Fox Hunt April 30, 2016

A reminder that in a few weeks, there will be a combined fox hunt practice session with a fox hunt.

_When_: Saturday, April 30, starting at 10:00AM

_Where_: Douglas Walker Park, located at 1195 84th St. SW, Byron Center, MI. This park is 1.25 miles west of US 131, exit 74. Oh, where we will be in the park is not known yet. Just look for a bunch of grown men twirling antennas like a baton. Or not. Talk-in will be the IRA repeater, 147.16+

_What_: Starting at 10:00AM, there will be at least four “Micro-Foxes” operating within the park. These will all be within walking distance. You will have plenty of time to assemble your equipment, and acquaint yourself with how it all works. The Micro-Foxes will operate on a 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off schedule. There will be one Micro-Fox that will be essentially on the air the entire time. This one can be used by you to check out different methods and equipment hookups.
At 12 noon, once again, there will be a hidden transmitter hunt. The transmitter will be within 8 miles of the park, and will be a simple set up transmitting from a car. Power will be around 10 watts to a 1/4 wave mag mount on the roof.
If you are interested in 2 meter fox hunting, but have no equipment, please stop by and observe us all in action. With a four week notice, you have plenty of time to either build your own equipment, or even buy it.
Recommended is to either build your own “tape-measure” antenna, or buy one. Look up “tape-measure” antenna on the Internet, and find plenty of instructions on how to build your own. If you would prefer to simply buy a kit, look at http://www.west.net/~marvin/wb2hol.htm
The next item you should have is called an “active attenuator”. Again, look this up on the Internet, or you can buy a kit or assembled unit from KC9ON (in Gaylord, MI) at:
http://kc9on.com/store/kits/fox-hunt-offset-attenuator/ There are others on the ‘net, like Arrow Antennas,
http://www.arrowantennas.com/main/4ofha.html .
However, this one comes in at $59.00 Another more reasonable site is
http://www.west.net/~marvin/k0ov.htm
There is an amazing amount of information on the Internet about 2 meter Fox Hunting. It’s fun, and you learn a lot about your equipment, multi path and strategy.
This event is open to all in the west Michigan area. We are aware of pockets of activity and interest in Muskegon, Kalamazoo and other west Michigan cities. You are more than invited to join us.
Put April 30th at 10AM on your calendar, and plan on a good time.

In case of a downpour, this event will be rescheduled.

73 de Tom K8TB

Technician since July, 2010. General since November, 2012. Amateur Extra since April, 2014. Born in Saginaw, MI, 1952. Graduated from Au Gres-Sims High School in 1970. Graduated from Central Michigan University in 1974, B.S. in Ed.