Foxhunting

Mike Cormier, K1MJC, writes on the NEMassFoxHunters list:

This morning, as I often do, when, listening to various things with my RTL-SDR, I sometimes go to the “SondeHub Tracker” website to see if there are any weather balloons I might be able to hear using my RTL-SDR.

This morning, I was surprised to see a balloon tracking north eastward over Millis, MA, and heading directly overhead where I live in Waltham MA.

I decided to zoom in on it, and follow it, and to my surprise, it had it landing somewhere in Lexington MA.

As it descended and got closer to the ground, I zoomed in on that area and realized it was just a short drive from where I lived. So I decided to get my 70 cm meter Yagi, jump in the car and head in that direction more precisely Pretty close to the location. It predicted it would be on the ground.

To my surprise, when I got in the area, I could hear the Radio-Sonde loud and clear, and I proceeded to an address that I had put in my GPS, got out of the car with the Yagi in one corner of the parking lot, (it was the horseshoe type, which will go behind the building and come out to the street on the other side of the property) and discovered that it was more towards the street.

Looking in the trees and over the roof of the building, I couldn’t see it, but the signal was strong. Having gotten that far and figuring it could be on the flat roof of the building and it being cold and drizzly outside I decided to head home.

To my surprise, on the way out of the driveway, what do I see? An orange parachute laying across the lane, I immediately jumped out of the car, went around to the front of the building, and there hanging on a string was the Radio-Sonde. Seeing nobody was around, I tugged the Radio-Sonde down out of the bush, wrapped it up and jumped in my car. (I hope nobody will be upset with me for grabbing the Radio-Sonde).

After I got in the car, I noticed it was an on off switch, turned it off, read the label, and this particular Radio-Sonde requests that you do not send it back to the national weather service.

Well, I have a parachute and Radio-Sonde what to do with it? I don’t know, perhaps, just keep it as a souvenir, and toss the plastic parachute, which I cannot seem to find any kind of use for.

All in all, a fun and interesting new kind of hunt for me!

73 Mike K1MJC

I placed my 146.565 transmitter in Carlisle at the Towle Farm off Route 225.

To activate the transmitters press DTMF tone 2. The tones will transmit for 30 second on 30 seconds off for 15 minutes. Then press DTMF to 2 again to start transmitting again.

See attached Map

I will leave the Fox Out until next Wednesday.

John KB1MGI

Alan Hicks, KD1D, writes on the NEMassFoxHunters list on November 18, 2022 at 3:24 PM:

The KD1D Fox is now (Friday, November 18, 2022  3:00 pm EST) on the air in Westford, MA in the vicinity of the Stone Arch Bridge Trail.
For maps and a trail description, see:   https://westfordconservationtrust.org/tws_holding/stone-arch-trail/

The Fox transmits on 146.565 MHz FM with a 20 second message repeated every 60 seconds.  It is hidden, but can be found with good direction-finding skills and a sharp eye.  There is a logbook in which you can record your find.  Please enter your first name, call sign, time. and date found.  WX is expected to be good through Monday noon (Nov 21)  when I will retrieve the Fox and bring it home for a few months rest (and perhaps some devious modifications).  You can also report your find to kd1d@arrl.net.

Good Hunting and 73 de KD1D, Alan

Andy Stewart, KB1OIQ, writes on the NEMassFoxHunters list at 10:23 AM on November 6, 2022:

The KB1OIQ 2m fox (146.565 MHz) has been deployed in the Cider Mill Pond conservation area in Westford.  Note that one entrance has parking for perhaps three cars, but there are other entrances which can be found on a map.

I’ll leave the fox out for a couple of days.  Enjoy fox hunting with this great weather!

73,

Andy

Fox Hunting — November 5, 2022

Where:
5 mile radius from The intersection of US Route 6 and Reed Road, Dartmouth, MA (823 State Road (41.6384678, -71.0361075)
Organizer: Skip Denault, kb1cnb@bcra.club, 774-644-3469

* Time: 10:00 am to 2:00 pm — check-in starts at 9:45 am on the BCRA repeater, 145.150 MHz PL 123

* Fox1 will activate at 10:00 am on 146.565 MHz FM
* Fox2 will activate at 10:02:30 on 146.430 MHz FM

$10 Dunkies Card to the first team to reach each fox!

Communications with “Fox Control” can all be done over the BCRA repeater, including checking in when you have found the fox. You may also speak with us in the control vehicle using physical distancing if you wish.

There will be TWO foxes – one manned by KB1CNB, Skip, and one by N1KJS, Kevin. When you find one of the foxes, you can get a hint to help you find the second (if you want!).

Check-ins will begin at 9:45 am on the BCRA repeater, 145.150 MHz PL 123. Chat and help on the repeater also.

The Fox1 will activate at 10:00 am on 146.565 MHz FM, and Fox2 at 10:02:30 on 146.430 MHz FM with a 5-watt signal, and both will transmit 1 minute of tone followed by Morse Code ID and 4 minutes of silence. As the hunt progresses we may increase the transmission times – that will be announced on the BCRA repeater. The hunt will last until 2:00 pm or until all checked-in participants have found the transmitters, whichever comes first.

