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Purahotangihia – Darkys Spur

Rounding up an eventful start to 2018 meant a trip to Hawkes Bay… to collect our animals from Hotel 501 after a good month away.   No trip with Warren can be escaped without finding a summit so on the Sunday we ventured out to a spot we had visited a while back and found the land owners were not home so were not able to access the their land where the summit lays.   Today we were in luck and after a quick health and safety induction to the property we were off up the farm track, luckily only one gate to open today. Warren had used this summit in the past to deploy portable repeaters for car rallies and the like for event communications so the summit was not new in so much as we knew our way around here. Just this time it was for a SOTA activation.



A good hour at the summit saw Warren getting his needed contacts. Unfortunately with the handheld being left on it was HF or bust. Starting on 14 MHz we made 11 contacts to VK and ZL, then on 7 MHz a further 4 contacts. Despite chasing 2 other activators no Summit to summit contacts were made this time.

 







 

Short and sweet from us on the blog front this time.   This is a nice easy summit once you gain permission from the land owner.   As always leave gates on the farm land as you find them and as with anywhere out in nature – take your rubbish home with you.

 


Details

Summit – ZL1/HB-099 Purahotangihia

Height –631 m

Access – From SH2, left into Kaiwaka Rd, Left into Waipunga then right into Turnbull Rd. 140 Turnbull “Kowhai Downs” head to the house and get permission from Dave. Follow the gravel track up then up the airstrip. At the top of the airstrip turn right and follow the quad track to the summit.

Nominal time to summit – About a 30 minute drive from Napier.

Mobile and internet coverage from the summit – good coverage.

Repeater coverage – 670 and 725 easy..

Summit Marker – Trig.

Land Access Permission – Required. The owners David and Jill? live onsite and were friendly.