GPS track to 1st Fox KD6DX	1st Fox KD6DX	EQUIPMENT I USED 1) Arrow 146-4-II, Four element yagi. 2) VK3YNG Sniffer MK4, I used it for both my initial bearings. I also used the MK4 as my U-R-Here radio which displayed my progress towards the fox and as my close-in sniffer. 4) Compass. Magnetic compass, for my initial bearings. 5) AHHA MicroFinder Doppler. Helped me fine tune my initial bearings and change directions as needed. 6) Standard C5900DA, Mobile tri-band radio. Listened to both FOXES (scanning). When my mobile radio became S-7, I switched to the Sniffer MK4 and used it as my U-R-Here radio. I learned from last weeks hunt, that I should seriously start looking for the fox when the MK4 reached attenuation level-5 and probably stop when it reached level-6. (I had previously predicted level-7 for my stop point). 7) Garmin StreetPilot-III. Street level mapping helped me find the shortest route along my initial bearing and find streets I was not familiar with. I mentally looked for streets heading along my Doppler bearings. Equipment Conclusion The combined pieces of equipment listed above are important however, if I were to pick the single most helpful, it would be the "Sniffer MK4". A good U-R-Here device gave me volumes of information. To know how far the Fox may be is so important. With all the hunting gear pointing in a direction, if you don't have an idea of how far the fox may be, you can't develop a short route to the fox. You begin to check all the side streets and dead-end roads. Your U-R-Here radio doesn't have to be the MK4, as long as it has enough attenuation to get within 10 feet of a 5-watt transmitter without saturating. You should calibrate your U-R-Here radio and keep it consistent. Each hunt will develop your skills and ability to understand what your equipment is telling you.
GPS track to 2nd Fox KD6DX	2nd Fox KD6DX
AE6HO GPS track to 1st fox	AE6HO GPS track to 2nd fox
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20030405_165709.jpg	20030405_171503.jpg	Story The actual bearing to the 1st (Hard) fox was 325*, 11.5 miles out and the 2nd (Easy) fox was 313*, 6.84 miles out. My bearings were 330* to the 1st fox and 315* to the 2nd fox. I'm getting better or taking more care in reading my initial bearings. As you can see from my GPS track, I started out on my initial bearing and was on track to have low mileage. As I drove close to Stevenson Blvd., the Fox was blocked by some mountains, giving me some very low signal strengths and reflections from the West. I diverted to Paseo Padre Pkwy (getting away from the hills) and found the fox was still along my initial bearing (if only I followed Rule #1 & #2). Something I noticed on this hunt, since Fox-1 was so elevated, the signal it sent out was relatively high for a long distance. What I'm trying to say is, my MK4, U-R-Here radio, displayed level-3 from 5-miles away to 2-miles away, before it started to climb in attenuation levels. I might need to recalibrate my MK4 using a highly elevated transmitter instead of the ground level one I originally used. By my original calibration, a level-3 signal meant the fox was only 1/2-mile away, but since the level-3 didn't change after driving 1-mile, I knew the transmitter was up high and my calibration was going to be off. Locating the 2nd (Easy) fox was pretty easy. Since I periodically check the direction to fox-2 during the hunt for fox-1, I knew it was west of Paseo Padre Pkwy and south of Thornton Ave.. I just plotted a short route on my Garmin StreetPilot-III and followed my Doppler to the transmitter. See GPS track map to fox-2. Dinner Pizza Italia (Real Italian Food) 3701-C Peralta Blvd. Fremont, CA. 94536 (510) 797-1476 Jim Sakane (KD6DX)
1st Fox	View from 1st Fox
1st Fox	2nd Fox
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20030405_192802.jpg	20030405_200624.jpg	NEXT TRANSMITTER HUNT Apr. 19, 2003 "Foxes Choice" BAY HUNT. (Saturday) at 6:00 PM Start Point: Anywhere Talk-in: 147.015+ or 147.045+ PL94.8 Jim-KD6DX will be hiding. No mileage, just a fun hunt.
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