KQ6XA Bonnie Crystal Click here to go back to ROG Main PageROCA Events
National Foxhunting Weekend 17 April 1999

17 April 1999 Saturday Noon ------- 8 TRANSMITTERS!
ROCA Event in Seacloud Park, Foster City, California USA
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1st Place: Jim KD6DX.... 2nd Place: Jiao BD1AYL & Elaine KE6EGP (China Team)
1st Place Jim KD6DX2nd Place: Jiao BD1AYL & Elaine KE6EGP - CHINA TEAM
3rd Place: James N1DDK - Fun Team3rd Place: Margot (daughter of N1DDK) - Fun Team3rd Place: Rich KN6FW with his df probe
3rd Place: James N1DDK, daughter Margo(Fun Team).... 3rd Place: Rich KN6FW
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Rankings of Participants 17 April 1999
Rank
Name
Callsign
Team
Score
Time
Transmitters
1
Jim
KD6DX
 
5
1:26
6
2
Jiao
BD1AYL
China
4
1:26
5
2
Elaine
KE6EGP
China
4
1:26
5
3
James & Margot
N1DDK
Fun
4
1:28
5
3
Rich
KN6FW
 
4
1:28
5
4
Greg
KE6PTP
 
4
1:29
4
5
Andy
VE3FZK
 
3
1:30
4
6
Bob
KF6VSE
 
1
1:30
3
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Greg KE6PTP...    Andy VE3FZK
4th Place: Greg KE6PTP5th Place: Andy VE3FZK
6th Place: Bob KF6VSEJessica with 3 element beam and offset attenuator
Bob KF6VSE.............. Jessica with flex beam and offset attenuator.
ROCA Antennas and Hidden Transmitters:
KN6FW's Folding Triple Reflector DF YagiFake Ivy Dipole for Hidden TransmitterTransmitter Hidden 12ft up in a TreeUnderground Sprinkler Valve Hidden Transmitter
Underground Transmitter with Separate Fake Ivy AntennaUnderground Sprinkler Valve Cover Removed Shows Transmitter
Interesting places some of the transmitters were hidden.
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Multi-Transmitter Single-Frequency Walking Radio Orienteering Event
SUGGESTED EQUIPMENT:  2m FM receiver or HT with S-meter, 2m beam antenna, variable attenuator, field strength meter, comfortable shoes.
DESCRIPTION OF THE EVENT:  On-foot Multi-Transmitter-Single-Frequency walking event in a suburban park. Find the most transmitters in the shortest time. 8 totally concealed transmitters shared 146.565MHz FM with automatic voice identification using voice chips,15sec On/45sec Off, non-sychronized.
The main announcement transmitter beacon started at 11AM with a nearby cluster of lower powered hidden transmitters going on the air at before Noon.Walking distance to the transmitters was short, on easy level ground. Each participant was given a list of the audio identification signals of the various transmitters when they checked in at the main fox transmitter. The participant copied down the "password" found nearest to each transmitter.
This walking foxhunt radio orienteering event was based upon ROCA Rules (Radio Orienteering in a Compact Area). It is similar to "Technical ARDF" but is a walking event, instead of a running sport.
ponsors: SBARA-LARK and USAROG
Boundary= 1square mile (on foot only) ; Time limit= 1hour 30minutes (90min) ; 8 Participants.
Congratulations to all who completed the course on time.
Everyone used almost all of their 90minutes.

The feedback from the participants was that it was more difficult than the last ROCA event in January because of the transmitter controls being further apart and the hot sunny weather. Many of the participants were trying out new equipment setups, which hurt some and helped others.
Jiao Liangmei BD1AYL visiting from China and her cousin Elaine KE6EGP from Moraga California, teamed up as the CHINA TEAM" to place 2nd, even though they were using borrowed equipment they had never seen before!

Bonnie Crystal
KQ6XA

Click Here!
For Great Photos and Commentary on this event
by the ROCA Champion: Jim Sakane KD6DX
 
 


Similar ROCA Event Was Held in January 1999:

30 January 1999 Saturday Morning
San Francisco Bay Area
10AM : MOBILE T-HUNT  /  12 NOON: ROCA Event
(Combined Event)

Click here for photos from the 30 JAN 1999 ROCA Event

DESCRIPTION OF THE EVENT:
The Mobile participants start point was in Fremont in the East Bay. The main Mobile T-Hunt fox transmitter 5W beacon started at 10AM in Sea Cloud Park Foster City (on the other side of the bay) with a nearby cluster of 7 lower powered hidden transmitters going on the air at about 11AM. All transmitters shared 146.565MHz at various time intervals, with on times of about 7 to 15 seconds, and cycle times of about one minute. The high powered transmitter was shut off after all participants were present at about 12:20PM. The ROCA event started with entrants starting by registration with the Official Event Judge/Timekeeper (Don W6DBZ). Walking distance to the transmitters was short, on easy level ground. Each participant was given a list of the audio identification signals of the various transmitters when they checked in at the main transmitter. The participant had to copy down the 3 digit "Control Mark" found nearest to each transmitter. There were 40 "Dummy Marks", and one "Decoy Transmitter". Time limit was 90 minutes.
Click here for photos and map from the 30 JAN 1999 ROCA Event
Click here for the rest of the story and more images of the event on Jim KD6DX's site
The ROCA event was based upon ROCA Rules (Radio Orienteering in a Compact Area). It is similar to "Technical ARDF" but is a walking event, instead of a running sport.
These are the results of the ROCA competition:

     First place:     Rich KN6FW  Score 5   Time 1:18:30
     Second place: Jim KD6DX    Score 5  Time 1:28:30
     Third place:    Greg KE6PTP Score 4  Time 1:23:30
     Fourth place:  Andy VE3FZK
     Fifth place:     Ken KK6XF
     Sixth place:    Larry AC0B
     Seventh place: Joan KF6QGJ
     Eight place:    Henry KF6PCE
     Ninth place:    Bob (ex) KN9JUK
     Tenth place:    DeWayne KQ6DY
     Eleventh place: Howard KE6PTT


 

Images from the 30 JAN 1999 ROCA Event
Map of transmitters and boundaries:
This map was issued to every competitor before starting (without the transmitter locations marked!)

This is the Score Card each competitor used in the ROCA event.

 
Some images from the ROCA start point 
 
Joan KF6QGJ points her antenna while others discuss the rules and look at their maps.
 
Group picture of all the gang after the ROCA event. Andy VE3FZK's Mobile RDF array looms in the background.
Bob Cooley (Participant) with Bonnie KQ6XA (ROG Event Organizer) getting geared up for competition outside the event headquarters van. 

 
Ken and Bonnie pause at the start point during the competition.

Ken KK6XF (Participant) with Don W6DBZ (Official Event Judge/Timekeeper 
 
Top: Ken and Don with Rich's mobile doppler in background. Middle: Bob tuning up his DF gear with Ken and Don discussing strategy. Below: Official Event Judge/Timekeeper Don W6DBZ.
 
Left to Right: Bob, Rich, Henry, Greg, Don, Bonnie during Certificate Awards.
 

For more information, contact Bonnie KQ6XA:Send Feedback to

Mobile Transmitter Hunts (T-Hunts)
T-Hunts in the San Francisco Bay Area (Jim KD6DX)
 

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