Operating

Al Grant, KB1HYL, writes on the Granite State ARA mailing list at 11:44 AM on July 31, 2021:

Just to let you know, the fox is loose.  Since the power output is so low (15 milliwatts) and not easy to receive with an omnidirectional antenna, I’ll tell you that the fox is somewhere in Earl Legacy Park in Bedford, NH.

Sorry it took me so long to get started today, but the fox will be loose until about 6 or 7 Sunday afternoon.  I’ll get more efficient as I do this more often.

73

Wayne – KB1HYL

Rod Bungard, N1RUU, writes on the ctfoxhunter list at 5:21 PM on July 30, 2021:

Greetings Fox hunters,
 
Fox #5 PL 123.0
 
Is out hiding, the fox is running 1.5 watts into a 18 inch antenna. Since there is no starting place for finding the hidden transmitter, all you can do is while going about your travels, periodically try to activate the hidden transmitter. Your first try may be from home. You do this by going on the 2 meter simplex frequency of 146.550 MHz (PL 123.0), key your transmitter, ID and then send a DTMF “1”. If the FoxBox can hear you and you can hear it, you will hear its very distinctive sound. It will transmit for 30 seconds, ID and then go back to sleep. You can make it transmit as often as necessary to find it.

Once someone has been able to bring it up and hear it, please report that information to the other fox hunters. Feel free to reply to the group. Do not reveal its location, just a location (and direction if possible) from which you are able to hear it. This then becomes a starting point for the other fox hunters to use.

You do not actually have to touch the box to claim finding it. If you hunt the Fox please log to this group even if you don’t find it.

Hint: Can be heard from Lowe’s in Manchester. Location, after you find the box look at the Sassafras growing in the area.  The plants have different shaped leaves on the same plant.

Good luck.

Rod N1RUU

Mark Noe, KE1IU, writes on the ctfoxhunter list:

We will have a live foxhunt beginning at 1 PM today.  Start from anywhere in Norwich, CT.  You can download a map that could be useful (for those wishing to use a paper map) at this link: https://d85bc6ea86296c327d7f-fc14fae93feb1cf1ff31873061ee8f7d.ssl.cf1.rackcdn.com/62/1641/Norwich2016Reduced.pdf.  Page 2 has a complete map of Norwich, which I think you will find helpful.

There will be three transmitters running – on the following frequencies:

146.330 MHz – 1 mW (KE1IU Fox H listed on our website)

145.910 MHz – 10 mW (KE1IU Fox I listed on our website)

146.550 MHz – 0.5 W (KE1IU Fox J listed on our website)

Our website is https://rason.org

These transmitters will be hidden – possibly by some junior hams at the site (KC1IVR and KC1LXO) – so you can hunt for them when you arrive.  

In addition, I will have a mobile rig tuned to the N1NW repeater (146.730 MHz, PL 156.7), so you can track me from the input.  Listen for me on 146.130.  I will transmit on request, and we will also use this frequency for hints.

All hunters should check in so that I can end the hunt when the last person has found me.  

Let me know if you have any questions.

[The Greater Bridgeport ARC] will hold its monthly fox hunt  this month on Sunday July 18 starting at 11 AM.  This fox hunt will be a special treat for everyone because it will be slightly easier.  This month will be hosted by GBARC President N1DID and will cover a slightly larger area.  See our Fox hunts Wiki page for additional information, a map, and radio frequencies in use.

John Kasinskas, KC1KQH, writes on the Meriden (CT) ARC Facebook page:

“First solo activation of Sleeping Giant State Park (near New Haven, CT) K-1717. Three P2Ps and 13 regular QSOs. Best 45 minutes of radio ever.” -KC1KQH

From yccc.org:

Well-known contester and VHF/UHF/microwave enthusiast Dave Olean, K1WHS, Lebanon, Maine, suffered serious damage to his towers and antennas on June 30 as a result of dangerous storms that moved across New England overnight.

“My place was hit on 6/30 with an apparent microburst that did tremendous damage. Many trees are down and one large white pine came down right across the west guy anchor of my  130 ft Rohn 45 144 MHz tower. This was a tree that I had identified to remove as soon as I had a chance. When it fell, it snapped off the top of the rock anchor. They have a rated working strength of 14,000 pounds, but I am sure the falling tree force was much greater than that. With no guy attached the tower just toppled over and laid out all 130 ft across the tops of trees. The equalizing plate and part of the anchor is up in a tree. It is a total wreck. The H frame on top has been ripped apart along with the four 17B2 144 MHz yagis. The famous LVA, an array of 16 x 5 element yagis spaced along one tower leg, was also on the tower and has been destroyed. I was in the process of re aligning the LVA to aim towards ND0B in N. Dakota in an attempt to give him his last state on 144.  Now there is nothing left. As the yagis fell through the foliage canopy, the elements have been cleaned off or severely bent.  Many booms are ripped apart or bent. There is nothing salvageable from the quad array of 17B2s. They are all destroyed. The H frame is destroyed as well.

“I was not here when the storm came through, but witnesses said it was very frightening and the winds came from many directions.  My neighbor has about 40 uprooted trees.  I suspect a microburst from the direction that I see fallen trees. My wife arrived home just after the storm and called me. By the time, I arrived, it was just after 9 PM and getting quite dark. I knew something was wrong when I could not see towers on the hill while driving south along the lake. Normally the towers are very visible.  I could not sleep all night, and, at dawn, armed with a big chainsaw,  I drove the truck up to the VHF shack. The scene is sickening, with the entire tower laid over the trees and bent like a pretzel. It is being held up on one end by a guy wire from another tower that somehow managed to stay up! That guy is under tremendous pressure.  I am not sure how to fix all the damage, and save tower #2.”

Dave K1WHS

Eric Pfiefer, N1JUR, of Merrimack, NH, is operating from Robert Frost Farm State Historic Site, K-8023, in Derry, NH for Parks On The Air. He was last spotted around 1818 UTC, according to pota.app.   “Anyone interested in making a contact with me, I’ll be on 20 meters around 14.220 MHz.”