Today is ANZAC day, a day on which Australia and New Zealand commemorate their war veterans from all wars. The date is significant as it was on this day in 1915, during World War I, that soldiers from both countries stormed the beaches of Gallipoli in Turkey.
To mark this significant day the ACMA allow hams to substitute their VK prefix with the AX prefix.
I don’t normally do this as it can create issues with electronic logging and QSL cards. However today I decided to activate a WWFF park with AX3ZPF and test a recent change to my VK port-a-log app allowing different on-air call signs to the operator’s call sign.
I had a look at WWFF Logsearch for VK3 parks that has not been activated. This showed only 3 parks. Two were too far away and the third is a Marine National Park that needs either a couple of days hiking or a boat to access.
I then settled on VKFF-0771 Mt Worth State Park, the nearest easy access park to home that I had not previously qualified with 44 contacts.
Arriving at the Moonlight Creek Picnic Area around midday I set my linked dipole in a tree with the apex about 5 metres above ground.
I tuned around 40 m and found Brett AX3FLCS activating the Macedon Regional Park, my first Park to Park QSO for the day. After working Brett I settled on 7.085 and called CQ. A steady flow of chasers followed including park to park with AX3VTH and AX5PAS. I made 46 contacts on 40 m and three contacts on 20 m.
Unfortunately I forgot to take a camera so there are no pictures.
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