Fox Hunting Main Page

IRA Fox Hunt:

Schedule
Rules
Layout
Details
Tips

Announcing the Second Annual...

"Good Ole Days Fox Hunt"
Saturday, June 6th, 2009

Topping off the IRA Hamfest in Hudsonville

Fox Hunt Schedule

12:00 Noon: Meet for a discussion about fox hunting techniques, explanation of the basic fox hunt rules and to get answers to your fox hunting questions. Watch for notices pointing toward the designated meeting area.
12:45: Meet the official starter in the Park Avenue parking lot next to the admission gate to get your car's odometer reading and team member names recorded. You should get your first bearing from the parking lot.
1:00: Hunt will start promptly at this time. The fox will make his first 60 second transmission at this time. Further transmissions will be made for 60 seconds at 5 minute intervals.
3:00: The hunt will end at 3:00 PM unless extended by the fox.

Click these links for fox hunt rules.

General Rules and Guidelines for all GRARA Fox Hunt Exercises.
Specific Rules for this IRA 'Good Ole Days' Fox Hunt on June 6, 2009.

Click these links for simple equipment projects.

Click these links for more fox hunting sites.

General Rules and Guidelines for GRARA Fox Hunts

Frequency: Primary is 145.530 mhz and Backup is 146.580 mhz.
Power will decrease as the hunt progresses at the discretion of the fox.

Everyone is welcome!

GRARA Fox Hunts are open to all amateur radio operators in the community who want to have fun and follow the rules. Attention to safety is the most important rule. Be sure you are in a safe location before taking bearings to the fox. All hunt teams should consist of two to four members, although this is not a requirement. At least one member in each team must hold a valid amateur radio license. The purpose of each exercise is to find the hidden transmitter (the Fox) with the least number of traveled miles and within the allocated time specified for the hunt. This criteria may be changed if specifically called-out in the hunt rules for the specific hunt. Starting odometer readings will be taken before the hunt begins. If an odometer doesn't have a tenths of a mile reading, both the mileage and trip mileage should be recorded.

At the specified starting time, the fox will begin transmitting for a period of 1 minute. All hunters are expected to measure and plot their initial bearing during this 1 minute period. After that time, the fox will transmit in 60 second segments every 5 minutes. Both the hunter and fox will transmit on the same frequency. Hunters should use short and concise transmitting protocol to avoid being confused with the fox transmissions. After plotting three or four bearings to the fox, all hunters should have a fairly well defined search target.

The fox will be located within ten air miles of the starting point of the hunt. He will also be located in plain sight in a publicly accessible area within 100 feet of a public parking spot. The fox may tease hunters by providing hints to his location. However, these hints should be given in a manner that all hunters will hear and understand equally. Poetry will be politely tolerated. The fox should attempt to make a written log of hints provided.

Advanced equipment such a Doppler antenna or any computer assisted equipment is not allowed.

All teams must stay together during the hunt.

Hunt Scenario and Specific Rules for
The 'Good Ole Days' Fox Hunt
Saturday, June 6, 2008, 1:00 to 3:00 pm

General Scenario:

This is a basic level, single hidden transmitter fox hunt. Advanced equipment such as a Doppler antenna or any computer assisted equipment is not allowed. All teams will stay together during the hunt. The names of team members will also be recorded.

Special Rules:

Starting Time: Saturday, June 6, 2008. Arrive by 12:45 pm, Hunt starts at 1:00 pm ready or not! The hunt will be over at 3:00 pm unless the time is changed by the Fox. Odometer readings are a must. If no tenths of a mile on the odometer, record the trip and regular mileage.
Starting Point: IRA Hamfest Parking Lot, Hudsonville Fairgrounds.
Meet at the Park Avenue entrance to the parking lot. (By the admission gate.)
Frequencies: 145.530 mhz Primary, 146.580 mhz Alternate. Power may vary.
You will need: Ht or portable 2-meter transceiver with a normal mobile antenna, direction finding antenna, County or local map, pen/pencils, COMPASS, ruler or PROTRACTOR, watch.
Boundaries: The fox will be within 10 miles of the starting point and within the following boundaries.

             North - M-45
             South - Adams (Ottawa County)/100th Street(Kent County)
             East - Wilson Avenue (Kent County)
             West - 96th Ave in Ottawa County
Transmission Sequence: At 1:00 pm, the fox will begin transmitting for a period of 1 minute. All hunters are expected to measure and plot their initial bearing during this one minute period. After that time, the fox will transmit in 60 second segments every 5 minutes.

Both the hunter and fox will transmit on the same frequency. Hunters should use short and concise transmitting protocol to avoid being confused with the fox transmissions. After plotting three or four bearings to the fox, all hunters should have a fairly well defined search target.

The fox will be located within ten air miles of the starting point of the hunt. He will also be located in plain sight in a publicly accessible area within 100 feet of a public parking spot. The fox may tease hunters by providing hints to his location. However, these hints should be given in a manner that all hunters will hear and understand equally. Poetry will be politely tolerated. The fox should attempt to make a written log of hints provided.
Remember: The team that locates the fox within the time limit, while driving the shortest number of miles will be the winner.
Review:
A word from Rookie Fox: I will be in plain sight. You still won't be able to find me. You only have two hours! I might have more hints for you later. Good luck! Catch Me if you can.

Did You Know Fox Hunting can be habit-forming?

Disclaimer:
Fox hunting can be habit forming, frustrating, humiliating and darn-right ham boggling. It has also been know to grow loop antennas on ham shack mice. Participate at your own risk -- and have a good time!

