Lake Los Carneros Park in Goleta, CA will be the site of southern California's next international-style on-foot foxhunt on Saturday, January 12, 2013. A ham radio license and knowledge of radio equipment are not required. Experts will be on hand to teach the basic techniques of on-foot radio direction-finding (RDF).
There is no charge for participation. If you have receivers, scanners, directional antennas, attenuators, or other equipment suitable for on-foot RDF, be sure to bring it. Make sure all batteries are fresh. A limited amount of RDF gear will be available for loan.
For those who want to build RDF gear for use with their own two-meter hand-held radios or scanners, Marvin will have kits for measuring-tape yagis and active attenuators. Also available is an assembled and tested assembly that includes the power switch, BNC connector, housing and battery, ready to install as the tape measure beam is built. Send e-mail to Marvin (marvin@west.net) to pre-register and get more information about equipment. The building session will only take place if there are sufficient advance registrations. If you already have equipment and just want to hunt transmitters, you don't need to pre-register.
If it takes place, the building session will start at 9:30 AM. Please be prompt. Beginner transmitters will be on the air at that time. The main 5-fox hunt will start about 10:30 AM. Hunters may start the courses at any time until 1 PM. Courses close at 3 PM.
Besides some easy fox transmitters just to help you learn and test your equipment, there will be a beginner-level international-rules course. The site area is slightly less than 140 acres. It is relatively flat, making it a good site for foxtailers of all skill levels. If you need some one-on-one help to get started at finding transmitters, just ask. Full-color orienteering maps will be available.
Weather: In case of rainy or very wet conditions, the event might be postponed. If you're in doubt, check www.homingin.com before you set out to make sure that the event is a "go."
Directions to Lake Los Carneros: From US 101 about 8 miles west of downtown Santa Barbara, take the Los Carneros Road exit, head north about 1/4 mile and turn right into the Stow House parking lot. There should be plenty of free parking. Look for the orange-and-white orienteering flag. The building session and hunt start will be in the picnic area, just east of the railroad depot.
Ham radio talk-in is on the WB6OBB repeater, 147.000(-) PL 131.8. For your GPS navigation system: 300 North Los Carneros Road, Goleta, CA 34.44416N 119.85446W
73, Joe Moell K0OV