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The San Diego T-Hunt Group's annual on-foot hunt was attended by fifteen hams and seven non-hams. Ten teams were on the course at one time. One team was composed of three generations: Tim Marshall AJ6XP, his son Ian and grandson Isaac. This was the first on-foot hunt for them and also for Giri Sonty AK2I. Both teams found all five hidden transmitters in the Morley Field area of Balboa Park.
Bill Wright WB6CMD took first place in the single-team category with a time of 43 minutes. There was a tie for the two person team category with Bill Elkerton, W6ZM and his wife Robin KM6OUL competing with Matt Tucker N6EAJ and Ed. Both teams came in at one hour and 23 minutes. All three teams received prizes for their efforts.
In attendance were:
Joe Corones N6SZO, hunt organizer from San Diego
Joe Loughlin KE6PHB, hunt organizer from San Diego
Robert Dexter N9SCD, organizer and hunter from San Diego
Marvin Johnston KE6HTS, special advisor from Santa Barbara
Cliff Steagall N5BXE and Claudia from Chula Vista
Michael, K6MRW, Annabella & Juntima Hunters from San Diego
Matt Wheeley N6EAJ & Ed from Escondido
Bill Elkerton W6ZM and wife Robin KM6OUL from Chula Vista
Giri Sonty AK2I from San Diego
Conrad Lara KG6JEI from Oceanside
Mark Ording K6MHO, son Trevor and wife Vera from Santee
Tim Marshall AJ6XP, son Ian and grandson Isaac from Santee
Bill Wright WB6CMD from Winchester
Tom Sneden K6VCR from El Cajon
It was overcast most of the day, providing the hunters with cool weather for the hunt. Everyone had a good time, enjoyed the hunt and BBQ.
Back in 1998, the editor of CQ Magazine welcomed my idea of sponsoring a national weekend of hidden transmitter hunting, sometimes called foxhunting. Clubs and groups around the country were encouraged to hold foxhunts, both mobile and on-foot, using rules and procedures of their own choosing. In Orange County, the Fullerton Radio Club and a couple of other clubs banded together for the first Antennas-In-The-Park (AITP) event on that first Foxhunting Weekend. There was a barbecue lunch and a special cake for the occasion.
It's been an annual event ever since. The first AITP was at Tri-City Park in Placentia. It continued there until OC Parks took over administration of Tri-City and began imposing fees and other restrictions that made it much more difficult to hold AITP. So in 2015, FRC moved the event to Hillcrest Park in Fullerton. For foxhunting, it's a much more interesting venue. It's only 40 acres, but the steep hills and dense vegetation add physical difficulty and make it easy to conceal transmitters so that hunters don't see others finding them. Often, hams travel from the Bay Area and elsewhere to try the new direction-finding courses.
One problem with Hillcrest Park has been the condition and scarcity of restrooms. Beginning in 2017, we have been fortunate to gather at the Izaac Walton cabin, which has made pop-up shelters and lengthy restroom treks unnecessary.
The AITP foxhunt on May 13, 2023 was one of the best. Marvin Johnston KE6HTS arrived from Santa Barbara with a box full of antenna/attenuator kits and all were soon built by enthusiastic newcomers. Then they tried them out with their handi-talkies on the two nearby practice transmitters to gain proficiency. After that, they were ready for the advanced course with five transmitters, some in the far reaches of the park. Going straight to the advanced course were Michael Hart KC6MEH and Scott Moore KF6IKO, who had recently returned from competing in the 2023 USA Radio-Orienteering Championships in Texas.
As in formal competitions, hunters were sent out on the advanced course individually, as transmitter #1 came on the air. Unfortunately, not everyone checked in promptly to stop the clock when finished, so these results include some approximations:
TWO-METER COURSE RESULTS -- 5 FOXES
Name and call Time H:MM Foxes
Michael Hart KC6MEH 1:00 5
Scott Moore KF6IKO 1:00 5
Scot Barth KA6UDZ 1:06 5
Samuel Haneji KN6EYN 1:25 5
with Liam Van Citters KN6QXK
Jenna Canillas WWØMAN 1:29 5
with Erick Gordillo KK6CKK
Aaron Lin KN6ZTV 1:27 4
and family
Malachi Clark KN6SUZ 0:31 2
There was also an 80-meter transmitter that was not far away.
Thanks to all who made a successful AITP possible, especially Gene and Cheryl Thorpe, KB6CMO and KE6TZU, who arranged for access to the cabin. Albert Solomon AG6OF cooked up a great lunch with vittles brought by Bob Houghton AD6QF and Larry McDavid W6FUB. April Moell WA6OPS brought the traditional Foxhunting Weekend cake. Dick Palmer WB6JDH set up a HF ham station and got some attendees on the air. And everyone in attendance contributed to the enjoyment of the day.
Joe Moell KØOV
SoCal 2022 -- Southern California practice/demonstration events of 2022, including Hillcrest Park, Felicita Park and Yuma Hamfest.
SoCal 2021 -- Southern California practice/demonstration events of 2021, including Lake Los Carneros, Hillcrest Park and Bonelli Regional Park. (No events in 2020 due to COVID-19)
SoCal 2019 -- Southern California practice/demonstration events of 2019, including Bonelli Regional Park, Mt. Pinos, Guajome Regional Park, Hillcrest Park, Mission Viejo Community Park, Yuma Hamfest and Lake Los Carneros.
SoCal 2018 -- Southern California practice/demonstration events of 2018, including Hillcrest Park, Lake Los Carneros (2), Mt. Pinos, Santa Fe Dam, Mission Bay Park and Bonelli Regional Park.
April 19 - 23, 2023 -- 22nd USA Radio-Orienteering Championships near Sulfur Springs, TX.
April 7 - 10, 2022 -- 21st USA ARDF Championships near Triangle, VA.
October 14 - 17, 2021 -- Twentieth USA ARDF Championships in North Carolina.
July 28 - August 4, 2019 -- Nineteenth USA and Tenth IARU Region 2 ARDF Championships near Raleigh, NC.
June 13 - 17, 2018 -- Eighteenth USA ARDF Championships near Truckee, CA.
Go to Championship Foxhunting News -- Results of recent international competitions and announcements of upcoming ones.
Go to International-Style Foxhunting Comes To The Americas -- How we're getting the ball rolling
Go to Equipment Ideas for Radio-Orienteering -- Simple and inexpensive receiving and transmitting solutions
Go to Foxhunting for Scouts -- Let's get the kids involved
Go to Electronic Scoring for ARDF -- What it is, how it works, and why it's gaining popularity.
Go to Extenders Aid Handicapped Foxhunters -- A novel way to include persons with disabilities
Go to Local ARDF Contacts -- Links to hams and groups that are doing international-style foxhunting in North America and around the world.
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This page updated 23 March 2024