In the mid 70s, one of
the first things I was introduced to by the Colchester Radio Amateurs'
club was radio direction finding, this has been my passion ever
since. So in their 60th Anniversary year it seems appropriate
that I should encourage others to give it a try, accordingly my 60th
year challenge is to see if I can persuade 6 new people to come along to one (or more) of
this year's events see the green dates
here).
Good news - in the week running up to the event I heard that Jonathan,
Grazyna and Graeme hoped to be there.
Ben was on holiday from university and able to join us too, so
10 Txs and ten hunters - great, two even had photo responsive tee shirts!
With beginners and experts attending, I had placed the Txs so that the
greens
and yellows were reasonably accessible from paths but with the 4 reds
(C,H,M and
ghost 1) providing serious challenges to keep the experts busy.
Although crows flying from B to C could do it in 200m, those without
machetes had a much longer walk. Same was true
for L to M, M appears close to the path on the map but easy
access was from a parallel path. H wasn't too difficult but from
there it was a long trek to pick up the Ghost. I was expecting
some of the hot shots to hear the Ghost signal from the start but
all went for their Joker first and had to put in the extra Ks to
retrieve the situation before it went off at 3 pm. Well done to the 3 that found it.
Tx Locations
Normally the organiser has
little to do except take pictures but on this occasion I was so keen to
share my extensive knowledge on how to fail at RDF that the camera
remained in my pocket. So below are some taken on the
Saturday of Tx and Triffid 'planting'.
Earth contact + thin aerial wire going up small tree.
Here is another buried and fully disguised to avoid public attention.
The Triffids do have to be
visible - but not so visible that a casual
visitor to the wood might notice one. With careful
adjustment of RF gain you may be able to DF right up to the aerial wire
and spot the Tx but then you have to find the camouflaged Triffid which
will be within 3m.
This silly game of hide & seek has a purpose - to force you to stop
for a while, preventing 'runners' having too much advantage or
suffering heart attacks!
Triffid B (letter in its mouth), visible from this side but unlikely to
be seen from the path (red line).
Triffid at L, a bit more of a challenge - our beginners struggled
to spot this one.
The Ghost (1) - Red Txs are a bit harder, very short
transmissions, and more into the undergrowth.
Can you zoom in and find the Triffid, the location is revealed at the
bottom of the report.
Results
| Pos |
Competitor |
Hcap |
Joker |
A |
B |
C |
F |
G |
H |
K |
L |
M |
1 |
Score |
Raw
% |
Total |
| 1 |
Colin
F |
83 |
C |
26 |
26 |
80 |
20 |
26 |
26 |
15 |
15 |
40 |
40 |
314 |
100 |
231 |
| 2 |
Steve
S |
40 |
G |
0 |
23 |
0 |
32 |
64 |
40 |
23 |
20 |
26 |
0 |
228 |
72 |
188 |
| 3 |
Graeme
C |
0 |
* |
64 |
32 |
0 |
23 |
20 |
0 |
20 |
23 |
0 |
0 |
182 |
57 |
182 |
| 4 |
Gary
P |
112 |
H |
20 |
17 |
23 |
40 |
40 |
64 |
13 |
13 |
0 |
32 |
262 |
83 |
150 |
| 5 |
Tim
P |
132 |
M |
17 |
15 |
26 |
15 |
17 |
23 |
40 |
32 |
64 |
26 |
275 |
87 |
143 |
| 6 |
George
F |
72 |
B |
40 |
80 |
32 |
17 |
0 |
0 |
17 |
17 |
0 |
0 |
203 |
64 |
131 |
| 7 |
Ben
G |
20 |
K |
0 |
0 |
0 |
26 |
23 |
0 |
64 |
26 |
0 |
0 |
139 |
44 |
119 |
| 8 |
Chris
I |
68 |
L |
23 |
20 |
20 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
26 |
80 |
0 |
0 |
169 |
53 |
101 |
Points at Jokers are doubled
to encourage competitors to hunt individually, also the requirement to
validate at your Joker means you are in place to collect it at
the end of the event.
On you first event you have a wild Joker (*), your best find is doubled
and there is no need to complete the circle back to your Joker.
