New T-Hunting Activity Emerges from Nellis RAC
Judy Carpenter KC7ZVE captures the "fox" during Hams On The Hill Fielday 2010
No matter if you call it T-Hunting, Fox Hunting, Hounds and Hares, Radio Orienteering, Bunny Chasing, Amateur Radio Direction Finding (ARDF), or Radiosport one thing you are sure to find is that hunting for a hidden transmitter translates into a lot of fun.
T-hunting emerged as a school activity in Northern England in the 1950's. By 1961 the activity had spread across the continent and co-mingled with the Scandinavian activity of "orienteering" and the first European Radiosport Championship was held in Stockholm, Sweden. Under the auspices of the International amateur Radio Union the activity has been an international competition ever since.
Although T-hunting has been popular in the United States for several decades, formal competition did not come to the Americas until the first IARU Region II competition held in Portland, Oregon in 1999.
T-hunting emerged as a school activity in Northern England in the 1950's. By 1961 the activity had spread across the continent and co-mingled with the Scandinavian activity of "orienteering" and the first European Radiosport Championship was held in Stockholm, Sweden. Under the auspices of the International amateur Radio Union the activity has been an international competition ever since.
Although T-hunting has been popular in the United States for several decades, formal competition did not come to the Americas until the first IARU Region II competition held in Portland, Oregon in 1999.
Besides being a hobby/play activity, Radio Direction Finding has a serious side. RDF is used to find downed aircraft, lost persons, and the source of harmful interference to licensed radio services. While having fun, t-hunters are actually honing their skills for when they are called upon to meet one of the aove challenges.
Las Vegas area hams have answered the call several times to use their RDF skills to assist law enforcement, broadcast stations, and individuals. T-hunts have appeared from time to time in the Las Vegas area and were regularly held during the early 2000's. It was during this time that local resident Byon Garrabrant began building and marketing his line of Byonics t-hunting devices. The availability of the in-expensive Byonics devices created a flurry of T-Hunting activity in the Las Vegas Valley. This activity subsided when Garrabrant and Byonics moved to southern Arizona in 2011.
Las Vegas area hams have answered the call several times to use their RDF skills to assist law enforcement, broadcast stations, and individuals. T-hunts have appeared from time to time in the Las Vegas area and were regularly held during the early 2000's. It was during this time that local resident Byon Garrabrant began building and marketing his line of Byonics t-hunting devices. The availability of the in-expensive Byonics devices created a flurry of T-Hunting activity in the Las Vegas Valley. This activity subsided when Garrabrant and Byonics moved to southern Arizona in 2011.
In recent months there has been a resurgence in t-hunting activities. Frank Kostelac N7ZEV has organized a few informal "First Saturday" t-hunts and a new group has been organized to promote t-hunting activity in the Las Vegas area.
The Nellis Amateur Radio Direction Finding Team organized by Earl Lizardi WB6AMT is committed to the advancement of T-hunting activities in the Las Vegas area. Lizardi, a 43 year ham radio veteran has more than 30 years of RDF experience in Southern California.
The Nellis group has scheduled their next T-Hunting event for 2:00 PM, Saturday January 16th. The hunt will begin at the intersection of North 5th and I-215 in the extreme north valley. The 2 meter transmitter will be pinging on 146.490 Mhz. All radio enthusiasts are invited to participate.
Lizardi is putting together a T-hunting website, with construction plans for inexpensive antennas and attenuators. The site will also have information about how to T-hunt, as well as the official IARU rules.
Anyone needing assistance getting started in T-hunting or needing additional information about upcoming T-hunts is encouraged to contact Earl directly at: (702) 372-9891 or via email at: earllizardi@icloud.com
The Nellis Amateur Radio Direction Finding Team organized by Earl Lizardi WB6AMT is committed to the advancement of T-hunting activities in the Las Vegas area. Lizardi, a 43 year ham radio veteran has more than 30 years of RDF experience in Southern California.
The Nellis group has scheduled their next T-Hunting event for 2:00 PM, Saturday January 16th. The hunt will begin at the intersection of North 5th and I-215 in the extreme north valley. The 2 meter transmitter will be pinging on 146.490 Mhz. All radio enthusiasts are invited to participate.
Lizardi is putting together a T-hunting website, with construction plans for inexpensive antennas and attenuators. The site will also have information about how to T-hunt, as well as the official IARU rules.
Anyone needing assistance getting started in T-hunting or needing additional information about upcoming T-hunts is encouraged to contact Earl directly at: (702) 372-9891 or via email at: earllizardi@icloud.com