VK2/HU-091 Karuah Hill

VK2/HU-091 Karuah Hill 05/01/2018 by VK2NU/P

Map...

Not much to say about this one, except that it was a summit I had attempted in 2017, but cancelled due to not finding a suitable track. 'It turns out there wasn't one, or at least none I could find'.

I parked the car at the area circled in blue and made my way via the dotted line to the 'Blue Diamond'. I already had these waypoints entered in my GPS having been here last year, but didn't make it past the 'Diamond' on my first attempt! The map would indicate that the track here passes residential house blocks, but this is all bush, and the track is only suitable for a high clearance 4wd.

The trail ends at the 'Blue Triangle', and the final 1km or so is through bush. Fortunately this was not too bad to get through, but definitely slowed progress, and this section took about an hour and half to complete. Having said this, we took it easy (me an my 12yr-old son CIAN), and had frequent rest stops, and breaks to look for the best 'way through'.

The blue line is very approximate here, and we weaved considerably through the bush.

The summit area is flat (but rocky) with a steep drop to the North, and the activation zone extends for several hundred metres along the ridge. We set up approximately 100m or so North East of the 'summit', as this looked the best for antenna erection. I didn't see a summit marker, but didn't look too hard either!

Phone reception was good (Telstra and Optus), which wasn't surprising as I could just about see the M1 Motorway..

Started calling CQ on 40m-SSB just before the rollover (23:50UTC), and managed to get 4 QSO's just in time. 40m was poor, so switched to 20m-SSB and got another eight contacts, followed by two on 20m-CW. Close in propagation was poor, but did work ZL1, and VK6 on 20m.. Also worked Warren VK3BYD/P on VK3/VE-178 for a S2S each side of 00:00UTC..

Last QSO logged at 00:30UTC....

WX-Hot and sunny (26ºC on leaving the car, and 32ºC on return).

Distance walked (2-3km, each way??)

 From the summit

 And another

And another

Now I've ticked it off the list, I doubt I would do it again, as there is little to see, and the scrambling through the bush is not so appealing, and a lot of effort for 1 point. Having said that it is only 1 hour drive from home, and I broke my duck for 2018 (onwards and upwards....)..

A map was useless here but the GPS was invaluable, and I wouldn't recommend doing this one without it..

Fellow walker for the day...somewhat reluctantly..

 Shack for the day.... should have found a shadier spot.

 First use of the new hiking boots. A bit stiff but pretty comfy.. Note my 30-year old army socks still going strong..

Log book, page 1...

Managed to give my new hiking boots a try out today, after my old trusty Propet Navigators died in NZ..

I did have an issue late in the activation where my KX3 would cutback to 5w from 15w, whilst sending an automated CW message. The message would also cut out in the midstream! I think this might be related to the radio overheating, as it was very hot to touch, but I also used a new Zippymax LiFePO4 battery, so this may have been the issue (although it checked out OK on my voltmeter when I got home).

'Roll on the end of the school holidays and some cool weather...'