Fox Hunts

Photo collage of intrepid club members attempting to find the hidden "fox" transmitter, with a photograph of a real fox in the center.
Photo by NZ1J

NZ1J kicked off the MARC Fox Hunts back in the spring of 2020 as a way to fight quarantine boredom and keep up club morale during Covid, since we couldn’t have in-person meetings. Except during a holiday or inclement weather, MARC has had a weekly Fox Hunt since.

MARC’s ‘Live’ hunt is every Sunday in Wallingford

Look for an email with frequency and other information a day or so before each hunt.

There is no central starting location. Hunts begin at 9:30 a.m. and end at 11 a.m. (unless otherwise specified).

Methods

There are two main methods of Fox Hunting – Directional Antennas, such as a Yagi, and the “Doppler,” or “Time Difference of Arrival” method. Hunters often use a three-element “tape measure” Yagi and an HT with a good S meter. Even simpler antennas, such as a dipole, can lead to success.

For those with pretty sharp Fox Hunting skills, the Bears of Manchester, CT hide a 2 watt “Fox Box,” which can be searched for at any time. The box is activated by transmitting a PL tone and a DTMF “1.” The Bears have an email reflector to stay in touch.

We now have several Fox Boxes as well. These are often deployed on a Sunday.

The links below will get you to information about direction finders and Fox Hunts, including our own.

Links

Here are some links to Fox Hunting information

Doppler

Photo shows two directional antennas, shaped like a capital letter H with long handles.
Photo by NZ1J

This is a home brew “Doppler” type radio direction finder. Two full size 2 meter dipoles are spaced 12 inches apart. A circuit switches between the antennas at an audio frequency. The switching creates phase modulation on the attached receiver. The receiver produces a tone except when the antennas are oriented to both be the same distance from the transmitter. The null in the tone indicates the direction to the transmitter. The circuit also detects the phase of the tone and indicates direction with LEDs. Two Radio Direction Finders:

MARC Fox Hunters in Action

Fox hunters holding directional antennas.

Two fox hunters in a parking lot at a park trying to locate the transmitter.

From left, Eric's YXL Debra, patiently waiting. The original fox turned hunter, Dave, NZ1J. Eric, KB1JL, policing the hunters. Bob, WD1GY2, cursing the ticks. Today's fox, Bart, N1BRL. Joe, K1JCF, the shootist. And Rob, K1RCT, wondering if there are deer nearby.