KRMNPA – National Parks Award update

I started pursuing the Keith Roget Memorial National Parks Award in December 2008 with an activation of the Alpine National Park. Over the next four years I would travel across Victoria and activate all 45 National Parks with the final park being the Barmah National Park during the 2012 KRMNPA weekend. This QSO was with Peter VK3PF who was portable in the Lind National Park.

VK3ZPF 45 parks activated 2012

On 1 April 2014 Amateur Radio Victoria, the sponsors of the KRMNPA, announced that three plaques were now available for amateurs. One merit plaque for activating all 45 parks, one merit plaque for ‘chasing’ all 45 parks and a Grand Slam plaque for achieving both.

Having already activated all 45 Parks I was casually ‘chasing’ all 45 parks before the announcement of the plaques. Once announced I began focusing more on other activations and, at the start of April, needed only Croajingolong, The Lakes, Errinundra and Little Desert National Parks to complete the 45.

Tony VK3VTH activated Croajingolong National Park on 21 April while I was portable during the Easter break. Phil, VK3JNI, was sailing on the Lakes on 25 April and agreed to stop by The Lakes National Park on his way back to Paynesville and activate this National Park.

John, VK5BJE, was portable in the Errinundra National Park just after 3 pm local time and I worked him to make it 44 ‘chased’ National Parks. Peter, VK3PF, also worked John and claimed the first Merit Plaque for chasing 45 National Parks. Peter had early in the month achieved Mountain Goat status for achieving 1000 activation points from SOTA summits.

Fifty minutes after working John, VK5BJE, I worked Tony, VK3VTH in Little Desert National Park to make it 45 parks ‘chased’ and secure the first KRMNPA Grand Slam.

The next day Peter, VK3PF, made a quick visit to French Island National Park to also complete the Grand Slam. Congratulations Peter!

Thank you to all activators and chasers I have worked in or from National Parks. I have made more than 1300 QSOs from National Parks since 2008 providing many opportunities for chasers.

My new goals for National Parks is to make 44 QSOs from them to build my activation tally for the WWFF award and VKFF award.

I’m also keen to activate the five main HF bands, 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10 m from each park, as well as QRP activation from them all. Below is my current progress.

15 Parks activated on 10m
7 Parks activated on 12m
21 Parks activated on 15m
41 Parks activated on 20m
45 Parks activated on 40m
32 Parks activated on 80m
28 Parks activated – QRP (any band)

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