vk5pas

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Lowan Conservation Park 5CP-121 and VKFF-1052

Posted: 06 Jul 2019 04:41 AM PDT
https://vk5pas.org/2019/07/06/lowan-...d-vkff-1052-3/


I left Ettrick Conservation Park and headed for my next park, the Lowan
Conservation Park 5CP-121 and VKFF-1052.Â* Again this was another park I had
activated previously, so this activation would go towards the Boomerang
Award and count towards my stats for the 2019 Top Activator.
Above:- Map showing the location of the Lowan Conservation Park.Â* Map
courtesy of Location SA Map Viewer.

I travelled along Glenburr Road and then Piggy Back Road and turned left
onto Bowhill Road.Â* It wasnt long before I reached the intersection with
Gribble Bore Road.Â* There is a cairn here to commemorate the sealing of the
Bowhill Road, and an old well and windmill.






I travelled east along Gribble Bore Road and soon reached the park which is
well signposted.

The Lowan Conservation Park was established on the 9th day of September
1971 and was formerly known as the Lowan National Park.Â* The land was
purchased by the South Australian State Government on the advice of “the
Land Board and National Parks Council� from the owner “who were anxious to
see scrub remain on the block.

On the 27th day of April 1972, the park was reconstituted as theÂ*Lowan
Conservation ParkÂ*upon the proclamation of theÂ*National Parks and Wildlife
Act 1972.Â* On the 2nd day of August 1973, land in section 73 of the Hundred
of Bowhill was added to the conservation park.

The park consists of tall open scrubland and open mallee.






Birds SA have recorded a total of 88 species of bird in the park including
Common Bronzewing, Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater, White-eared Honeyeater,
Yellow-rumped Thornbill, Weebill, White-winged Chough,Â*Striped Honeyeater,
Yellow Thornbill, Chestnut Quail-thrush, Gilbert’s Whistler,Â*Magpie-lark,
and Southern Scrub-Robin.

The park takes its name from the endangered Malleefowl which is also known
as the Lowan.

I entered the park via one of the open gates on Gribble Bore Road and
travelled down the 4WD track.



I found a small clearing and set up my gear, the Yaesu FT-857d and the
20/40/80m linked dipole.
Above:- An aerial shot of the Lowan Conservation Park showing my operating
spot.Â* Image courtesy of Location SA Map Viewer.

Once again I had very little if any phone coverage in the park.Â* I called
CQ on 7.144 and within a short period of time, Deryck VK4FDJL came back to
my call.Â* John VK2MOP followed, then Peter VK1JH on his way to a SOTA
summit, and then Warren VK7WN/p on Bruny Island.

My first Park to Park for the activation came 13 QSOs into the activation.Â*
It was with Peter VK3PF/p who was activating the Rokeby Flora Reserve
VKFF-2428.Â* A few QSOs later I was called by Peter VK1JH who was now on top
of his SOTA summit, Tuggeranong Hill VK1/ AC-038.Â* A few QSOs I had another
Park to Park in the log, with a QSO with Rob VK4AAC/3 in the Tocumwal
Regional Park VKFF-0978.

I logged a total of 51 QSOs on 40m including three more Park to Park
contacts: Ian VK1DI/p in the Goorooyaroo Nature Reserve VKFF-0841; Adam
VK2YK/p in the Medowie State Conservation Area VKFF-1349; and David
VK2JDS/m in the Sturt National Park VKFF-0470.



I then headed off to 20m where I logged 8 stations from VK2, VK4, New
Zealand, and Canada.Â* I was very surprised to be called by Marvin VE3VEE in
Canada.

It was then off to 80m where I called CQ on 3.610.Â* Andy VK5LA in the
Riverland was first in the log, followed by Marija VK5FMAZ, and then John
VK5BJE.Â* I logged a total of QSOs on 80m including three Park to Park
contacts with Ian VK1DI/p in the Goorooyaroo Nature Reserve VKFF-0841;
Gerard VK2IO/5 in the Upper Gulf St Vincent Marine Park VKFF-1755; and
Peter VK3PF/p in the Swee****er Creek Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2200.

To conclude the activation I moved back to 40m.Â* I now had 68 contacts in
the log.Â* I logged a further 14 stations on 40m including Max IK1GPG in
Italy, and two further Park to Parks: Adam VK2YK/p in the Tilligerry State
Conservation Area VKFF-1377; and Peter VK3PF/p in the Bull Beef Creek
Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2055.

It was now 3.30 p.m. and time to head home.Â* It had been another great
activation, with 82 contacts in the log including 12 Park to Park QSOs.

Again, MANY THANKS to those who spotted me.

