I don't normally write more than one blog for a summit but this one deserves it. As my climbing buddy was away, I decided to head back up to Russell Range to try a new (for me) antenna configuration and check out the alternate descent route documented by Mark ZL3AB a few weeks ago. Anything that's easier on the knees is fine by me!
It's a nice enough 1 hour 40 minute (7km, 681m vertical gain) walk up a farm track to the summit. A beautiful autumn morning saw me shivering on the first bit but I soon warmed up as the elevation increased! For the first time in four visits, I met another person on the track, a hunter heading up on his quad bike (slightly jealous). Before long I was at the now familiar summit activation zone (the easement track runs through it) and got my requisite 4 contacts quickly on VHF (2m). As I was early, I tried UHF (70cm) and worked Ken ZL3OC in Timaru with strong signals. Jim ZL3ND popped up again so we worked on Fusion (C4FM), Jim using his handheld in the backyard. What was a scratchy FM contact became rock-solid audio when we switched to Fusion.
As my KX2 is still at the doctors, the little homebrew MTR3B (5 Watts CW-only) and trapped End Fed Half Wave (EFHW) were used. I usually rig this antenna as an Inverted V with the top of the pole close to the middle of the wire. I decided to try the inverted L configuration this time - theory being that getting the first section nearly vertical should improve low angle radiation on 20m - where the DX hangs out!
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| MTR3B, Tuner and tiny 450mAH LiPo |
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| Trapped EFHW showing near-vertical first section. Track markers have many uses! |
I worked the local ZLs on 40m with good signals. It was nice to work Philip ZL1PSH again from his Manukau Heads summit ZL1/AK-014. He's really getting the hang of this CW lark! Moved up to 30m and called CQ for 10 minutes - crickets... I was just about to switch to 20m and then John ZL3MR called me from Mount Barrosa ZL3/CB-499. Nice!
As I was heading out the long way, I packed up HF about 11:30am and settled down to eat. With that the hunter I saw earlier came back down the track and stopped to chat. He asked the usual questions about what I was doing and seemed suitably impressed. Off he went down the steep, slippery track on his quad (I would rather be walking down...) and I had my lunch, listening to the stags roaring over in the Thirteen Mile Bush. Caught up with the locals on 2m after UTC rollover and was pleasantly surprised to get a call from John on 2m from Mount Barrosa. A bit scratchy but good enough - even with Mount Hutt right between us!
I headed down at 12:15pm local time with a big smile on my face - a very successful activation behind me and looking forward to the alternate descent route.
It was exactly as Mark described, a very nice walk through Beech forest down the spur to the Benmore Hut. Rough and lots of windfall in places to add to the challenge of staying on the track but OK. Still plenty of wasps about so be careful if off the track...
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| Nice dappled-light section soon after entering the bush at the top |
Once down at the Benmore Hut junction, you turn right and follow a well marked )and well pest-trapped) track back down to the Annavale Track junction and back out to the car. This section is pretty boggy in places and you cross a few streams, waterproof boots are a plus!
A much more interesting route than coming back down the farm track, this will be my default descent route for future activations of this very nice summit. It's an extra 2 km and 107m of climbing but well worth it. 2 hours 15 minutes from the summit to the car for me this way.
Thanks to all the Chasers and fellow Activators, local and DX - every call is appreciated!
