Hiders: N6MI Scott and K6VCR Tom
Story and Result:
N6MI T1 (CW identification) was a GQ-transmitter with a ½ wave
whip, across a small riverbed, 10 feet up a tree. The transmitter was 5.4
miles north on Route 2 from the intersection of the 210 freeway and Route 2.
The first team in was N6AIN/N6EKS at 11:25 a.m. The last team was N6ZHZ at
2:23 p.m.
K6VCR/N6../N6MI (voice identification) was a Santa Barbara chip in
an Altoids tin. The antenna was a small wire. The transmitter was in the
nook of an old tree on the steep side of a hill. The transmitter was 6.6
miles north on Route 2 from the intersection of the 210 freeway and Route
2.
N6MI T8, OH MAN, T8 (voice identification) was a Santa Barbara chip in
an Altoids tin, buried in rock scree, with a small black rubber duck
antenna. The transmitter was 8.9 miles north on Route 2 from the intersection of
the 210 freeway and Route 2. The narrow path to the transmitter went by
three telephone poles. This transmitter was heard at the start point by two
teams.
K6VCR T5 (voice CW identification, with a slow “5”) was a
Santa Barbara chip in an Altoids tin, buried in sand, with a small
black rubber duck antenna. The transmitter was 1.6 miles north on Route
N3 from the intersection of Route 2 and Route N3. I found the sign-in
sheet in the middle of the parking turnout, with tire tracks.
N6MI HIDDEN T (voice identification) was a GQ transmitter to a ½
wave whip. This one was on Route 2, about .8 miles east of the intersection
of Route N3 and Route 2, near the entrance to the Colby Canyon trailhead.
The transmitter was up a steep rock riverbed to the west of the main
trail, hanging (spinning) in a tree.
N6MI T3 (CW identification) was a loud GQ transmitter to a ½ wave
whip. This one was tied to a telephone pole on the south of Route 2, not too
far from the intersection of Route 2 and the road leading to Mount Wilson.
The path was slippery and narrow, crossing under a telephone wire about 3
feet above the ground. The site looks down Route 2, so you heard N6MI T3 in
many places.
[TONES] N6MI& was an N6MBR box fed to a small handheld, with a ½ wave
whip. The package was in an ammunition box, locked to a tree on the lower
circle road at Mount Wilson (near the end). This transmitter ran 1.5 watts for
the entire hunt, at a low duty cycle.
N6MI T2 was a GQ transmitter in a small red container, fed to a
short length of coax and a ½ wave whip. This transmitter was on Route 2,
about 1.85 miles of the intersection of Route 2 and the road to Mount Wilson.
The transmitter was down a steep path, in a happy manzanita bush. N6ZHZ was
the last hunter to check in (at 9:25 p.m.). When I drove in the parking area
to pick up this transmitter (about 10:30 p.m.), an adult brown bear was
ten feet from the transmitter. No ZHZ body parts were found.
N6AIN reported that his team only found 7 transmitters. That was a
“t-hunt fib. All official teams found every transmitter. The bear only found
“N6MI T2.
The ending mileages follow:
WA6RJN (**winner**), 72.1
KF6GQ/KD6LAJ,
85.7
N6ZHZ (CYG missing in action), 88.5
N6AIN/N6EKS (riding in a Model
T),92.0
WB6PJI, 95.7
K6SNE, 96.4
The official restaurant was at the
bottom of Route 2, by the freeway.
Scott N6MI