Ken Dion, KD1KU, writes on WMAFoxHunters on May 21, 2021 at 9:06 PM:
Attention ALL Foxhunters!
As of 1500hrs, May 21st, [Hampden County Radio Association] Foxbox #1 has escaped and gone into hiding along with Foxbox #2.
I would like to issue a challenge to all hunters to locate BOTH Foxbox’s! Are you up to the task?
That sneaky Foxbox-1 is running one watt into an 18-inch antenna. I was able to wake it from its slumber running 50 watts in my mobile parked at the Stop & Shop on Lincoln Street in Holyoke, MA.
You can activate the fox by going on the 2-meter simplex frequency of 147.550 MHz (PL 100.0Hz), key your transmitter, identify yourself then press the DTMF “1”. If the Fox can hear you and you can hear it, you will hear its very distinctive sound. It will transmit for 30 seconds, ID and then repeat 2 more times before going back to sleep. You can make it transmit as often as necessary to locate it.
This is a good opportunity for base stations to get in on the fun. If you can hear the fox please give its signal strength and direction if possible. Please do not reveal its location, just a location where you can hear it from, this then becomes a starting point for the other fox hunters to use. It’s just as important for the hunters to know where it CANNOT be heard as well as where it CAN be heard!
If you do locate the Foxbox you do not have to touch the box to claim finding it. Eyeball contact is sufficient and please post a photo but do not reveal its location as there may be other hunters still out there. It is located less than 500 feet from a safe parking location. Announce it and post a photo here on this group and the HCRA Facebook Group that you found it along with any comments other than its location. We want to know who has found it and who hasn’t.
I can tell you that it is in a publicly accessible location with nearby safe parking. Getting to the FB requires a short walk on mostly flat ground.
Please do not post the frequency or PL on social media, websites, or email lists.
ALL Fox Hunters are welcomed to participate regardless of affiliation!
Happy Hunting!
Ken, KD1KU