Report by Fox – Peter GM4DTH:
The 2024 160m DF Hunt, which had been postponed from 22nd May due to a yellow bad weather warning, was held on Wednesday 5th June 2024 with fair weather. At the start, 5.9km (3.7miles) from the fox none of the three hunters could receive the transmission and they had to move before the signal was detected.
Mike GM8KCS and Melvyn GM4HYR were seasoned hunters. Melvyn searched solo whereas Mike was accompanied by James GM4WZP. John GM4JRT who was on his second hunt was accompanied by David GM3YMX.
Top-left – FOX station. Bottom-right – start at Tardis.
View from Fox station.
The fox was located on the western edge of the tree line on Corstorphine Hill. In order to keep the bearings sharp the fox was vertically polarised using a 12m radiator with 6 matching radials.
Rig & Beacon Vertical Antenna
During construction a WSPR test indicated that it was being received in Dalgety Bay (10km / 6.2miles) and 6dB lower at my own QTH (4.6km 2.9miles) which gave confidence it was radiating.
Mike and James arrived at exactly 9pm taking 1 hour and 30 minutes. Melvyn arrived 3 minutes later. John and David were in the area but they were unable to find the fox before it had to be dismantled.
It took a while to walk off the hill and we all met in a local hostelry and discussed all the adventures of the evening.
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