CVARC Foxhunt in October-November 2019

[KC1DPM]

At the meeting last week, I discussed the possibility of organizing a club foxhunt for the end of the month or in early November. We have some college-aged soon-to-be hams that may be interested in joining as well. The tentative plan is as follows:
– Operate the ‘fox’ in the 2-meter band
– Organize the hunt within a single VT county (Washington) or town
– Host a club event building antennas and/or step attenuators to aid in direction-finding

Please reach out if you are interesting in joining in on the fun! Respond to this post or contact us via email to be a part of the planning team.

73,
-Patrick, KC1DPM
CVARC President

[jpmvt]

Sounds fun, though I’m not at all familiar with this type of event. If I’m around/can plan to be around I’ll be in.

John
KC1LAY

[WS3RVO]

I would be willing to help out. This sounds like a fun event!

-Dillon

[KC1DPM]

Hi John,

A fox hunt is essentially a game of “find the hidden transmitter”. People use direction-finding techniques to locate the ‘fox’. We have many people in the club with a wealth of experience and knowledge on DF-ing, so I’m sure we could put an info session together if you’re up for it.

[jpmvt]

I’ll definitely join in if I’m able to plan for the date. The club event for antenna building also caught my eye—I’m starting to study up for the General exam and thinking about an HF rig, and the antenna topic in general is a bit baffling to me. Any exposure would probably be a good start, regardless of what type of antenna/use.

[KC1DPM]

Update:
I’ve finished my “fox box” – an automatic foxhunt transmitter system inside an old ammunition container. This can take the place of a person as the fox if we decide to go that route. Two possible models the event can take, as I see it, are:
1) Automatic transmitter/fox box on simplex frequency, hidden by a club member or 3rd party
2) Volunteer operator with handheld radio that transmits at their discretion through the club repeater (direction-finding done on the input frequency)

I’d like to know if anyone has an idea for how to do scoring. I’m thinking we should give everyone who participates a chance to find it and do 1st/2nd/3rd place recognition/award after the fact – you write your name/callsign on the box (sort of like a geocache) and then leave the area ASAP so as not to tip off other participants that you may have found the fox.

[Anonymous]

I’m game to give it a shot. Never done it, but sounds like fun.

-Fred N1OEP

[jpmvt]

Not sure why, but it seems like I’ve stopped getting email updates from the site, so just seeing this now.

Sounds like fun, I’ll definitely be in for the foxhunt if possible.

I’ll also try to make it to the meeting in Northfield on Wednesday (tomorrow).

73,

John
KC1LAY

[Max]

Sounds Like fun!

[Author]

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