Late this afternoon (Sunday 19th July 2020) I activated the Cox Scrub Conservation Reserve VKFF-1701 which is located about 65 km south of Adelaide and about 8 km south of my home QTH, the town of Ashbourne.

Above:- Map showing the location of the Cox Scrub Conservation Reserve, south of Adelaide.  Map courtesy of Google maps.

I have activated the Reserve on three previous occasions and have well and truly qualified it.  However, I decided to revisit the park as it is just a short distance from home.  It was to be only my fifth park activation for 2020.  A variety of reasons have conspired against me getting out into the field including the bushfires, COVID-19, work commitments, and moving QTH.

The Cox Scrub Conservation Reserve is located on the eastern side of Bull Creek Road (Meadows-to Goolwa Road).  It is not to be confused with the Cox Scrub Conservation Park which is much larger in size.

Above:- An aerial shot of the Cox Scrub Conservation Reserve in the foreground, and the much larger Cox Scrub Conservation Park to the north.  Image courtesy of Google maps

The majority of the adjacent Conservation Park was previously owned by the late Mr. V. COX of Ashbourne, who preserved the area in a natural state for overwintering his honey bees.  In 1969 the land was purchased from Mr. COX on the condition that he was allowed to keep bees in the park.  This agreement was upheld until he passed away.

The Cox Scrub Conservation Park has an active Friends group who have a good website.  It can be located at…….

http://www.communitywebs.org/FriendsCoxScrub/history.php

I set up in my normal operating spot, which was at the end of a 4WD track which runs off Bull Creek Road.  I ran the Yaesu FT-857d, 30 watts output, and 20/40/80m linked dipole for this activation.

Above:- Aerial shot of the reserve showing my operating spot.  Image courtesy of Google maps

I kicked off the activation by asking if the frequency, 7.144, was in use.  I didn’t even get to start calling CQ, as Peter VK3ZPF came back to advise the frequency was clear.  So Peter was first in the log for this activation.  This was followed by Tony VK3YV, and then a Park to Park contact with Chris VK1CT/2 in the Mulligans Flat Nature Reserve VKFF-0855.

Contact number eleven was another Park to Park, this time with Gerard VK2IO/p who was in the Worimi Regional Park VKFF-1788.

I was about 20 contacts into the activation when I realised that I was transmitting with 10 watts PEP, as my wife Marija VK5FMAZ had previously been using the transceiver at home.

I logged a total of 39 stations on 40m from VK1, VK2, VK3, VK4, VK5, VK6, VK7, and New Zealand.  I was very pleased to speak with Peter VK6APZ who was mobile, and also Graham VK6ATS who had a 5/9 plus signal.

I then moved to the 80m band where I logged a total of 10 stations from VK2, VK3, VK4, and VK5.  Thanks to Allen VK3ARH and Peter VK3PF for their second call signs which helped me get over the line with 44 QSOs.

In the end, I logged a total of 49 stations in about 70 minutes.  Thanks to everyone who called.

I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

1. VK3ZPF
2. VK3YV
3. VK1CT/2 (Mulligans Flat Nature Reserve VKFF-0855)
4. VK2LX
5. VK2PEZ
6. VK3PF
7. VK4FDJL
8. VK3CU
9. VK2FPAR
10. VK4KC
11. VK2IO/p (Worimi Regional Park VKFF-1788)
12. VK2VH
13. VK4AAC/2
14. VK4TJ
15. VK4/AC8WN
16. VK4/VE6XT
17. VK4SSN
18. VK4KLA
19. VK4BXX
20. VK4VXX
21. VK4SYD
22. VK2BAI
23. VK4SMA
24. VK7EV
25. VK2XSE/m
26. VK2PKT
27. VK3NKC
28. VK5LB
29. VK7KT
30. VK6APZ/m
31. VK5HAA
32. ZL1TM
33. VK6ATS
34. VK2EMI
35. VK4HNS
36. VK2KOG
37. VK7MD
38. VK1DI
39. VK2HFC

I worked the following stations on 80m SSB:-

1. VK5HAA
2. VK3MDC
3. VK3DFR
4. VK3ARH
5. VK3HRA
6. VK3PF
7. VK3KAI
8. VK2FPAR
9. VK3SQ
10. VK4CZ

References.

Wikipedia, 2020, <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cox_Scrub_Conservation_Park>, viewed 19th July 2020