With the addition of a new SOTA summit in the Auckland region from the 1st of August and given its in the town where I live I headed out on the Saturday morning to head up ‘Pukkie Hill’ and activate the new SOTA summit.
Pukekohe Hill is very much a drive up summit but I elected to walk from home and follow some of the Pukekohe 5 summits trail which passes close to my front door to walk across town and activate the hill.
It’s about an 8.5k walk and well paved underfoot.
This topo Map shot shows the hill.
Close to my Home QTH is ‘The Rock’ one of the ‘5 summits’
A general view towards Pukekohe hill and the wooded area in the mid distance is Rooseville park another of the ‘5 summits’
Pushing on a bit further we enter Pukekohe properly and then climb up into that wooded area of Rooseville Park.
In the park protected by the woods are the remains of a Tuff ring one of the best preserved in the Auckland volcanic field by all accounts.
Further on the trail descends last the railway station and wanders past a well placed coffee cart.
With a flat white in hand, on via some town streets until you hit the final street which is the climb up to the summit…
After a long but steady climb you end up at the summit with the classic Kiwi trig marker and wheely bin…
Good views across to ZL1/WK-158 Puketutu…
Also views to the south of ZL/WK-147 Klondyke…
After the trek I set up before 00:00 UTC and had a few contacts on HF over into VK on 20m there is a mast on site and it was doing a fine job of knocking out 40m completely.
Once 00:00 rolled around and the Hill became an official SOTA summit I worked a number of local stations in Auckland on VHF and a few more on 60m and a few VK’s on 20m to get the summit activated.
I took my ‘posh’ Radio along for the trip…
The rain clouds threatened so I called for a pick up packed down and headed home.
Hope you enjoy the images.
Cheers
John…