Colin, Multi-Star and Hero, he did it all!
|
Crafty Steve, 2nd
|
Times (for info, only points mean prizes)
| Competitor |
Joker |
A |
B |
C |
F |
G |
H |
K |
L |
M |
1 |
Validation |
| Ben
G |
K |
|
|
|
14:59:06 |
15:10:38 |
|
13:52:01 |
14:17:31 |
|
|
15:53:18 |
| Chris
I |
L |
14:32:53 |
14:56:52 |
15:20:06 |
|
|
|
14:10:18 |
13:56:42 |
|
|
15:40:53 |
| Colin
F |
C |
14:20:39 |
14:11:09 |
14:01:13 |
15:09:33 |
15:03:25 |
14:54:19 |
15:18:10 |
15:25:11 |
13:47:33 |
14:32:55 |
15:40:52 |
| Gary
P |
H |
14:41:04 |
15:08:19 |
14:56:04 |
13:43:28 |
13:47:26 |
14:02:25 |
15:35:10 |
15:27:34 |
|
14:33:04 |
15:46:50 |
| George
F |
B |
13:46:30 |
14:07:20 |
14:36:41 |
15:23:16 |
|
|
15:03:16 |
14:54:42 |
|
|
15:58:57 |
| Graeme
C |
* |
13:47:20 |
14:09:19 |
|
14:59:29 |
15:36:01 |
|
14:39:14 |
14:29:33 |
|
|
16:00:00 |
| Steve
S |
G |
|
14:51:26 |
|
14:06:39 |
13:47:41 |
13:58:54 |
14:19:36 |
14:38:59 |
15:24:54 |
|
15:46:45 |
| Tim
P |
M |
15:06:48 |
15:18:35 |
14:37:44 |
15:39:02 |
15:36:30 |
15:43:42 |
13:51:48 |
14:17:13 |
14:05:30 |
14:51:08 |
15:55:38 |
Walk around for times only
option (Jonathan was struggling with a back problem).
| Competitor |
Joker |
A |
B |
C |
F |
G |
H |
K |
L |
M |
1 |
| Jonathan |
|
13:46:25 |
14:08:16 |
|
14:58:11 |
|
|
14:39:45 |
14:28:57 |
|
|
Grazyna
with George
|
|
13:46:10 |
14:07:39 |
14:38:18 |
15:23:24 |
|
|
15:03:35 |
14:54:51 |
|
|
Extract from the CRA Newsletter
Chairman’s Chat - July 2023
Well this month I am fresh from trying out the Direction Finding events that Roy G4JAC organises, and I can
honestly say that you need to try it out to realise how good it can be! Just hearing about it didn’t really
stimulate me, but having tried it out, I can say it was a very enjoyable activity, combining as much radio,
physical exercise (walking or running), and competitive energy as one wants to put into it. You can see my
report and Graeme M0NAC’s follow up on the CRA Hub io-group for more details but do consider attending
one during this anniversary year. Thanks to Roy for making such a welcoming effort to Graeme, myself and
my XYL Grazyna, who not only found hidden transmitters but also achieved her other aim of exercising and
airing Jonathan! |
So how did our winner Colin make it look so easy, finding all 10 in under 2 hours? Well perhaps not that easy - read on!
I arrived before 1:00pm it was dry with part sun, I had time to relax after antics on the A12 and get myself sorted out.
With Roy's tight
schedule at 13:29, we almost missed the first transmissions, but I
frantically managed to get my bearings completed with all 3 Tx group
directions too (a must on this site). My joker was C, a red to the
north, however I did not take the obvious path slightly east of north,
but went on a more westerly one which I thought had a path off to the
north part way along. This was not to be, I overshot and ended up at a
sharp corner with a choice of SE or NW. C was NW and still weak so I
headed that way not realising I had just missed L quite close to the
junction. Then M came on quite strong, I was in a turmoil, what do I
do, the chance of M was just too good to miss, so I ventured in amongst
the dark low trees, and as it was a red I had to go quite a way to go,
but the reward was amply paid with a 1 in the triffid window 'I wonder
who's joker this is' crossing my mind (sorry Tim).
