 stations before we once again swapped the mic.

I called CQ again and this was answered by John VK7FJFD, followed by Rex VK3OF, and then Mark VK4SMA/p who was activating the Irongate Conservation Park VKFF-1563.  Marija also logged Mark.

I logged a further 22 stations including the following further Park to Park contacts (also logged by Marija):

• Gerard VK2IO/p – Lane Cove National Park VKFF-0281.
• Andrew VK7DW/p – Ben Lomond National Park VKFF-0028.
• Alan VK3ALN/p – SOTA Arthurs Seat VK3/ VC-031 & Arthurs Seat State Park VKFF-0750.
• James VK3VJP/p – Alpine National Park VKFF-0619
• Rob VK4AAC/3 & VK2VH/3 – Black Swamp Nature Conservation Reserve
• Angela VK7FAMP/3 – Crossover Regional Park VKFF-0965
• Tony VK7LTD/3 – Crossover Regional Park VKFF-0965
• Peter VK5PET/p – Nurragi Conservation Reserve VKFF-2247
• Sergio VK3SFG/p – Kilcunda Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2125
• Peter VK3PF/p – Kilcunda Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2125
• VK3ARH/p – SOTA VK3/ VW-006 & Grampians National Park VKFF-0213

Contact number 44 for me was a contact with Peter VK3PWG.

Marija jumped back into the operator’s chair and logged a further 11 stations, including her 44th contact, qualifying the park for the global WWFF program.  QSO number 44 was with Liz VK2XSE/p in the Kalyarr National Park VKFF-1858.

As Marija had qualified the park for both VKFF & WWFF I took charge of the mic again and ramped the power back up to 40 watts.  I logged a further 12 stations including some more Park to Park contacts:-

• Ian VK5CZ/p – Cromer Conservation Park VKFF-0779
• Liz VK2XSE/p – Kalyarr National Park VKFF-1858
• Peter VK2KNV/p – Kalyarr National Park VKFF-1858
• Brett VK3FLCS – Bendigo Regional Park VKFF-0960

With a total of 66 stations in the log on 40m, I moved to the 20m band.  First in the log on that band was ZL3DRN/p on SOTA summit Fox Peak ZL3/ CB-091 with a good 5/5 signal.

I then moved up to 14.315 where I logged 10 stations including Mike VK6MB/p who was activating Monadnocks Conservation Park VKFF-1459.

To conclude the activation I moved to 80m where I logged 3 stations from VK2 & VK5.  This included Liz VK2XSE/p activating VKFF-1858.  Unlike the 40m band, it was absolutely dead quiet on 80m.  Very strange indeed.

The time had marched on and it was now just after 1.00 p.m. local time.  After switching on the transceiver in this park and seeing the strength 6-7 noise, we had never envisaged that this would be such a successful activation.  Between us, we had 128 QSOs in the log, including 41 Park to Park contacts.

Marija worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

1. VK3SFG/p (Outrim Cemetery Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2121)
2. VK3PF/p (Outrim Cemetery Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2121)
3. VK5KLV
4. VK2XSE/m
5. VK2KNV/m
6. VK5CZ/m
7. VK2LUV
8. VK3OF
9. VK4FDJL/5
10. VK3ZK/p (Cobram Regional Park VKFF-0961)
11. VK3MCK
12. VK2LX
13. VK2LDW/p (Jerrawangala National Park VKFF-0248)
14. VK4NH
15. VK4DXA
16. ZL4TY/VK4
17. VK3ALA
18. VK3SQ
19. VK2HH
20. VK3ECH
21. VK3PWG/p
22. VK3HFZ
23. VK4SMA/p (Irongate Conservation Park VKFF-1563)
24. VK5HS
25. VK2IO/p (Lane Cove National Park VKFF-0281)
26. VK3AJA/m
27. VK7DW/p (Ben Lomond National Park VKFF-0028)
28. VK4AAC/3 (Black Swamp Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2048)
29. VK5HS/m
30. VK3MPR
31. VK3ALN/p (SOTA Arthurs Seat VK3/ VC-031 & Arthurs Seat State Park VKFF-0750)
32. VK7FAMP/3 (Crossover Regional Park VKFF-0965)
33. VK7LTD/3 (Crossover Regional Park VKFF-0965)
34. VK5PET/p (Nurragi Conservation Reserve VKFF-2247)
35. VK3PF/p (Kilcunda Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2125)
36. VK3SFG/p (Kilcunda Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2125)
37. VK3ARH/p (SOTA VK3/ VW-006 & Grampians National Park VKFF-0213)
38. VK5FANA
39. VK5YX
40. VK3DAC
41. VK2HHA
42. VK5NJ
43. VK5AYL
44. VK5VCR
45. VK2XSE/p (Kalyarr National Park VKFF-1858)
46. VK3UH
47. VK5GR
48. VK5CZ/p (Cromer Conservation Park VKFF-0779)
49. VK3FLCS/p (Bendigo Regional Park VKFF-0960)

