Daily Archives: December 5, 2021

Pine Hill Soak Conservation Park VKFF-1078

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It was now day two of the 2021 VKFF Activation Weekend, Sunday 28th November 2021. Marija and I had three parks to activate.

To kick off the morning we headed to Subway for some coffee and some Bacon & Egg rolls.

We then headed southeast out of Bordertown to our first park of the day, the Pine Hill Soak Conservation Park VKFF-1078. The park is located about 301 km south-east of Adelaide, and about 30 km south of the town of Bordertown.

Above:- Map showing the location of the Pine Hill Soak CP. Map c/o Google maps

The park is located at the intersection of Frances Road and McCarthy Road. There is scrub to the north and east of the park, but this is not part of Pine Hill Soak Conservation Park.

Above:- An aerial shot of the park. Image c/o Google maps

The Pine Hill Soak Conservation Park is about 51 hectares (130 acres) in size and was established on the 17th day of September 1987.

Above:- SA Govt Gazette re Pine Hill Soak CP.

The park’s name is derived from a soak known as Pine Hill Soak which is located near the southern boundary of the park. A soak or soakage, is a source of water and is so called because the water generally seeps into the and, and is stored below, sometimes as part of an ephemeral river or creek.

The park consists of Brown Stringybark open forest with desert Banksia with some River Red Gum and South Australian Blue Gum. The park also contains Native Pine.

During our visit to the park, there were a number of plants in flower.

It was a beautiful warm morning, with not a cloud in the sky. The moon was out in all its glory.

It was incredibly quiet in the park except for the occasional screech of a Sulphur Crested Cockatoo flying overhead.

Marija and I were set up and ready to go in the park by about 9.30 a.m. South Australian local time. We spent hours in the park and operated on 20, 40, & 80m SSB using the Yaesu FT857d, 40 watts, and the 20/40/80m linked dipole.

We made a total of 116 QSOs, which included 52 Park to Park contacts.

Band conditions on 40m were much better compared to Saturday.

Marija worked the following stations on 40m SSB before the UTC rollover:-

  1. VK5CZ/p (Leven Beach Conservation Park VKFF-0814)
  2. VK4AAC/p (Shelbourne Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2189)
  3. VK2VH/p (Shelbourne Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2189)
  4. VK7DW/p (Mount Barrow State Reserve VKFF-1818)
  5. VK4GHW/p (Ravensbourne National Park VKFF-0427)
  6. VK3PF/p (Sale Common Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2431)
  7. VK5BJE/p (Mylor Conservation Park VKFF-0785)
  8. VK4MGL/p (Crows Nest National Park VKFF-0121)
  9. VK3BEL
  10. VK3BBB
  11. VK2CCP
  12. VK2PKT
  13. VK3EJS
  14. VK7QP
  15. VK3HEW
  16. VK2MOP
  17. VK3DNQ
  18. VK5HS/m
  19. VK5PE/m
  20. VK2IO/p (Sydney Harbour National Park VKFF-0473)
  21. VK5IS
  22. VK5FANA
  23. VK3DAC
  24. VK5BJF
  25. VK3PF/p (Holey Plains State Park VKFF-0758)

Marija worked the following stations on 40m SSB after the UTC rollover:-

  1. VK5IS
  2. VK5FANA
  3. VK3PF/p (Holey Plains State Park VKFF-0758)
  4. VK2IO/p (Sydney Harbour National Park VKFF-0473)
  5. VK1MA
  6. VK3SQ
  7. VK2LX
  8. VK2LEE
  9. VK4MGL/p (Crows Nest National Park VKFF-0121)
  10. VK3GTV
  11. VK5MRE
  12. VK3VIN
  13. VK2YK/p (Watts Gully Native Forest Reserve VKFF-2886)
  14. VK2MG/p (Wyrrabalong National Park VKFF-0550)
  15. VK3SMW
  16. VK3MCA/p (Gisborne Flora Reserve VKFF-2322)
  17. VK3MPR
  18. VK7QP
  19. VK3FIMD
  20. VK3PF/p (Giffard Flora Reserve VKFF-2321)
  21. VK5NBL
  22. VK3ZNR
  23. VK3PEF/p (Greater Bendigo National Park VKFF-0623)
  24. VK3ZK/p (Echuca Regional Park VKFF-0966)
  25. VK2HRX/p (Blue Mountains National Park VKFF-0041)
  26. VK4AAC/p (Wilsons Hill Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2230)
  27. VK2VH/p (Wilsons Hill Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2230)
  28. VK3PF/p (Mullungdung Flora & Fauna Reserve VKFF-2406)

