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Summer 2004 Issue |
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Homing In By Joe Moell, KØOV ARDF Takes
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Seven years ago, only a few hams in the U.S. knew that on-foot hidden transmitter hunting is an international sport with many names, such as foxtailing, foxhunting, radio-orienteering, and ARDF (amateur radio direction finding). Most were unaware that eastern European countries began it decades ago, and the first World Championships took place in 1980. Stateside ARDF activity in 1997 was limited to small groups of hams in Portland, Oregon and southern California that were learning the ropes by holding on-foot foxhunting events using international rules. With all the publicity for the fourth annual USA National ARDF Championships earlier this summer, many hams have become aware of the sport. However, few outside the ARDF hotbeds of Atlanta, Albuquerque, Cincinnati, and southern California have tried it for themselves. Perhaps they don’t realize that one doesn’t have to be a hardbody or a jock to take part. Competitors at our annual championships have ranged from age 11 to age 70. I don’t think any of them have ever been marathoners. There’s plenty of room for more participants.
I thoroughly covered last year’s national
championships just two columns ago,1 so I won’t make this year’s
championships the main topic this time. Instead, I will encourage you and
your local club to hold some foxtailing events by answering some of the
questions I have received about the sport and telling you about some new
ideas that were tried this year. Innovation was an important part of this
year’s national championships, including a training camp, expanded medical
services, and electronic scoring. Click here to return to Summer 2004 highlights Click here to subscribe to VHF _________________ © Copyright 2004, CQ Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced or republished, including posting to a website, in part or in whole, by any means, without the express written permission of the publisher, CQ Communications, Inc. Hyperlinks to this page are permitted.
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