Courtesy Notice:
Fox hunting is a very serious training exercise designed to train amateur radio operators to locate jamming radio transmitters during emergency situations. Willingly telling another ham's XYL/OM any different is a violation of the ham code.

IRA Fox Hunt:

Schedule

Rules

Layout

Details

Tips

Announcing the Second Annual...

"Good Ole Days Fox Hunt" Saturday, June 6th, 2009 Topping off the IRA Hamfest in Hudsonville

**** Fox Hunt Schedule ****

12:00 Noon: Meet for a discussion about fox hunting techniques, explanation of the basic fox hunt rules and to get answers to your fox hunting questions. Watch for notices pointing toward the designated meeting area.

12:45: Meet the official starter in the Park Avenue parking lot next to the admission gate to get your car's odometer reading and team member names recorded. You should get your first bearing from the parking lot.

1:00: Hunt will start promptly at this time. The fox will make his first 60 second transmission at this time. Further transmissions will be made for 60 seconds at 5 minute intervals.

3:00: The hunt will end at 3:00 PM unless extended by the fox.

Click these links for fox hunt rules.

General Rules and Guidelines for all GRARA Fox Hunt Exercises.

Specific Rules for this IRA 'Good Ole Days' Fox Hunt on June 6, 2009.

Click these links for simple equipment projects.

Construction Project: The 'Tape Measure' direction finding yagi.

Construction Project: Passive Signal RDF Attenuator.

Construction Project: Active Signal RDF Attenuator.

Click these links for more fox hunting sites.

Fox Hunting Links

Fox Hunting for Ham Radio

Good Google List of sites

QARC Foxhunts

Arrow Antennas

VHF Sniffer MK4

Home Brew Foxhunts

N0HR Foxhunts

Laurel ARC Foxhunts

Transmitter Hunting Equipment

General Rules and Guidelines for GRARA Fox Hunts

Frequency: Primary is 145.530 mhz and Backup is 146.580 mhz. Power will decrease as the hunt progresses at the discretion of the fox.

Everyone is welcome!

Advanced equipment such a Doppler antenna or any computer assisted equipment is not allowed. All teams must stay together during the hunt.

Hunt Scenario and Specific Rules for The 'Good Ole Days' Fox Hunt Saturday, June 6, 2008, 1:00 to 3:00 pm

General Scenario:

This is a basic level, single hidden transmitter fox hunt. Advanced equipment such as a Doppler antenna or any computer assisted equipment is not allowed. All teams will stay together during the hunt. The names of team members will also be recorded.

Special Rules:

Starting Time: Saturday, June 6, 2008. Arrive by 12:45 pm, Hunt starts at 1:00 pm ready or not! The hunt will be over at 3:00 pm unless the time is changed by the Fox. Odometer readings are a must. If no tenths of a mile on the odometer, record the trip and regular mileage.

Starting Point: IRA Hamfest Parking Lot, Hudsonville Fairgrounds. Meet at the Park Avenue entrance to the parking lot. (By the admission gate.)

Frequencies: 145.530 mhz Primary, 146.580 mhz Alternate. Power may vary.

You will need: Ht or portable 2-meter transceiver with a normal mobile antenna, direction finding antenna, County or local map, pen/pencils, COMPASS, ruler or PROTRACTOR, watch.

Boundaries: The fox will be within 10 miles of the starting point and within the following boundaries.

North - M-45 South - Adams (Ottawa County)/100th Street(Kent County) East - Wilson Avenue (Kent County) West - 96th Ave in Ottawa County

Remember: The team that locates the fox within the time limit, while driving the shortest number of miles will be the winner.

Review:

A word from Rookie Fox: I will be in plain sight. You still won't be able to find me. You only have two hours! I might have more hints for you later. Good luck! Catch Me if you can.

Did You Know Fox Hunting can be habit-forming?

Disclaimer:Fox hunting can be habit forming, frustrating, humiliating and darn-right ham boggling. It has also been know to grow loop antennas on ham shack mice. Participate at your own risk -- and have a good time!

Courtesy Notice:Fox hunting is a very serious training exercise designed to train amateur radio operators to locate jamming radio transmitters during emergency situations. Willingly telling another ham's XYL/OM any different is a violation of the ham code.

---- Have a great time! ----

"Good Ole Days Fox Hunt"
Saturday, June 6th, 2009

Topping off the IRA Hamfest in Hudsonville

Fox Hunt Schedule

Frequency: Primary is 145.530 mhz and Backup is 146.580 mhz.
Power will decrease as the hunt progresses at the discretion of the fox.

Advanced equipment such a Doppler antenna or any computer assisted equipment is not allowed.

All teams must stay together during the hunt.

Hunt Scenario and Specific Rules for
The 'Good Ole Days' Fox Hunt
Saturday, June 6, 2008, 1:00 to 3:00 pm

Starting Point: IRA Hamfest Parking Lot, Hudsonville Fairgrounds.
Meet at the Park Avenue entrance to the parking lot. (By the admission gate.)

North - M-45
South - Adams (Ottawa County)/100th Street(Kent County)
East - Wilson Avenue (Kent County)
West - 96th Ave in Ottawa County

Disclaimer:
Fox hunting can be habit forming, frustrating, humiliating and darn-right ham boggling. It has also been know to grow loop antennas on ham shack mice. Participate at your own risk -- and have a good time!

Courtesy Notice:
Fox hunting is a very serious training exercise designed to train amateur radio operators to locate jamming radio transmitters during emergency situations. Willingly telling another ham's XYL/OM any different is a violation of the ham code.