Anyway a good start helped my enthusiasm to get to C, K and L were now
south of me and I realised I could probably pick them up later. When I
ran out of path at the road I looked for another path this side of the
hedge, but it was so overgrown I decided to just walk east along the
road until there was a way into the northern wood. This was in fact
where the eastern path from the car park met the road, opposite was a
wooden gate which I opened and stood waiting for a signal to confirm I
was on the right side of the road. Sure enough I had a good signal due
north, so I continued on the northish path looking for some way in on
my left.
|
The start was at the P
|
|
My
map had a large rectangular blank expanse here with no paths marked, so
I had to guess which way. However, a small path did appear, so I took
this NW route and sure enough a loud signal to my left took me straight
in, but as predicted it was a good way in under the low branches of
dense saplings.
Having used extra
time with M and other distractions it was with relief that I saw a 1
after the white flashes. I guessed now that this was probably the only
one north of the road, so after quickly jotting my find, I returned to
the gates either side of the road, where I waited for a signal from B.
This turned out to be south of west, but I also knew it was east of M, so somewhere in between.
I searched for a
westerly path and soon found one, just about wide enough not to get
stung by nettles and prickly things, this turned out to be ideal and as
I turned to my left it joined a good wide path where I could see some
way down George with a training group of DFer's, that's a clue I
thought.
|
Thanks for the picture George
|
As I hastily approached them I was drawn into the trees on my right, so
I disappeared under another dense array of saplings. Ground cover is
sparse in these dark areas so scanning the base of trees for signs of
buried Tx's is usually worthwhile, and yes that little hump of leaves
assured me to stop and carefully search the lower branches for a
triffid colour.
This didn't take long and I was back out of there with
what I thought was 5th place (20 points), but in fact later found it to
be a 3rd with 26 points, as I didn't know how many training dibs had
previously taken place.
Back on the path I nearly returned to the gates
via the narrow path, but took a right turn south towards the car park.
'A' was surely down here somewhere, I stayed on the right of the twin
path until the signal increased to my right, this was similarly hidden
like B's, and I came away with a similar 5th place that turned out to
be a 3rd.
Now all the while I had been tuned to the red (1915KHz) channel, the
ghost had given me several short bursts that gave me the impression it
was not far from the car park. I was now heading in that direction at
around 14:22 and decided this was the best and nearest time to go for
it.
As I approached the car park I got another signal to the east, but
still no stronger, this got me thinking it is probably the other side
of the houses where the path then passes a park towards the eastern
woods. I nipped around to the left out of the car park and crossed the
road and then turned right at the T junction.
I was still on the wrong side of this road looking for a concealed
footpath between the houses when a huge articulated lorry decided to
stop right alongside me obscuring the path and blocking me from
crossing the road. With a wait that seemed like eternity the lorry
started to move off and I could continue, I was almost opposite the
footpath, so quickly crossed and headed towards the park.
|
The footpath
actually goes to the right of a row of trees and as I wasn't sure of
how far away the ghost was I stayed with the path, but this is
obstructed by a large clump of impenetrable growth which the path is
supposed to be clear on the left side, it wasn't and I had to
back-track and go around in the field muttering to myself why hadn't I
taken the clear park route.
Anyway, I got to
the path crossing at the edge of the wood, where there was a
conveniently placed bench (and no, Chris was not on it) but I hung
around for the next signal which could have been in any direction, but
I soon spied Gary to the east hesitantly looking this way and that. I
figured he probably had more idea than I, so as I was edging towards
him, we both got a strong signal together, and there was a frantic dash
to find the best way in between the trees, we then met the other side.
It was a close
call, but I had the triffid staring at me as I fumbled to extract my
dibber and thrust it into the triffids mouth . . A white flash
followed by a 1, 'YES' I hissed, but at the same time felt guilty at
pinching what should have been Gary's find, but you know that's the way
it goes in competition !
Now with three 1st positions I felt good, but still had another 5 more to do. My plan now was to get out to FGH, but I wasn't sure how far from the car park that might be.
| 
|
The
best route would have been to go south on the path along the edge of
the woods I was in, then turn west cutting diagonally across to the
church then west to the road, SW and west again on the path to H.
However in order not to overshoot, I retraced my steps back to the road
then south to an S road through the houses across to the west road and
SW to the nearer path. With dense undergrowth on my left all I could do
was go west, eventually I could turn left and go south. I walked (or
ran) within feet of F on my left until I joined another path in a vast
open area.
