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The ARRL Letter
Vol. 22, No. 47
November 28, 2003
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==>SANTA BARBARA CLUB TO HOST USA ARDF CHAMPIONSHIPS
The Santa Barbara Amateur Radio Club will host the 2004 USA Amateur
Radio
Direction Finding (ARDF) Championships, ARRL ARDF Coordinator Joe Moell,
K0OV, announced this week. Moell said the fourth annual USA ARDF event
will be held next June in California.
"Radio-orienteers from all over the country plus visitors from abroad
are
expected to attend," Moell said. "The competitive courses are open to
anyone of any age from any country, with or without an Amateur Radio
license."
Medals will be awarded in five age categories for male competitors and
four for female competitors, in accordance with International Amateur
Radio Union (IARU) rules. The competition, which will include both
80-meter and 2-meter events, gets under way June 16.
After a day for practice and alignment sessions and opening ceremonies
the
full-length 2-meter competition will take place June 18. The 80-meter
competition will take place the next day, followed by closing
ceremonies.
Moell says the USA Championships will occur just in time for final
selection of ARDF Team USA 2004 members. Those chosen for Team USA will
travel to the Czech Republic for the 12th ARDF World Championships,
September 7-12. "Team positions will be filled based on performances in
the 2004 events in California and the 2003 events in Ohio," he
explained.
One of North America's ARDF pioneers, Marvin Johnston, KE6HTS, will
serve
as general chair for the 2004 USA Championships. Johnston was a member
of
USA's first team to the 1998 ARDF World Championships held in Hungary
and
he won medals at the last two USA ARDF Championships.
The hosting SBARC also "has an abundance of ARDF talent," Moell said.
That
includes club president Jay Hennigan, WB6RDV, who took gold in his age
category on both 80 and 2 meters in this year's USA Championships in
Cincinnati. Other SBARC medal winners include Scott Moore, KF6IKO, who
won
bronze on 80 and 2 meters in Cincinnati. SBARC will collaborate with the
Los Angeles Orienteering Club (LAOC) to prepare maps and set up the
start/finish areas for the competition.
An official Web site for the 2004 Championships is under construction.
It
will contain complete rules and technical details, including competition
frequencies, plus registration and lodging information. Information
about
transmitter hunting and US ARDF activities is available on Moell's
Homing
In Web site <http://www.homingin.com>.
