Foxhunt

By HAM Club

Are you a fun loving adventurous person?? Are you over enthusiastic about wireless communication devices?? Then yes, you are at the right place. This Takneek we bring to you the most awaited event - Fox Hunt. It not only involves thrill of finding a hidden fox (transmitter) but also the opportunity of learning the basics of direction finding.

For those who couldn't get the flavour from above, here is the description: Fox hunting or Transmitter hunting will require amateurs to compete against each other in locating hidden transmitter (a.k.a the Fox) using suitable equipments. It would be a timed race where teams would have to track down the transmitter using an antenna and a receiver that would be provided to them.

Following are the key points for Fox Hunt:

• Receiver and antenna will be provided to the teams by us.
• Frequency range would lie in 2 meter band i.e. approximately 145MHz.
• Multiple rounds for elimination will be employed.
• The fox may be mobile i.e. can be shifted from one location to another during the event which makes the event much more challenging and interesting.
• The Fox can be hidden anywhere within the campus.
• No technical knowledge is required to participate in this event. The participants would be briefed about the operating principles of the equipment and the techniques to be employed before the start of the event.
• All you need is a good sense of direction!

More information on Foxhunts and Radio Direction Finding (RDF) in general can be found in the links below:

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amateur_Radio_Direction_Finding
2. http://www.open-circuit.co.uk/home.php#basics
3. http://www.utaharc.org/rptr/UARC_RDF1.html
4. http://www.ardf-r2.org/en/whatisardf.shtml

Rules and Guidelines

1. Each team would constitute of not more than four members.
2. Use of mobile phones is strictly prohibited during the event.
3. We would provide each team with a three element Yagi antenna for the 2 meter band and a handheld transceiver.
4. Before the start of each round, one of the team members of each team will be required to submit his/her ID card for the security of the equipments we are providing to each team. After returning the equipments at the end of the round he/she can collect his/her ID card back.
5. In each round we would hide a fox (transmitter) in the campus. The team which finds it first would be declared the winner for the round.
6. Team members should not separate during the foxhunt.
7. We may ask the teams to track down multiple foxes also. In that case the team that finds the maximum number of foxes in the given time would be declared the winner.
8. The decision of the judges and the coordinators will be final and binding.

Schedule and Registration

Schedule of Foxhunt: Sept. 18th to 20th, 2009

On the spot registration: Registration of teams will start from 18th September itself. Teams will be required to select their preferred slots during the registration. Timings of the slots will be announced during the registration.