I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

VK4FDJL
VK2MOP
VK1JH
VK7WN/p
VK3SQ
VK4RF
VK4HA
VK4NH
VK4DXA
ZL4TY/VK4
VK2HHA
VK2CZ
VK3PF/p (Rokeby Flora Reserve VKFF-2428)
VK3MPR
VK1JH/p (Tuggeranong Hill VK1/ AC-038)
VK4SMA
VK2NP
VK2VW
VK4AAC/3 (Tocumwal Regional Park VKFF-0978)
VK2VH/2 (Tocumwal Regional Park VKFF-0978)
VK2FGJO
VK5LA
Vk3PAT
VK3MCK
VK4FARR
VK5BJE
VK4CZ
VK3MAB
VK2KNV/m
VK2DJP
VK4TJ
VK4/AC8WN
VK4/VE6XT
VK3ANL
VK3ZNK
VK3BHR
VK5FANA
VK3CWF
VK6EA
VK1DI/p (Goorooyaroo Nature Reserve VKFF-0841)
VK2YK/p (Medowie State Conservation Area VKFF-1349)
VK2PKT
VK2ADB
VK3SWV/p
VK5PE
VK2JDS/m (Sturt National Park VKFF-0470)
VK3FLAK/p
VK5IS
VK5CZ
VK3PF/m
VK2KT
VK7AN
VK4MWB
VK7DW/m
VK4FDJL/m
VK2YK/p (Tilligerry State Conservation Area VKFF-1377)
VK3FRC
VK3MKE
IK1GPG
VK4FGZA/2
VK2ESG
VK3MRO/m
VK2QK
VK3PF/p (Bull Beef Creek Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2055)
VK2KJJ


I worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-

VK2VW
VE3VEE
ZL1TM
VK6XN
VK6EA
VK4TJ
VK4/AC8WN
VK4/VE6XT


I worked the following stations on 80m SSB:-

VK5LA
VK5FMAZ
VK5BJE
VK5ZX
VK1DI/p (Goorooyaroo Nature Reserve VKFF-0841)
VK2IO/5 (Upper Gulf St Vincent Marine Park VKFF-1755)
VK5FANA
VK3SQ
VK3PF/p (Swee****er Creek Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2200)






References.

Birds SA, 2019, https://birdssa.asn.au/location/lowan-conservation-park/,
viewed 6th July 2019

Wikipedia, 2019, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lowan_Conservation_Park,
viewed 6th July 2019


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Ettrick Conservation Park 5CP-267 and VKFF-1029

Posted: 06 Jul 2019 03:39 AM PDT
https://vk5pas.org/2019/07/06/ettric...d-vkff-1029-2/


Today (Saturday 6th July 2019) was a beautiful sunny day ahead of some wet
weather coming in from the west.Â* So I took the opportunity of heading east
to activate some Murray Mallee parks.Â* The first park was to be the Ettrick
Conservation Park 5CP-267 & VKFF-1029.Â* I have activated and qualified this
park previously so todays activation would go towards the Boomerang Award.

The park is located about 110 km east of Adelaide and about 33 km north
east of the town of Murray Bridge.
Above:- Map showing the location of the Ettrick Conservation Park in the
Murray Mallee.Â* Map courtesy of Location SA Map Viewer.

I left home at around 9.30 a.m. and headed east along the South Eastern
Freeway to Murray Bridge.Â* I then headed north on Burdett Road and stopped
briefly to admire some of the views of the Murray River.






I then turned right onto Glenburr Road.Â* This took me past a number of
cropping properties and some old abandoned stone farm buildings.





About 4-5 km along Glenburr Road I reached the junction with Boundary
Road.Â* This is the northwestern corner of the park which is not
signposted.Â* I have mentioned this in previous posts, but do not get some
of the surrounding scrub confused with the park and end up on private
property.Â* There is a lot of native vegetation around the park which is not
part of the Ettrick Conservation Park.

The Ettrick Conservation Park was established on the 31st day of October
2013 and is about 479 hectares in size.
Above:- An aerial view of the Ettrick Conservation Park looking north.Â* The
Murray River can be seen to the north of the park.Â* Image courtesy of
Google Maps.

The park takes its name after the Hundred of Ettrick which was proclaimed
on 4th May 1893. It was named by Governor Kintore who hailed from Scotland
where there is a ‘Parish of Ettrick’ in Selkirk, derived from the Gaelic
eadar-dha-eas – ‘between two waterfalls’.
ABove:- Ninth Earl of Kintore, Governor Kintore.Â* Image courtesy of
adb.anu.edu.au

The park is made up of open mallee with several species of Eucalpyt.Â* It is
also home to one of the few remaining examples of tussock grassland in this
part of the Murray Darling Basin.Â* The park is an important refuge for
species such as the Malleefowl and Regent Parrot.





