Andrews Hill VK3/VN-020 for 2017

On New Years Day 2017 holiday, Monday January 2nd, I headed out to Andrews Hill to try my luck on 30 meters CW for a second CW-only activation. The drive is not more than an hour north east of Melbourne into the Kinglake National Park, and traffic was light. Arriving at Mountain Gate Rd by about 5pm, the 1.8km  walk up was steeper than I remembered from last time. The weather was excellent, temperature around 18 C and a light wind.  Scattered sunshine. At the top I set up for 30 meters and tuned around. A number of DX signals from the Oceania region were audible and fading from barely there  up to S5, easy copy,  including HA8JV (Hungary), JH1CCN and JA1VND (Japan). I called them with no replies. QRPers have to be optimists. On a summit like this, it is possible to copy an S1 or S2 CW signal due to the wonderfully low noise floor.

Andrews Hill VK3/VN-020

Mid-Saturday afternoon once domestic duties had been taken care of, Andrews Hill VK3/VN-020 was a last minute activation. It was also my first excursion into VK3/VN territory. Driving towards Yarra Glen, navigation starts from the junction of the B300 and C731 near the tempting Chocolateria.  At the large roundabout take the B300 Yea exit.  After 14.4 km you cross the C724.   Keep going north on the B300 for a further 3.6 km.  At this point turn left into Gordons Bridge Rd. After 1.4 km turn right onto Mountain Creek Track.

About 100 meters in, the track comes to a clearing and an access gate. From here the instructions on the SOTA summit page are easy to follow. I walked past the locked access gate, over a small creek, and followed the dirt road around to the right.  After about 250 meters take the dirt road signposted Andrews Hill Track.