The International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) holds World ARDF Championships in even-numbered years. The Chinese Radiosports Association hosted the Year 2000 event from October 13 through 18 in Nanjing City. Entrants competed for individual and team medals in separate events on 80 meters and two meters. They were divided into five age/gender categories in accordance with rules of the International Amateur Radio Union that were in force at the time.
This was the second time that the USA has participated in the ARDF World Championships. Twenty-five other countries competed.
Team USA 2000 included two Veterans (men ages 55 and up), three Old Timers (men ages 40 through 54), three Seniors (men ages 19 through 39), one Junior (boys 18 and under), one Woman and a Team Trainer. Team Captain for the trip was Dale Hunt WB6BYU, who also served as IARU Region 2 representative on the International Jury.
Members of ARDF Team USA 2000 came from these states:
California 4
Oregon 2
Montana 2
Kentucky 1
Massachusetts 1
New York 1
Ohio 1
The American Radio Relay League (ARRL) paid the entry fees and in-country food/lodging/transportation expenses of the team. Training expenses and domestic/international airfares were paid by the individual team members.
The schedule of events was as follows:
Friday, Oct 13 Arrival and registration Saturday, Oct 14 Practice event, Team Leaders meeting, opening ceremony Sunday, Oct 15 VHF (two meter) competition Monday, Oct 16 Local tour Tuesday, Oct 17 HF (80 meter) competition Wednesday, Oct 18 Departure or start of optional tours
(Hotel banner photo above by Dick Arnett WB4SUV)
On-site Team USA photo, taken Saturday, October 14 in Nanjing. Left to right in back row: Jack Loflin KC7CGK, Gyuri Nagy KF6YKN, Jay Thompson W6JAY, Richard Thompson WA6NOL, Csaba Tiszttarto, Bob Cooley KF6VSE. Front row: Karla Leach KC7BLA, Harley Leach KI7XF, Marvin Johnston KE6HTS, Bob Frey WA6EZV, Dick Arnett WB4SUV. Dale Hunt WB6BYU (IARU Region 2 Jury Representative) had not arrived. He is in the photo below, standing among the jurors at the opening ceremony. Thanks to Bob Frey WA6EZV for photos.
Here are some quotes from participants, received by e-mail during the event.
"Most everyone took our photo at the opening ceremoney HI HI. Pics with the American team were a popular item, especially with parents and their children."
"Practice sessions went well with everyone checking and de-bugging their equipment. Accommodations are outstanding, hospitality also. Food: too much, Chinese of course."
"Had a pile-up on 15 meters to JA-land and Asia the other morning, The guest station (BT4ARDF) is very popular. Keep trying for propagation to the USA but so far no luck. Using a FT1000DM and a R7000 vertical on top of the 30th (top) floor."
(Before 2m event) "Its 4:45AM. Breakfast at 5:30, off to the start area at 6:30. Competition starts at 8:30. Everything appears to be under control. Except our nerves, HI HI."
(After 2m event) "The trip to the starting area at 6:30 began with a procession of some 25 mini buses and a police escort that enabled us to cruise through all the red lights and make U-turns on expressways to get to where we wanted to go."
"After placing a towel on the ground and while I was getting ready to put on gaiters, a Chinese local grabbed a rock and smashed the head of a small snake that was less that two feet from me. Great way to get the adrenaline going in a hurry."
"Whoever said that there would only be 50 meters of climb only missed it by 150 meters per transmitter. Took almost ten minutes to make the top and get a set of bearings."
"Hit an area that on the map appeared to be some 500 to 600 meters from the finish. Going to be close. Suddenly the trail stops. No sign of anything to follow. Take a bearing and head into the woods. Big mistake. Entering a jungle so thick I can hardly maneuver. Slip, loose my map board, Recollect myself and realize my glasses are gone too."
(After 80m event) "Well let's just call this one 'Team USA rebounds.' Unlike the two meter event, NO ONE ran over today. To say the least, we learned fast. USA will at least post a team score for 80 meters. Much better run in the rain all day."
In the results below, the gold/silver/bronze winners are listed for each individual/team category, followed by Team USA member placings. In the Old Timer division (males ages 19 through 39), competitors must find all five foxes. In other divisions, competitors must find four. The required four are different for each division.
