Although my GPS track shows me at the Fox, I didn't find it on my own.
To make a long story short, while traipsing around the forest for about
two-hours, I about ran out of gasoline. I radioed Henry-KF6PCE that I
needed help getting out of the forest (lost? me?) and was directed
towards his location for the shortest distance to civilization.
You might wonder how could I get lost with a GPS Mapping
system in my car. Well, the Mapping system didn't have any of the Fire
Roads in it. When ever I drove (on the fire road) towards civilization,
the road took me away, in the wrong direction and further from
civilization.
I strongly feel, with my current mind-set, even if I
had another hour of time and a full tank of gas, I would not have found
the Fox.
Conclusion.
At the very start, I purposefully drove off the initial bearing to get a
cross bearing in an attempt to locate the exact ridge Henry and Paul
were hiding on. I got cross bearings alright but, none of them were over
the Fox.
Lessons learned.
1) Drive towards the Fox, on your initial bearing
and keep taking bearings. You should end up with a batch of bearings
over the Fox.
2) As you get close to the Fox, continue taking bearings
and you should find yourself with cross bearing, without the extra miles
by driving off the initial bearing line.
3) When you decide to go off road (into the forest), fill your
gas tank.
4) Don't expect to find the Fox on a map. Follow your Beam
bearings towards the Fox.
5) Keep taking beam bearing when your high or when the Fox signal
is much stronger than what you have been hearing.
6) Use an outside GPS antenna. I used the stock antenna and had
problems receiving satellites in the forest.
7) If your using the MK4 Sniffer, take a bearing anytime it jumps
up one attenuation level.
NOTE: In front of the Fox beam and between two mountains making a
V-Canyon, the MK4 displayed attenuation level-3 when I was 15-miles
away. On the side of the Fox beam, in Arnold, the MK4 displayed
attenuation level-2 when I was only 3-miles away. I think what I'm
saying is, take bearings and look around at your surrounding. Ask
yourself why. Trust your equipment and react when there is a change in
signal strength, not necessarily the level.
Who won ?
Rich-KN6FW and Jeff-KD6TOJ won this hunt fair and square, in only
135-miles. Congratulation. Only the best found the Fox.
Rich told me he drove his initial bearing towards the
Fox and when his Doppler swung 90* in Arnold and the signal strength
jumped up, he headed off road following his Doppler.
Jim Sakane (KD6DX)
