Yesterday, Saturday 6 June 2026, I revisited VK3/VC-028 Dingo Ridge. I had visited this summit 7 times before, so I knew what was ahead of me.
The drive to the trailhead is about 45 minutes from home on a mix of freeway, country road and a forest dirt road.
Dingo Ridge is the fifth lowest SOTA summit in the VK3/VC region,
Arriving at the trailhead at about 8:10 am I prepared for the forecasted possible light rain, packing over pants, weatherproof jacket and beanie, then headed off, over the motorcycle barrier and started up the MVO track.
Like most of the summits I visit, this summit is located in a eucalyptus forest with many tall trees and not much view.
Access to the summit from the west is via a 5 km hike through the Bunyip State Park. In March 2019 more than 15,000 hectares of the park and surrounding properties were burnt after multiple lightning strikes started a bushfire on a hot summer’s day. The area was also burnt by bushfire in February 2009.
From the gate to the activation position the track rises from 190m ASL to 420m ASL.
Hiking up to the summit, the tall trees have burnt trunks with new green branches while the young growth below is taking hold. The area either side of the track had recently been slashed, presumably to act as a fire break against scrub fires spreading.
Arriving at the summit, 90 minutes after leaving the car, I set my antenna and makeshift shelter on one of the track side signs. Due to the distance involved in hiking to the summit I had left my linear amp and extra battery at home.
Running the FT817ND barefoot into my hourglass antenna I had logged 3 QSOs on 2m SSB in 15 minutes. After a further 20 minutes of nothing, I moved to 40m working a few locals. A brief session on 20m returned nothing, so I moved back to 2m.
Glenn, @VK3YY, had messaged me saying he was going to walk from his home up a nearby hill to try and make contact. When I returned to 2m I heard Glenn talking with Paul VK3IH and I was able to log both stations as well as one other on 2m. I also called @VK3PF on the phone and tried to get a QSO with him, but we couldn’t complete it. I could hear Peter’s 100 Watts, but my 5 Watts just wasn’t making it back. Peter asked if I had a morse key to try CW but I did not. Maybe next time.
After over 1 hour on the summit I finished with six 2m SSB QSOs, ranging from 36 to 94 km, and 10 QSOs on 40m SSB.
The hike back down to the gate was easier than the hike up, taking 70 minutes. I didn’t need any of my wet weather gear as the rain stayed away with the occasional sunshine breaking through during the return leg.