Southern California's next international-style on-foot foxhunting session will be Saturday, April 21 at Lake Los Carneros Park in Goleta. A ham radio license and knowledge of radio equipment are not required. Bring the kids and grandkids, then go out on the course with them!
If you don't have the antenna/attenuator system for on-foot foxhunting on two meters with your ham radio handi-talkie or scanner, you can easily make one during this session. Marvin Johnston KE6HTS will conduct a clinic for building his kits for measuring-tape yagis and for 90 dB offset-type attenuators. An assembled/tested attenuator in a special housing that goes inside the boom of the yagi is also available. Contact Marvin by e-mail (marvin@west.net) for prices and to reserve your kits.
It takes about an hour to put the kits together with tools and soldering irons that will be provided. If you're not an electronic technician, don't worry because there will be plenty of experts to help you. We want you to succeed! Then with your HT and the kitbuilt equipment, you will be all set to hunt.
Kitbuilding and transmitter hunting start promptly at 9:30 AM. Hunters may start out on the courses at any time until 1 PM. Courses close at 2:30 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.
Bring any 2-meter RDF "sniffing" gear you have. If you don't have any, just bring your handi-talkie or scanner and come early for the building session. If you can't do that, come anyway, because a limited number of RDF sets will be available for loan. Also be sure to bring anything you'll need while going after those radio foxes, such as munchies, bottled water and sunscreen. Bring your own compass, protractor and pencil if you plan to use them for map marking. Make sure that all batteries are fresh.
Weather: In case of rainy or very wet conditions, the event might be postponed. 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.
For your GPS navigation system: 300 North Los Carneros Road, Goleta, CA, 34.44416N 119.85446W.
Ham radio talk-in is on the WB6OBB repeater, 147.000(-) PL 131.8.
73, Joe Moell K0OV