Well foxhunt night again and the weather showed it's intentions by bucketing it down all day. We were Fox (G0PSI/G6UWO) and there were some last minute decisions as to where, wouldn't be under water, from the few hiding places we had chosen earlier in the week. Half an hour of searching and were ready to set up, the rain had stopped and a solitary ray of sunshine broke through a chink in the clouds.
19:30 and right on the dot we made our first transmission.
Aerials poised, the six hunting teams looked for a signal. It was a mixed response with two teams hearing a weak signal and the rest hearing nothing.(An almost perfect result, as we had intended to make the signal extremely weak for all at the start).
2.5 Watts to a dipole stapled to a fence post "just about right"
G2SP and G7WFM were on the trail, the rest ran the usual gauntlet of deciding whether to head for Porchester Road. or Dorket head.
20:00 and not a sign of a hunter, we expected there to be a knock on the car window at any time. G0SPA had got a bearing from Porchester Road and was on his way. G4EKW was in Ilkeston and finally got a signal, others were not so lucky.
20:30 Still no signs of any activity, plenty of people walking dogs or cycling by giving us funny looks.
Several hunters in the area now, just got to understand all the reflections and the rabbit warren of roads that we had hidden at the end of.
20:45 Starting to wonder if the power meter is telling 'porkies' and that no one has heard us. Maybe they have all decided to give up and are sitting in a nice warm pub somewhere musing at the two old fools talking to themselves.
Just as we were about to check the coax the smiling face of G4EKW came round the corner. His lack of urgency suggested he didn't realise he was first and so had a very pleasant surprise. (20:47)
20:56 And Martin for G2SP came running through the puddles to claim 2nd place. They had had weird effects with bearings constantly conflicting once they were in the immediate area. They finally got a strong signal near ASDA and Martin dashed down the cycle track to where we were hidden.
21:17 Saw the arrival of G7WFM, with similar tales of bearings rolling round and round, still he made it in the end…….don't get that new car too muddy!
20:25 Penultimate transmission, thought we would give G6HRN some stick as we are hiding just round the corner from where he used to live.
21:29 Just getting the paperwork out to announce the location when in true 'rally style' Tim slides his car into the track and jumps out to claim 4th place.
We all retired to the pub where Paul G0SPA was picked for fox (21/6/01) and G2SP as reserve.
Well done everyone!
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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