Southern California's next international-style on-foot foxhunt will be this Saturday, September 14 at Lake Los Carneros Park in Goleta, CA.
Besides some easy fox transmitters just to help you learn and test your equipment, there will be a beginner-level international-rules course on the two-meter band, set by Marvin Johnston KE6HTS. There will also be a foxoring course on the 80 meter band. You can try either or both courses as your available time allows. 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.
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 for the two-meter band. 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. There will be tools and soldering stations for building. If you're not an electronic technician, don't worry because there will be experts to help you. We want you to succeed! Send e-mail to Marvin (marvin@west.net) to pre-register and get more information about equipment.
If you already have equipment and just want to hunt transmitters, you don't need to pre-register.
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 hunts on both bands will start about 10:30 AM. Hunters may start the courses at any time until 1 PM. Courses close at 3 PM.
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.
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 probably be in the parking lot. If that is too crowded, we will move to a nearby picnic area.
Ham radio talk-in is on the WB6OBB repeater, 147.000(+) PL 131.8.
73, Joe Moell K0OV