Fox Hunt Photos

From the Radio Club of Tacoma's May 10, 2008 Fox Hunt
 
About the hunt


This Fox or Bunny (as the Radio Club of Tacoma calls them) Hunt coincides with CQ Magazine's Annual International Fox Hunt Weekend.  The idea was go get folks out in for a walk in the Park and introduce them to ARDF.

The hunt was held at Tacoma's Point Defiance Park, along the 5 Mile Drive, which is located in a lush forest.  The park has hiking trails and is similar to hiking in any state or national park, but you are not too far from the road.

All 8 of KR7W's transmitters were hidden.  There were 5 IARU style transmitters (all on 146.430, each on for one minute, then off for 4 minutes, then repeats the cycle).  There were also 3 "Ammo Can" transmitters (on separate frequencies) made from discarded 2 meter handy talkies.  One of the rules was to hide the transmitter no more that 10 ft from the trail or the edge of a clearing.  In other words... no more than 10 ft of Bush Whacking.

Transmitters 1 to 5, the  IARU transmitters were hidden within a 1/4 mile squared area. The goal was to have the signal level high enough at the start location so hunters with Active Offset Attenuators could receive the signal through the attenuator from the git-go.   It was reported that transmitter Nr 1  was the hardest to find.  This transmitter was the about 200 ft from the start area.

The three ammo can transmitters were hidden progressively harder to find.  Number six was not too far away and easier to find for the beginner.  Number eight was further away with much more trail length to walk to find it.  The hunter had to use the provided map to make decisions of what fork in the trail to take... or else go cross country through the lush forest.

The goal here was not to find the transmitter... but to find the source of signal.  The antennas were horizontal dipoles attached to wooden masts.  On each mast was a plywood cut out of a rabbit (of some form) and one squirrel cut out that were painted brightly to be easy to spot once facing the antenna.  (My equivalent of orienteering flags at more elaborate ARDF hunts.)  These icons were numbered to match their transmitter.  On each icon was printed a three or four digit secret code that the hunter had to write down to prove that they actually found the signal source.

One of the newer people to ARDF was heard saying, "This is addictive".  The photo captions tell more of the story.

Submitted by Rich KR7W

 
 

 
It is 7 of the 8 icons that the hunters were looking for residing in KR7W's back yard.  The painted plywood cutout is part of the antenna mast.
The hunter had to jot down a 3 or 4 digit secret code written on the plywood cut-out to prove they found the transmitter

 
The start table crowd:  Pat WT7N, Alan N7OMS, Rich KR7W, Chris Lentz, Alan W7AML, Lynn K7OKS, and Chris Buck (sort of hidden).
Those who didn't attend missed some good donuts.
This photo by Neil Robin, WA7NBF.

 
Alan, W7AML, gets familiar with the tape measure and active attenuator.  Al and his son, Chris, were newbie's at ARDF. After they hiked through the brush for a couple of hundred yards to find elusive transmitter 8... Alan told me, "This is addictive".  Chuck, AC7QN foto.

 
Rich, KR7W (on left) gives Dr Doug, AD7AV, some instruction on setting his handy talkie up to find transmitter #6. The TM Yagi and attenuator were substituted for the whip antenna and Doug was on his way. Doug had limited time hunting bunnies.  I am sure he could have found it in just 10 minutes more.  Chuck AC7QN took this foto.

 
Here's Neil Robin, WA7NBF, who came from Pt Angeles.  Neil hosts hunts in Pt Angeles for the local hams and those from British Columbia.  Neil found transmitters 1-5.  Neil uses a Homebrew Yagi made from PVC pipe and NR 10 copper wire and a MK4 Sniffer receiver to find the transmitters

 
Here's Alan, N7OMS, at the start of the hunt. He's lookin' rarin' to go.
Alan uses a Tape Measure Yagi, Active Attenuator, and an old HT.  Alan holds the club's championship "plywood plaque" for winning the last hunt.  Looks like he is gonna have to turn it over to Art and Arthur Jr this year.

 
It really is a FOX Hunt.  This fox, who appears to be a resident of the Gig Harbor Picnic area in the park... took time to pose for Chuck, AC7QN.  Once the crowd increased in size this guy became elusive.


 
Mr Foxy becomes bored with posing for fotos and exits stage left.
Foto by Chuck AC7QN.

 
It's Alan N7OMS.  Looks like he is deep in the brush, doesn't it?  He is actually on the trail.  The transmitters were hidden within 10 feet of the trail to minimize bush whacking.  This photo by Neil Robin WA7NBF.

 
Here's Neil WA7NBF giving Al N7OMS and Rich KR7W some pointers on using map and compass to determine which way to begin looking for the transmitters.

 
Here's Bob KE7ECQ zeroing in on Transmitter # 6.  The antenna is a tape measure dipole painted with stealth paint. The bunny icons were hand crafted by Pat WT7N.  This transmitter was an "Ammo Can" style made from an old discarded 2 meter handy talky.  This photo take by Neil Robin WA7NBF.

 
Here is Art Jury KF7GD and his son Arthur Jr.  They each have their own equipment which consists of Tape Measure Yagis and MK4 Sniffer receivers. Art and Author Jr. found all 8 transmitters.  Art and his son came from the Seattle area to hunt bunnies in Tacoma's Pt Defiance Park.

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