Ben was here but
we stayed apart while waiting for another signal. This led me further
south to a large hedge where the path passed through a gap. I too
passed through this gap but later wished I hadn't, I turned to the
right only to find H was on my right through a wide patch of nettles. I
spotted an area that had been flattened and trod carefully over nettles
back to the tree lined hedge, it was now the other side, so I picked my
way through then realised my error of going through the gap! H was in
fact here, not far off the path and gave me a healthy 3rd place. Then I
made another error by going back through the gap to continue west down
to the river, where I thought signals from G were emminating.
Not so, now they
were east on my right so I walked north, around the S bend I went and
waited, still east through the trees into the open area where I'd found
H. I waded through the long grass before I was getting close to G, how
I managed to conger up that route I simply don't know, anyway at least
I gained another 3rd (26 points).
So F to do, I
marked its bearing against trees in the distance and waded more until I
was back on the wide path, then I met Ben again and muttered something
along the lines of them (Tx's) not exactly being near the paths.
F didn't come on
for a while, so as I continued north I spotted a flattened grass
entrance by a tree on my right, and thought that could be a likely
place for a Tx. I went around the corner to the right where entry was
impenetrable, then F told me to turn around and the penny dropped . .
'dong', that was the likely place where F was! and so close to the path
too, but F really was a 6th place (20 points) this time.
|
A
different aerial shot from when the site was less covered by long
grass, it shows how many paths were available to confuse!
The location of F is shown by the red dot.
|
|
|
I
was still as determined as ever to go and find K & L but this
involved heading towards them, then heading away from them down towards
the river and then north again. I think I had to deviate onto a small
parallel path to the right, and K was just under the trees on the
right. This not surprisingly showed a low 9th which turned out to be a
7th (15 points).
One thing I had noticed by now was the consistant positioning of the
triffids, I don't think many were on the ground but most were hanging
fairly low in the trees (probably nothing to loop them to), but it
helped me locate them quickly, as I was getting used to where to look.
Once I had retraced myself back onto the NE path (away from the river),
I came back to where I had started on the junction where L was. This
time I was tuned in and had little trouble finding it for another 15
points to complete all 10 Tx's at 15:25.
Now I could relax a little and wander north past M to the road. Now it
looked different, for some reason I had not previously noticed a gate
to my left leading into the north section, I was just about to head
east along the road, when I thought let's try it and see if this would
have got me to C easier.
It didn't, I ended up far too north with no paths to the east then
looping south again to find the path that C was near, I was now glad I
took the road route earlier!
|
C
wasn't any easier to find though, as there were no visual clues, all
the trees looked the same under this dense canopy, but I got there
eventually and remembered to validate.
I had no idea how
well I had done, it seemed a pretty arduous hunt, and I had made too
many costly detours, so to have won by such a margin was unbelievable.
Many thanks Roy
for setting up this event, and all of you that competed with me for
such a puzzling but satisfying result. Apart from the odd thorny
scratch, the weather was absolutely perfect, all areas were dry, and my
boots are now cleaner than when I started. Oh and to add to the
enjoyment more butterflies flying out sideways than I have ever seen,
if only I could multitask . .
I thank you all
for a most memorable hunt, these don't happen very often, well done
Steve for a 2nd and our new face Greame in 3rd. I look forward to
seeing you all again soon . .
Colin
Thanks Colin, an
excellent account, when I get old (!), I hope to enjoy reliving
the event with you and maybe even remember that you told me the writing
of it took much longer than finding the Txs !!
|
|
Changes in the Hero League after this event.
| Competitor |
Handicap |
Points
Awarded |
Discard |
New
HP |
Events
as Hero |
| Colin
F |
83 |
50 |
0 |
133 |
7 |
| Steve
S |
40 |
20 |
0 |
60 |
4 |
| Graeme
C |
0 |
8 |
0 |
8 |
0 |
| Gary
P |
112 |
0 |
0 |
112 |
23 |
| Tim
P |
132 |
0 |
6 |
126 |
11 |
| George
F |
72 |
0 |
0 |
72 |
0 |
| Ben
G |
20 |
0 |
0 |
20 |
0 |
| Chris
I |
68 |
0 |
0 |
68 |
0 |
| Roy
E |
92 |
5 |
5 |
92 |
2 |
More about the Hero League
|
Answer to the where's the Ghost Triffid
Zoom into the oval and see if you can spot it, I was
pleased with the colour match here :-)
Remember DF prepares us for when we grow up.
Multi-Tx DF - the detail
Noticeboard
Dates
|
