On Sunday, 22 February 2026, VK3SRT and I activated VK3/VC-033 Mt Toolebewong, a 735m lightly treed summit about 40 km from home and about 55 km east of Melbourne.
I made 13 QSOs before handing the rig over to VK3SRT who made maybe 6 QSOs before the rain forced an early end of the activation.
The antenna was a Diamond 144S5, 5 element Yagi at 3 m AGL using the lower 3 sections of a damaged 9 metre squid pole for support.
The squid pole rested in a tree branch and was able to be rotated by hand as required.
The transceiver was FT817ND running full power and the coax was 7m of RG213.
QSOs where between 23 and 82 km with most reported as 57 or better.
The majority of chasers were using horizontal antennas.