Final Two-meter Results (130 minute time limit)
Seniors (55 in category) Gold Wu Yongsheng China 56:49 5 Foxes Silver Tarassov Nikolay Kazakhstan 57:28 5 Foxes Bronze Viskup Peter Slovakia 67:07 5 Foxes Gyorgy Nagy (27th) USA 120:32 5 Foxes Csaba Tiszttarto (40th) USA 125:56 3 Foxes John Loflin USA (equipment failure) - - - - - Old Timers (54 in category) Gold Janos Orosi Hungary 57:43 4 foxes Solver Konstantin Zelensky Russia 61:36 4 foxes Bronze Fursa Oleg Ukraine 61:50 4 foxes Marvin Johnson (42nd) USA 129:45 3 Foxes Bob Frey (53rd) USA (overrun) 145:00 2 Foxes Dick Arnett (54th) USA (overrun) 156:00 1 Fox - - - - - Junior (42 in category) Gold Vana Petr Czech 65:31 4 foxes Silver Konstantin Kulikov Russia 66:05 4 foxes Bronze Ladan Vladimir Moldavia 71:17 4 foxes Jay Thompson (31st) USA 128:49 2 foxes - - - - - Women (43 in category) Gold Omova Michaela Czech 62:16 4 foxes Solver Luo Chunyan China 62:17 4 foxes Bronze Oksana Shutkowskaia Russia 63:46 4 foxes Karla Leach (42nd) USA (overrun) 195:00 2 foxes - - - - - Veterans (33 in category) Gold Jozsef Cserhati Hungary 74:48 4 Foxes Silver Nikolay Semenov Russia 82:39 4 foxes Bronze Christensen, Arne D. Norway 90:13 4 foxes Bob Cooley (9th) USA 109:23 4 Foxes Harley Leach (31st) USA (overrun)
Final Eighty-meter Results (140 minute time limit)
Senior (55 in category) Gold Fucik Karel Czech 59:41 5 foxes Silver Voracek Michal Czech 63:27 5 foxes Bronze Zsolt Cserpak Hungary 67:24 5 foxes Gyorgy Nagy (14th) USA 84:04 5 foxes Csaba Tiszttarto (34th) USA 131:23 4 foxes John Loflin (38th) USA 97:56 3 foxes Team USA 11th of 17 teams - - - - - Oldtimer ( 54 in category) Gold Konstantin Zelensky Russia 54:38 4 foxes Silver Tchermen Gouliev Russia 62:17 4 foxes Bronze Alexander Kulikov Russia 65:33 4 foxes Robert Frey (41st) USA 89:59 2 Foxes Dick Arnett (43rd) USA 116:49 2 Foxes Marvin Johnston (47th) USA 132:24 2 Foxes Team USA 16th of 16 teams - - - - - Junior (42 in category) Gold Krcal Jaroslav Czech 55:22 4 foxes Silver Oleg Jirov Russia 61:49 4 foxes Bronze Vana Petr Czech 69:56 4 foxes Jay Thompson (33rd) USA 84:14 2 foxes - - - - - Women (43 in category) Gold Lou Chunyan China 67:02 4 Foxes Silver Omova Michaela Czech 70:02 4 foxes Bronze Yang Chunxian China 75:11 4 foxes Karla Leach (41st) USA 102:48 0 foxes - - - - - Veteran (33 in category) Gold Josef Tuttman Germany 67:37 4 foxes Silver Vladimir Kirgetov Russia 74:00 4 foxes Bronze Nikolay Semenov ussia 75:08 4 foxes Harley Leach (19th) USA 120.16 3 Foxes Robert Coley (28th) USA 131:45 2 foxes Team USA 9th of 11 teams
The two images above are from a collection of 75 photos of the Championships by Lee Namkyu HL1DK of Korea. The left photo shows Marvin Johnston KE6HTS after crossing the finish line. The right photo shows (L-R) Bryan Ackerly VK3YNG (of Team Australia), Marvin Johnston KE6HTS and Bob Frey WA6EZV on tour at the Gardening Exhibition of Jiangsu.
Congratulations to all Team USA members. Special recognition goes to Bob Cooley KF6VSE, who finished in the top ten of the Veterans Division on two meters, and to Gyuri Nagy KF6YKN, who competed in the Senior division on 80 meters and nearly made the top quarter, even though he was qualified by age for the Old Timer division. Read in-depth reports with participant narratives and more photos in 73 Magazine for January 2001 and QST Magazine for May 2001.
Many thanks to Sam Smith N4MAP, Terry Hudson KT9V, Dean Dods KD6I and others who put on 5-fox practice sessions for Team USA members. If you would like to help train our team for future events, contact the undersigned.
Joe Moell KØOV
USA ARDF Coordinator
Go to story and photos of Team USA 2000 Qualifying Runs on 2 meters and 80 meters, held June 3-4, 2000
Back to the Homing In home page
This page updated 20 September 2016