Birds SA have recorded about 65 species of bird in the park including
Mallee Ringneck, Galah, Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater, Spotted Pardalote,
White-browed Babbler, White-winged Chough,Â*Peaceful Dove, Purple-backed
Fairywren, Splendid Fairywren, Grey Butcherbird, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike,
and Gilbert’s Whistler.

If you follow the main track through the park it will bring you to an old
abandoned farmhouse which I suspect was the original homestead on the
property before it was acquired by the South Australian Government as a
park.






I travelled along a 4WD track which led into the park via a gateway (minus
the gate) on Glenburr Road.Â* I found a clearing in amongst the scrub and
set up my station comprising the Yaesu FT-857d and the 20/40/80m linked
dipole.Â* I ran about 30 watts for this activation.
Above:- Aerial shot of the park showing my operating spot. Image courtesy
of Location SA Map Viewer.

I had very little phone coverage in the park so had a lot of difficulty in
trying to self-post on parksnpeaks.Â* I called CQ on 7.144 and this was
almost immediately answered by Hans VK5YX with a big signal from the
southern suburbs of Adelaide.Â* I had forgotten to write down the park
reference so Hans kindly looked it up for me.Â* Geoff VK3SQ and Brett VK2VW
followed and I was informed that Rob VK4AAC/3 was down on 80m in a park.Â*
So it was down with the squid pole and in with the 80m sections of the
antenna and off to 3.640.Â* I logged Rob who was activating the Tocumwal
Regional Park VKFF-0978.

I then headed back to 7.144 on 40m and found that there was quite a pile up
waiting for me.Â* I logged Lee VK2LEE, followed by Mike VK6MB/2 in the
Kemendok National Park VKFF-1174.Â* About 8 QSOs later Rob VK4AAC/3 gave me
a shout for a Park to Park on a different band.



Within an hour I had 44 contacts in the log, with QSO number 44 being with
Peter VK2FPAR.Â* A few QSOs after Pete I had my fifth Park to Park QSO in
the log with a contact with Peter VK3PF/p who was activating the Rokeby
Flora Reserve VKFF-2428.

I logged a total of 49 stations on 40m before heading over to the 20m
band.Â* I called CQ and this was answered by Scott VK4CZ with a lovely 5/9
signal, although the pesky Over the Horizon Radar was present on 20m once
again.Â* Hans VK6XN then gave me a shout followed by Ian VK6EA who has
become a regular park hunter of late.

I logged 12 stations on 20m and then headed down to 3.610 on 80m.Â* As I had
no internet coverage I was hoping there may be someone on that frequency
monitoring.Â* And fortunately, there was.Â* John VK5BJE was first in the log,
followed by Peter VK3PF/p in the Rokeby Flora Reserve VKFF-2428, and
finally Gerard VK2IO/5.



I had 64 contacts in the log in a little under 90 minutes and it was time
to pack up and head off to my next park the Lowan Conservation Park.

A BIG THANKS to those who took the time to spot me during this activation.

I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

VK5YX
VK3SQ
VK2VW
VK2LEE
VK6MB/2 (Kemendok National Park VKFF-1174)
VK4RF
VK4HA
VK1MA
VK3MCK
VK2HHA
VK2PKT
VK5BJE
VK4AAC/3Â*(Tocumwal Regional Park VKFF-0978)
VK2VH/3Â*(Tocumwal Regional Park VKFF-0978)
VK2NP
VK2YK
VK4NH
VK4DXA
ZL4TY/VK4
VK4CZ
VK4FARR
VK2FADV
VK4HNS
VK4TJ
VK4/AC8WN
VK4/VE6XT
VK3MPR
VK2MJW
VK4HAT
VK1AT
VK2CTG
VK7FJFD
VK6EA
VK3XPT
VK3CM
VK3AHR
VK7FEAT/m
VK4MWB
VK2XXM
VK7NSS
VK2MOR
VK3ZNK
VK2FPAR
VK4FDJL
VK3PF/p (Rokeby Flora Reserve VKFF-2428)
VK7FRJG
VK3LTL
VK7VZ


I worked the following stations on 80m SSB:-

VK4AAC/3 (Tocumwal Regional Park VKFF-0978)
VK5BJE
VK3PF/pÂ*(Rokeby Flora Reserve VKFF-2428)
VK2IO/5


I worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-

VK4CZ
VK6XN
VK6EA
VK2LEE
VK2NP
VK4NH
VK4DXA
ZL4TY/VK4
ZL1TM
VK4TJ
VK4/AC8WN
VK4/VE6XT






References.

Birds SA, 2019,
https://birdssa.asn.au/location/ettrick-conservation-park/, viewed 6th
July 2019

State Library of South Australia, 2019,
http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/digitalpubs/placenamesofsouthaustralia/, viewed
6th July 2019

Wikipedia, 2019, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ettrick_Conservation_Park,
viewed 6th July 2019