At the start you could hear many Ts. They all seam to be coming from the same bearing and the same strength. I didn’t hear anyone say “simplex repeater” and didn’t even think it. The bearing was towards the Big Bear Lake area.

I went east by way of the 110 to the 105 to the 605, north to the 10, east to 215 to 30. Stopped for gas and took another bearing. Now it seams to be coming from the Angelus Oaks Area, up 38. Had lunch with Scott and Tom at Angelus Oaks. Just as we were finishing David and Mike show up. Mike says something about a simplex repeater. That would explain the strange signals.

I continue farther east. Stopped for another bearing and now it looks like the Ts are north. Must be along the Snow summit area.

Down to Seven Oaks and up a truck trail that is mostly rocks now. This took about 2 hours, it seamed. Now that I am there all the signals are back on the other side. Must be reflection, I hope. So I keep moving east, along the ridge, but not much change. Still think they are reflections. I finally start getting signal in front of me. Nice strong ONE!!! But it sounds like many different Ts. Must be that simplex repeater Mike and David were talking about.

I try several dirt roads going west but they all end with no T any where near there, and I almost get stuck on 2 of them. A third one looks so bad I decide not to even go down it. Almost don’t make the turn around to get out of there.

I finely decide that the Ts must be on the other side of the lake. So I head out. Butler Peak looks like a good possibility. Up through Fawnskin and on another dirt road, and the signals star to come up. Now I am hearing individual Ts, not just the repeater. Just before I get to the Look out the repeater T goes behind me at an opening. I stop and sniff out the THING! Very confusing.

As I am coming back to the Jimmy, Jippy and then Mike and David, drive down from the Lookout. Lots of lies and clues exchanged.

I decide to drive back down the hill a ways to see if I can find a T that David said I must have missed. Just as I stop at a wide spot the repeater dies. NOW I can hear the real Ts. There’s bearing on one back up towards the repeater. Back I go. I go up almost to the lookout and now the bearing is back down to the repeater site. It’s still dead. I go back and while Bob, N6ZHZ, is looking for the repeater, which is now mysteriously back on the air I start looking for the one that has my call sign on it. After a few minutes I find it. At least I found 2 Ts.

On the way out I start listening for the T David said I must have missed. Shortly I find the KF6GQ T2 behind a big rock, off the side of the road. Now I can hear one that is IDing KF6GQ T3. On down and then Left to the Hanna Flats area I go. I find it after a long sniff. Just as I find it, in the dark, and well away from the Jimmy, I hear an animal sneeze. Sounds like a large one too. I sign in quickly and get the hell out of there. Okay, that’s enough Hunting for one weekend. I am going home before I get eaten.

Deryl N6AIN