Monday, November 5, 2012

11/04/2012 - Fox Hunt

Everyone met behind the Danvers on Stage Rd at 3pm for a Fox Hunt. I think there were 11 hunters this time.

Position #1 was the starting location and my first bearing.



At position #4 I took a little detour. I use an ELK beam that doesn't have much rejection from the back side.   This position was pretty close to the fox and I probably should have used more attenuation as I realized immediately as I went north on Canada Rd. There was no where to stop or turn around. I went ahead and got out with my beam at my turn around point (Stop #5). and confirmed I went the wrong way. I stopped back on the North side of the #4 stop on the way back and got well away from the car and used more attenuation and saw that the stronger signal was to the south for sure.  



I stopped at a church on Memphis-Arlington and found an extremely strong signal.  Just between #6 & #7 I could hear the fox with no antenna on my HT. (just where the label is on Memphis-Arl Rd.). I saw bike riders on a trail in the woods and knowing we were going to have to walk to find the fox I went back to the church and parked. Position #8 is where I went on foot down 2 trails. About 2/3rd of the way down I started hearing the 3rd harmonic. I walked farther and eventually found myself in the place where the fox was located. Jeff AJ4GY was the fox but had walked away. I used Dwayne's (N5XUL) Sniffer for the last 20-30 feet.


As you can see it was a gorgeous day to be outside hiking around looking for a transmitter.



Here is where Jeff had the fox located.



Roll up J-Pole in the tree.


Jeff and I saw some wildlife on the way back to the parking lot.






Here is the attenuator I used. I found it on Ebay. I plan in the future to build one as this one is heavy like a brick. It is a Kay Model 20 10-51 DB Attenuator found on Ebay. I see several others and it looks like it got a good deal as some of them are listed as high as $175.



There will be another fox hunt in December either 12/2 or 12/9.