6 teams! Not bad turn out for peak holiday season. As we sat waiting for the first transmission, Paul (half of the G0LCG team) was busy taking photos of the start line-up. Suddenly it was 19:30 and panic set in as Simon began his first transmission. We managed to get straight out onto Mapperly top and screeched away leaving Steve and Paul to regroup.
“West, probably Wollaton” I exclaimed, as a reliable looking reading appeared on our display, so it was straight down Woodborough Road and along Mapperley Road toward the cemetery. At he traffic lights on cemetery corner we were amazed to find the G0LCG team right behind!
19:35 2nd transmission, we are in amongst all the housing along Forrest road and the bearing is very unstable. Still we have got a good lead so we continue to Canning Circus and due to the Wollaton bearing, decide that Ilkeston Road may be better than Derby Road. However, Steve and Paul shoot down Derby Road
19:40 and the bearings have suddenly swung to the South, we get two good bearings as we travel the length of Ilkeston Road and both say turn left. We swing into Triumph Road and as we reach the end there are Steve and Paul taking a bearing.
Meanwhile Tim (G6HRN) and Mike (G4EKW) are heading out towards Tollerton and Ruddington, whilst the G0SPA crew are convinced that the fox is in the Cotgrave area.
“Let’s head for the Nottingham Knight and see if we pass him” I suggest, “at least it is nice and high up there”.
19:45 4th transmission and we have 40dB’s of attenuation in, the bearing is changing all the time suggesting we are in the immediate area. A couple of vectors on the map and our theory is borne out, he must be on Landmere Lane somewhere. As we about turn and sweep down the lane we see the Apple Tree pub. “I bet this is the pub” John remarks and as we have three minutes before the next transmission we decide to tour the car park.
Hidden right in one corner is G0IEG the fox…19:48 gotcha!
Meanwhile there was a spectacular thunderstorm going on over Bunny and we were wondering how many spirits were about to be dampened. And whilst on that subject, Tim was maybe looking for some spiritual intervention as he was driving to he top of Wilford Hill. It seems they were in a mischievous mood though, as he got a bearing in completely the wrong direction!
Team G7WFM were the next to find the fox, followed by G0LCG fifteen minutes later. Tim finally got a true set of bearings ‘though the signal strength was up and down like a yo-yo’ he said. And at 20:41 Mike and Geoff bagged the elusive fox for 18 points.
G0SPA and his team arrived just after the finish still suffering from the effects of all those weird readings. “I think it’s time to do some tests on our aerial” said Paul as he downed a well deserved pint!
Considering the elevated position of the fox it was amazing how many contradicting reflections there were. It was nice to get nearly everyone ‘home’ and I am sure Paul will discover a fault on that aerial.
The draw selected G7WFM as the fox for the next hunt on 20th September with G0LCG as reserve.
Many thanks to Simon and Jeff for their excellent foxing!
Dave G6UWO
19/4/01 | 17/5/01 | 21/6/01 | 19/7/01 | 16/8/01 | 20/9/01 | 18/10/01
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