The Fox1 (in Skip’s vehicle, a blue/grey Jeep Commander marked BCRA) will be in a public place and be manned at all times. When you have found the fox, your time and order of arrival will be recorded, and a personalized certificate will be emailed to each participant.

The Fox2 (in Kevin’s vehicle, a blue Toyota Tacoma marked BCRA) will be in a public place and be manned at all times. When you have found the fox, your time and order of arrival will be recorded.

Participants are encouraged to work in teams and are asked to drive carefully and observe all applicable guidelines, both from the FCC and the state & local governments. Since participants are receiving only (except for radio check-ins), an amateur radio license is not required.

Email questions to Skip at kb1cnb@bcra.club or text to 774-644-3469. After the hunt, your comments, impressions, and suggestions will be welcome!

Join us and have some good amateur radio fun!

Mike Cormier, K1MJC, writes on the NEMassFoxHunters list at 4:41 PM on October 29, 2022:

Congratulations to Jeff AC1JR for his inaugural fox hunt (mobile; he was parked in a secret location) with his homemade fox.

In true ham fashion, he designed and built from scratch this fox, and I’ll let him go further into the further details of it, but I found it to be an impressive feat; some thing that would make my brain hurt pretty bad for sure!

I got wind of the fox being activated on my way home from completing the hunt for the KD1D fox in Littleton, and so I had begun to guess at some possible locations based on knowledge of my hometown and where he may possibly be, suffice it to say…. I was wrong! Lol

After checking out a few locations where I thought he may be, I kept getting indications in one particular area which I spent the majority of my time looking.

After dropping my daughter off, I continue to hunt and was able to find him within five minutes after; I actually had wanted to check the backside of a location that would require me to drive the long way around and, in the process of doing so, I got full quieting without an antenna on a handheld… a ways before I was to reach the destination I was heading for, and so sometimes the old-school methods work the best!

As it turns out, only two of the five or six bearings that I had taken with my app “FoxHunt Pro“ were accurate and actually pinpointed him where they crossed; that’s the problem, sometimes you don’t know which bearings are the accurate ones!

I’ve been working on a fox that I could use for mobile hunts like this, and so I’m inspired to finish it now, and join in the fun!

Alan Hicks, KD1D, writes on the NEMassFoxHunters list on October 21, 2022 at 1:09 PM:

The KD1D Fox is on the loose again.  As usual, it transmits on 146.565 MHz FM for about 25 seconds and repeats every 60 seconds.

As of noon on Friday, October 21, the FOX can be found somewhere in the Grassy Pond conservation in Westford.  Parking can be found on the west side of Plain Road between Almeria Circle and Villanova Drive (both of which are on the east side of Plain Road).  Come on out – there are still some fall colors to be seen and ,if you’re so inclined, you can try some of the exercise stations along the trail.

The KD1D FOX will be on the air until about noontime on Monday, 10/24. 

There’s a pleasant farm stand nearby where you can get coffee and other delights to fuel your adventure,

More information is available at
https://westfordconservationtrust.org/tws_holding/grassy-pond-life-course-and-trail/

73 and good hunting from KD1D

Eliot Mayer, W1MJ, writes on the NEMassFoxhunters list at 10:01 AM on October 8, 2022:

Noah and I are leaving in a few minutes to deploy the W1MJ 5-watt fox.  Due to a busy schedule, this will probably our last deployment this month.

Inspired by avid hunter Jeff AC1JR, who was getting tired of the same old messages, I have updated the soundtrack a bit.  It now goes for 18 minutes before repeating, a 50% improvement over the previous 12 minute loop.

On Air:  October 8 (today) 11:00 AM, or sooner, until October 9 (tomorrow) at 5:00 PM

Frequency:  147.54 MHz

Location:  Lone Tree Hill Conservation Area, Belmont, MA

Trail Map:  https://www.belmont-ma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6831/f/file/file/lone_tree_hill_trail_map.pdf

Parking Lot (Goggle Maps): https://goo.gl/maps/Sst4rV3L4s1AGLQ27

The parking lot is close to the Rock Meadow parking lot, but on the opposite side of the street.  It is a paved lot.

Mike Cormier, K1MJC, writes on the NEMassFoxHunters list at 4:37 PM on September 30, 2022:

Yes, the K1MJC Fox is out.

I put it out today, Friday, and it will be picked up late afternoon Sunday.

The fox is in somewhere in an area within the Beaverbrook reservation north; it’s a 15 milliwatt fox transmitting on 146.565 MHz. 

I’m hearing rumblings from Eliot [W1MJ] saying that his fox may also be put out sometime this weekend as well; his is a five watt fox, and on a different frequency. He’ll let you know that detail when and if he puts it out. You could end up with a “twofer” this weekend!

One of the maps on this page would prove useful!

https://walthamlandtrust.org/trail-guides/

Happy hunting!