portable testing - Kanangra - Oberon area

mid July

was up around Jenolan Caves area, apart from some bush walking, did some driving around looking at various portable locations good for VHF/UHF/SHF from Kanangra Walls to Edith and to Oberon. Found some good high spots, but hard top find locations that give full 360 degree clear coverage. Some locations you really need to have 4WD vehicle, as most of the roads were dirt and very slippery with some moisture. The idea was to look for some places where you can drag a portable mast and a 2m or 70cm yagi up for some portable terrestrial DXing from. I found some great locations above 1300m ASL, but each favoured a particular direction, nothing seemed to provide a good clear omni-directional location.

Some locations:

33deg 49' 02"S, 149deg 57' 33"E (QF46xe) - the intersection, of the old Edith Road and HorseshoeBend Rd, not bad, but much better travelling north from here along HorseshoeBend Road.

33deg 48' 59"S, 149deg 57' 34"E (QF46xe) - 1300m ASL - along HorseshoeBend Road heading north from the old section of the Edith Road, farmland on western side, state pine forests on eastern side.
Gave good vhf/uhf in a Sth-West-Nth direction. Good if you want shielding from the east.

33deg 48' 13"S, 149deg 57' 40"E (QF46xe) - 1300m ASL - further along HorseshoeBend Road, the next high spot. Near Radiata Ridge. Again this shielded to the east by the pine forest. This would have been great 25 years ago for working into VK5 & VK6 on 2m SSB, would have given a clear shot, whereas "The Rock" was obscured by trees.

33deg 49' 38"S, 149deg 57' 48"E (QF46xe) - 1340m ASL - part of the State Pine forest of Edith Road, now cleared. Nice and high and flat, but close to the main road.

33deg 50' 18"S, 149deg 57' 25"E (QF46xd) - 1340m ASL - part ofthe State Pine Forest, off Bicentennial National Trail, between Ginkin Road and Edith Road. The forest has now been cleared. good takeoff to the Sth & West.

33deg 49' 50"S, 149deg 59' 36"E (QF46xe) - 1320m ASL - off Edith Road, - good takeoff to the Nth East - East - Sth East (Sydney), but nothing west.

Looked at some locations out in Kanangra Boyd National Park, Thurat Tops has good high spots, accessible by fire trails only using 4WD. Did not get there, but probably too heavily wooded. But a good location that is open and clear is on the Kanangra Road about 5kms back from "The Walls" (see photos on Flickr) at 33deg 59' 22"S, 150deg4'13"E (QF56AA) (almost 1220m ASL) excellent takeoff to the nth east, east & sth eas direction. Not as high as "The Rock", but it is clear of high trees.

33deg 48' 58"S, 149deg 58' 50"E- 1320m ASL - this is a ridge north of the Edith Road in the State Pine forest, this spot is currently covered in forest, but is also currently being logged, being a ridge it should have excellent coverage both east & west, I think by this time next year, it will have been cleared to be able to perform some tests. I think this location is most promising in the future (or at least until the next generation of pine trees grow).

The actual highest point is at 33deg 49'56"S, 149deg59'1"E (QF46ex, above 1360m ASL) just west of the CAA tower on Edith Road, but even though it is the highest point, it is heavily covered with forest and is quite useless. Just have to wait until the section of pine forest is cleared. This is about the same height as Mt Bindo.