Comments on the
ALLDAY Thunt
Jan 26, 2008
WB6JPI
I had installed a couple new gadgets in the 4Runner that I
was anxious to check out. The first was a 400 watt inverter. I have run
an inverter for a couple three years to run the mapping computer but it
made a lot of noise on 2 meters and took the low bands to a 10 over S9
noise level. I mounted this one in the engine compartment with very
short DC leads and had a couple ferrite isolators on the AC leads. The
noise on 2 meters was now OK but the lowbands still were eating it. The
problem was would the inverter turn off when it got hot in the engine
compartment?
The next gadget was a remote controlled attenuator. I wanted to remote
the radio but the attenuator had to be near the radio so bearings could
be taken at very high signal levels close in to the transmitter plus I
wanted to reduce the clutter in the driver's area as I was getting
confused with all the stuff.
Both of these tests had the old systems available if they failed.
After my English muffin at King's restaurant I arrived at the start and
worked a couple Texas stations on 20 meters before anyone else showed
up. While waiting for the transmitter a ham showed up and wanted to
know what we were up to. He was on an expedition to get pictures of the
mountains with all their snow (down to 4000ft). Instead he took a lot
of pix of us and our gear. He is an officer in a local Ham club (South
Coast I think) and wanted to know if someone wanted to speak at his
club on THunting. I volunteered Scott, N6MI.
The T0 signal came on on time and we all got bearings thru Cajon Pass.
Signal was strong, easily heard on FM. I left about 10:30 and went
directly to Cajon Pass only worrying a little about a Baldy bounce.
Actually I worried a lot as the signal was most weak to not-at-all in
the basin and got strong near the pass but always pointing at Baldy.
Went to Summit anyway and found the north signal better but still
stronger off of Baldy. It was snow slush and muddy so I didn't take a
bearing at Summit but it was clearly north right up ole 395. Wrong. I
didn't figure it out until I was so far up 395 that getting back on the
15 was a hard thing, so I went on to Boron and then east on 58 to
Barstow. Signal looked a lot like Fort Irwin or Death Valley. But as I
went on east on 15 it was clear that it was not that far north. It kept
getting stronger and I got occasional bleeps from T2. T0 had several
tens of dB at Baker and it now was swinging north indicating that it
was in the Turquoise Mountains which it was. On the fence at the
microwave site. The attenuator worked just fine as I was able to get a
very good bearing on the 10 watt T0 and long antenna from 10 ft away.
Pointed at the second director.
T2 was clearly heard from here with a bearing right at Charleston Peak
(Nevada) a big snow covered 11,000 thing clearly visible and looking
cold in the setting sun. I made a real fast decision that I was not
going to go there. I plotted the bearing and it also when through a
part of Excelsior Mine road whose entrance was 15 miles further east
that where the Turquoise Mountain road met the 15. I could check that
out.
On my way back to the 15 on Turquoise Mountain road I ran in to the
hiders. We chatted for a half hour or so and I decided that I was tired
and hungry. I hadn't eaten all day and the Gorp was running thin so I
decided to call it quits and go into Baker for a steak (I ended up with
Chinese) and go on home. Shame, as the remaining Ts were on
Excelsior Mine road and near by. I never heard T1 or T3 but Don, KF6GQ
said he had heard T3 when I passed him near Turquoise Mountain
Rd. The inverter did not overheat and performed fine.
A great hunt. There is no reason why the further Ts were not found as
they were well hidden and as I was the last one to T0, there was plenty
of time to go get them before midnight. I guess everyone was tired or
something but I am getting old for this game and tend to poop out after
12-16hours. My failure to eat was my error. The hiders should be proud
as they did a great job.
Jippy