Marija worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-

  1. VK1MF/p (Bruce Ridge Nature Reserve VKFF-0835)
  2. VK4MGL/p (Crows Nest National Park VKFF-0121)

I worked the following stations on 40m SSB before the UTC rollover:-

  1. VK5CZ/p (Leven Beach Conservation Park VKFF-0814)
  2. VK4AAC/p (Shelbourne Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2189)
  3. VK2VH/p (Shelbourne Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2189)
  4. VK5IS
  5. VK3JP
  6. VK3EJS
  7. VK7DW/p (Mount Barrow State Reserve VKFF-1818)
  8. VK4JAZ/p (Venman Bushland Conservation Park VKFF-0507)
  9. VK2VW
  10. VK2HFI
  11. VK3SQ
  12. VK3PI
  13. VK3YE/p
  14. VK4GHW/p (Ravensbourne National Park VKFF-0427)
  15. VK3PF/p (Sale Common Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2431)
  16. VK5BJE/p (Mylor Conservation Park VKFF-0785)
  17. VK3VIN
  18. VK3AMO
  19. VK1DI
  20. VK5FANA
  21. VK3MLU
  22. VK5KLV
  23. VK1DA
  24. VK4MGL/p (Crows Nest National Park VKFF-0121)
  25. VK2IO/p (Sydney Harbour National Park VKFF-0473)
  26. VK3PF/p (Holey Plains State Park VKFF-0758)

I worked the following stations on 40m SSB after the UTC rollover:-

  1. VK3PF/p (Holey Plains State Park VKFF-0758)
  2. VK2IO/p (Sydney Harbour National Park VKFF-0473)
  3. VK4MGL/p (Crows Nest National Park VKFF-0121)
  4. VK2YK/p (Watts Gully Native Forest Reserve VKFF-2886)
  5. VK2MG/p (Wyrrabalong National Park VKFF-0550)
  6. VK3MCA/p (Gisborne Flora Reserve VKFF-2322)
  7. VK3PF/p (Giffard Flora Reserve VKFF-2321)
  8. VK3PEF/p (Greater Bendigo National Park VKFF-0623)
  9. VK3FIMD
  10. VK5MRE
  11. VK3MPR
  12. VK5DX
  13. VK5UK
  14. VK7ME
  15. VK3ZK/p (Echuca Regional Park VKFF-0966)
  16. VK3BIB
  17. VK3SQ
  18. VK5WF
  19. VK3CA
  20. VK2HRX/p (Blue Mountains National Park VKFF-0041)
  21. VK3MKE
  22. VK4AAC/p (Wilsons Hill Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2230)
  23. VK2VH/p (Wilsons Hill Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2230)
  24. Vk7QP
  25. VK2MET/p (Worimi National Park VKFF-0614)
  26. VK3PF/p (Mullungdung Flora & Fauna Reserve VKFF-2406)
  27. VK7MOO
  28. VK5PL
  29. VK3KXR

I worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-

  1. VK6CB
  2. VK1MF/p (Bruce Ridge Nature Reserve VKFF-0835)
  3. VK2NP
  4. VK4BXX
  5. VK4MGL/p (Crows Nest National Park VKFF-0121)
  6. JF7RJM

References.

  1. Wikipedia, 2021, <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pine_Hill_Soak_Conservation_Park>, viewed 5th December 2021.
  2. Wikipedia, 2021, <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soakage_(source_of_water)>, viewed 5th December 2021.