All-Day Transmitter Hunt
The Hiders Story
Several storms over the three weeks prior to this hunt left our primary hide locations under 12 feet of snow, 10 feet of water, and several feet of gumbo mud. That, and the fact that Melanie is about to bring another T-Hunter named Ronan into this world, left us with the necessity of finding a good challenging location within a reasonable travel time of David's home in Yucaipa.
After a quick foray into the San Bernardino Mountains we decided on several locations around Seven Oaks/Converse Station to hide the main transmitters, 4 transmitters in the mountains and 3 more at and around David's home to bring all hungry hunters to our HQ for some great bar-b-cue. One of our main considerations was that all transmitters could be reached with a 2-wheel drive vehicle with reasonable ground clearance. There were snowy roads, muddy roads, bumpy roads, and lots of water puddles with firm bottoms, including one about 100 yards long that at first scared the @%#* out of Dave and I as we crested a blind rise and sank the front end of the Jeep into it in the pitch black night. It looked like it could swallow a bus. It turned out to be only about 3 inches deep with a rock hard road underneath. All of the mountain transmitters were hidden on Friday night. All the timers worked and all of the Ts that should be heard in Palos Verdes could be heard.
T-1, the big T, was placed just to the side and above
T-2 was about 3 miles away on 1N04 just above Converse Ranger Station. It was placed in a meadow just off the trail. It was a 300mw PicCon box on a tall rubber duck antenna. It could be heard at PV also. No one found this one either. Elev was 6,000 ft.
T-3 was about 3 miles away in the other direction on 1N04. It was also hidden in a secluded meadow that you could only walk to from a creek crossing at a hairpin turn in 1N04. It was a Squawk Box attached to a 3 element horizontal Yagi. It was pointed directly at T-4 above Barton Flats on the other side of HWY 38. It was also reported as being heard at PV. Elev 6,500 ft. Only Deryl found this Transmitter.
T-4 was near the intersection of
T-5 was placed in a bush just off
T-6 (Id'ing as T-10) was a Squawk Box hidden under a fake bolder in David's front Yard. Deryl and Bob found this T also, despite being terribly harassed and mauled by the Dogs of the House.
T-7 (id'ing as T-20) was also in Dave's yard….but really noticeable….it was a 13B2 beam pointed at San Gorgonio. This T could also be heard really well at PV, but proved to be a really challenging Gorgonio Bounce. Deryl and Bob found this T also.
Ts 1 thru 5 are shown on the map.
Some Hunters Storys
The Results
And The Trophy Goes To:
Bob WB6JPI 3 of 7 transmitters with 150 miles
and a sore back
Doug WA6RJN 0
of 7 transmitters and a case of frostbite