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Radio Society of Great Britain
Confusion at the Start. I am first starter: the map is on both sides of the sheet; I know the Start is on one side but the Foxes and the Finish are on the other. How should I fold and handle the map? Panic........but at least I can see that I shall need to go through the gate and run westwards on the other side of the embankment, wherever the foxes are. Thank goodness I am M60 and only need Foxes 2, 3 and 5.
So I tank westwards along the track as fast as I can, so that I can get onto the "active" side of the map as soon as possible. I don't want Fox 1, Fox 2 is weakish and vaguely west, Fox 3 is in the same direction but stronger and sounds like it has some reflections on it, Fox 4 is not one of mine, then up comes Fox 5 - wow! This one is strongest and off to the north so I reckon it is time to leave the track and belt across the open area with the patches of gorse and other undergrowth. 4 minutes later and I am near the edge of the map, but there isn't much cover. Then up it comes - behind me. I have overshot. But there is nowhere it could be...only one tree big enough for the antenna...and bingo! Just over 10 mins.
I have now worked out the approximate site of Fox 3, and reckon Fox 2 must be somewhere west of the bunker enclosure. The gorse impedes my direct line route to Fox 3, and it goes off before I reach the corner of the bunker fence. I hope the fence is not reflecting the signal to lead me astray. I think it is in the grotty re-entrant, but it doesn't look very nice to barge in and start hunting, so I take a look at the approach from the west side. Not promising here either, there is a fenced enclosure in there. It comes up, and I run round the north and then east of the enclosure, and it is definitely down there. But I cannot get in through the dense grot! Back round to the west side again, fight my way down the steep slope into the grot, and there it is. 26 mins - I have wasted 5 mins finding my way in.
Now I have calculated that my best route to Fox 2 is round the north of the bunkers, and probably I'll need to return to the finish along the same route. I make a guess where it will be, since it is not on the air when I arrive, but comes up almost immediately. It is a crashing signal and I cannot get a bearing...so a little bit of searching in the bracken and I spot it. 37 mins. Now I head for the Finish. I must have lost concentration in my excitement, because I pay the price of a poor route out of the site. Eventually I get back to the path round the bunkers and it is just a case of running. Just under 50 mins cannot be bad.
I am just recovering, when Steve Stone finishes. Crikey - he started 10 mins after me, and had 4 Foxes to find! This is going to be tight! Suspense...then it emerges that Steve has taken just 2 seconds longer than me! Who says I cut things fine!
One interesting observation: this is the first event where I have carried everything in my head and not plotted a single bearing or other mark on the map.
Thanks to Bob and all his helpers for putting on a splendid show.
Robert Vickers
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