Multi-Tx DF  10 Txs to find

Sunday July 10th 2022 Location  Wivenhoe Wood TM035223. CO7 9PA. Event Format - full details here .  See map below or road map with zoom Contact us

Organiser Richard M6EWJ

The 'Magnificent 7'

Results - the points that mean prizes Pos Competitor Hcap Joker A B C F G H K L M 1 Score Raw % Total 1 Roy E 81 H 23 26 0 23 26 80 23 23 23 26 273 100 192 2 Colin M 61 F 0 0 0 64 23 23 40 26 32 32 240 87 179 3 George F 93 G 32 23 40 26 80 20 26 20 0 0 267 97 174 4 Steve S 71 M 0 20 0 17 0 32 0 40 80 40 229 83 158 5 Chris I 7 A 80 32 0 20 20 0 0 0 0 0 152 55 145 6 Gary P 130 L 20 0 0 40 32 26 32 64 26 23 263 96 133 7 Colin F 124 C 26 40 64 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 130 47 6

The winner was speechless - well almost!

Note the gentle handshake, Colin had 12 stitches in his arm from a fall 2 days before.  A heroic effort to even be present, let alone finishing 2nd.

George is getting used to competing with a serious handicap. Right shows his GPS trace and determination looking for his Joker G. Notice only 1 route in 1 out - the GPS lacked his determination and gave up before he returned to bank points at 15:54.

So what did our speechless winner have to say?

On a recent trad. fox hunt,  I probably followed a real fox through its path/hole into a maze of brambles, the radio fox was further on, easily accessible via a circular route. The following day, while harvesting thorns from various bits of my anatomy  I decided my normal 'bull charging straight down the bearing' technique was due for revision. My Joker was H, potentially hard but fortunately not far from the start just North of the car park. I ended up on a path behind George, I assumed his Joker was either F or G but looking at the map he could have been bound for A B C F or G.  As usual, when the next bearing was taken and no direct path was obvious I set off bull-like, but then remembered 'I am a changed person' a 'take it steady, go round obstacles' person.  This approach was rewarded because the next bearing didn't point where I was expecting, I had further to go.  The next bearing indicated an appropriate hiding area and after many circles and much eye scanning I eventually spotted the Triffid - 13:48:40. 1st there , 40 x2 points.

Note the two railway crossings.

While listening for H the Ghost (1) had sounded close but with a long aerial it has fooled me before, so I decided to go for G, guaranteed to be within 200m of H.  As I approached the area George passed, I wondered if he had found it, or perhaps he was not looking for G?  The next bearing, very strong, pointed at a couple of bushes in front of a ditch, behind the ditch was loads of dense undergrowth. The 'new me' then spotted a path off to the side where I might investigate, avoiding ditch and dense undergrowth. On to the path I see Gary. There were several places where blades of grass had been disturbed, we each began to examine approaches into the thick stuff.  Eventually the 'new me' decided I didn't like this approach either.  Back round to the ditch side,  Gary had circled the other way through the thick stuff, a yell accompanied  his rapid decent into the ditch.  An earlier bearing made me think the Tx was about 10m away from Gary and I braved the ditch at that point. Another signal took me halfway towards him, yes there is a wire and Tx beneath, but where's the Triffid, Gary moved toward me. Colin M appeared, presumably having taken a route through the thick stuff.  While trying to obscure the aerial from their view I conduct the usual conversation re the parental line of the organiser, scanning frantically for the Triffid.  Gary makes a lunge 'bother' his dibber is engaged!  I follow with mine and try to leave the area allowing Colin M to enjoy his search without disturbance.  Now what, 14:05:03, Ghost?  No, I decide to keep the paces down and go for F. F found, no one seen, 14:18:33.  ABC or Ghost? Head for general area of ABC, B sounds close. Bearing points at a line of bushes.  Tx comes on and I get a fix on a shrub from the outside, enter via a hole further along and George is already inside, I make my way by him slowly trying not divert his attention from his current search area.  Yes there is the Triffid, but a group of vicious brambles are blocking my way. Eventually I manage to make a path through without blood loss,  yes only 3rd in, surprising at 14:29:36. OK -  A one way, C in opposite direction, probably the other side of railway. Head for A. A found at 14:38:32.   Ghost shuts down at 15:00, can I get there in time, signal now pretty weak? Will have to skip C for now, perhaps I can get it later?

Began to run around the estate boundary, by the time I pass close to B, the urge to run diminishes to zero. I pass the plodding along time, considering whether I should detour sufficiently to bank points for G, F, B and A (H will already be banked as it is my Joker). By the time H is off to my right, the time left to get to the Ghost before it goes off is short. I decide to live dangerously and give H a miss. The Ghost was now giving loads of long transmissions encouraging me to simulate a run. It was off to my left, 45 degrees, a path came into view, should I take this or carry on hoping for another? Decided to continue, another path and helpful transmission pointing straight up it.  On the path transmission still going, bearing into bush - yes Richard is there waiting to turn it off. No transmission now, fruitless search, another brief transmission yes - 14:54:27 and 3rd wasn't expecting that much reward. Time for K, L, M.  Tuned to 1960 kHz listening for K, no other competitors about, where is everyone? Eventually the bearing on K turns, I follow through bushes to .... the railway line. 'Oh, I presume Richard has put them all the other side', followed a path (which I learned later drifted away from the railway, there was a closer one I had missed somehow).  From the path I was on, I couldn't see a way to cross the railway, which was fortunate!  Frustrated I gave up on K and tuned to L 1930 kHz. 'Oh its not the other side of the railway and is close'. Not an easy find but 15:11:05 and 4th.  M is now strong on 1915 kHz.   Got it 15:18:21 another 4th place. Fortunately on leaving M I got on the right path (the official one marked on the map) which lead me to the tunnel. At about the green circle below K, who should I meet - George, (were we the only two people left doing this event). We exchanged uninformative pleasantries, with me wondering if he had found it, or had he overshot, or had I overshot? Such is the Multi-Bluff game.

K found at 15:29:41 and another 4th with 7 competitors(?). Big decision - thinking C was this side of the railway (wrong), had I got time to continue North on the river side, pick up points at C and then get to my Joker H to bank before the machine gun at 16:00? Mmmmm, spicy. Or     should I go for the cool option, backtracking to the tunnel, giving myself time to walk peacefully back to H, giving up on C? The previous version of me would probably have gone for the spice but the 'reformed, totally unscratched, unstung, no visible blood' version of me decided to take easy!   9 Txs validated at 15:45:30. And then, as I waited by H to collect it at 16:00, who should appear at 15:49:48 to add H to his collection? You will have to consult the table of times to find out. To my relief, back at the car park, the remainder of the 'magnificent 7' appeared, they had not deserted but where had they been all afternoon? Health warning, this report could get longer! Thanks for an excellent event Richard, superb Tx hiding and no need to get scratched or stung, provided you had reinvented yourself! Roy

The Hero League - changes at this event: Competitor Handicap Points Awarded Discard New HP Events as Hero Roy E 81 50 0 131 2 Colin M 61 20 10 71 0 George F 93 8 0 101 0 Richard S 40 5 5 40 0 Steve S 71 0 10 61 4 Chris I 7 0 0 7 0 Gary P 130 0 0 130 22 Colin F 124 0 0 124 7

Competitor Hero Points Events as Hero Philip C 131 12 Roy E 131 2 Gary P 130 22 Colin F 124 7 George F 101 0 Tim P 90 7 Life at the top - Philip remains the Hero, a challenger must exceed the current Hero's score to take the trophy. Rules here.