The hunt format was similar to an international-style Amateur Radio Direction Finding competition. The course was short (roughly 1.5 miles), and the controls were all located along major trails running through the park, so no off-trail hiking was required. No decoys or other distractions were placed on the course. There were, however, the usual distractions: joggers jogging, scouts hiking, orienteers running, and medieval knights jousting. Darrell and Dennis reported that several of the groups they passed inquired about the strange antenna the hunters were carrying. This led to several intermissions to the hunt while Gary presented a foxhunter recruitment demonstration to a rapt audience.

The knights? Apparently the Society for Creative Anachronisms was holding a picnic in one of the shelters. I received no reports of amputations.

A transmitter was placed within 10 meters of five of the orange-and-white control marks on the "white" course. The transmitters were the same Alinco DJ-S11 HTs, with Montreal Fox Controllers used during previous hunts, with one difference: voice. Each transmitter identified with voice ID, so there were no hypnotic tones to listen to.

Many thanks to the Backwoods Orienteering Klub (BOK) of Raleigh for sponsoring this event, and agreeing to have transmitter hunting as a part of future BOK events.

Mark October 29 on your calendar for the next 2-meter on-foot hunt. The venue for the October hunt is Schenck Forest. More details will be posted to the Piedmont Transmitter Tracking web site, and via e-mail.