I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

1. VK3VRA
2. VK7FRJG
3. VK4FDJL/5
4. VK2PKT
5. VK3KRH
6. VK4NH
7. VK4DXA
8. ZL4TY/VK4
9. VK3UBU
10. VK4TJ
11. VK4/AC8WN
12. VK4/VE6XT
13. VK4SSN
14. VK3SQ
15. VK5WG
16. VK2YK
17. VK3LBW
18. VK3PF/p (Outrim Cemetery Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2171)
19. VK3SFG/p (Outrim Cemetery Nature Conservation ReserveVKFF-2171)
20. VK2XSE/m
21. VK2KNV/m
22. VK2MCK
23. VK2LUV
24. VK7ALB
25. VK7WY
26. VK5CZ/m
27. VK3ZK/m
28. VK3ZK/p (Cobram Regional Park VKF-0961)
29. VK2LDW/p (Jerrawangala National Park VKFF-0248)
30. VK7FJFD
31. VK3OF
32. VK4SMA/p (Irongate Conservation Park VKFF-1563)
33. VK5HS
34. VK3BCM
35. VK3ANL
36. VK2XXM
37. VK5FANA
38. VK2LX
39. VK2IO/p (Lane Cove National Park VKFF-0281)
40. VK3AJA/m
41. VK7DW/p (Ben Lomond National Park VKFF-0028)
42. VK5AYL
43. VK3ALN/p (SOTA Arthurs Seat VK3/ VC-031 & Arthurs Seat State Park VKFF-0750)
44. VK3PWG
45. VK3VJP/p (Alpine National Park VKFF-0618)
46. VK5HS/m
47. VK2VH/3 (Black Swamp Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2048)
48. VK4AAC/3 (Black Swamp Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2048)
49. VK7FAMP/3 (Crossover Regional Park VKFF-0965)
50. VK7LTD/3 (Crossover Regional Park VKFF-0965)
51. VK5PET/p (Nurragi Conservation Reserve VKFF-2247)
52. VK3SFG/p (Kilcunda Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2125)
53. VK3PF/p (Kilcunda Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2125)
54. VK3ARH/p (SOTA VK3/ VW-006 & Grampians National Park VKFF-0213)
55. VK5CZ/p (Cromer Conservation Park VKFF-0779)
56. VK3AHR
57. VK5KLV
58. VK2KYO
59. VK5GR
60. VK3MAB
61. VK3MPR
62. VK2XSE/p (Kalyarr National Park VKFF-1858)
63. VK2KNV/p (Kalyarr National Park VKFF-1858)
64. VK3KKP
65. VK5GJ/m
66. VK3FLCS/p (Bendigo Regional Park VKFF-0960)

I worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-

1. ZL3DRN/p (SOTA ZL3/ CB-091)
2. VK7NSS
3. VK4NH
4. VK4DXA
5. ZL4TY/VK4
6. VK4TJ
7. VK4/AC8WN
8. VK4/VE6XT
9. VK4SSN
10. VK6XN
11. VK6MB/p (Monadnocks Conservation Park VKFF-1459)

I worked the following stations on 80m SSB:-

1. VK5BJE
2. VK5NJ
3. VK2XSE/p (Kalyarr National ParkVKFF-1858)

 

References.

Protected Planet, 2019, <https://www.protectedplanet.net/dimboola-f-r-nature-conservation-reserve>, viewed 8th December 2019