|
Radio Society of Great Britain
When I received my map on the start line, I marked on the 400 metre exclusion zone, borrowing Dave Williams’ circular transparent thingy (note to self: must make one of those). There was a very convenient picnic table to lean on when plotting bearings, and I stayed there for the full five minutes – I had already decided that this would be a wise tactic, and seeing others doing this confirmed my choice.
Number 1 was bleeping away rather faintly to the east, and I marked a wobbly line on my map ( note to self: must find a way of drawing straight lines with accuracy). I ignored Number 2, away to the north, which was not required for the “Short” course, and waited for Number 3. This proved to be a much stronger signal from the southwest and I decided there and then that this would be my first control to find. Nevertheless, I waited and plotted Numbers 4 and 5, in a very similar direction to each other, to the southeast. So, the order looked like being Number 3 then (Number 4 and 5, order uncertain) then Number 1.
I trotted gamely down the main track past the quizzical glances of preparing orienteers, glad eventually to escape into the large clearing on the left, when Control 3 fired up again. The signal confirmed my route, straight ahead. I headed for the main track to the west of the green and waited, but not for long. The signal now was coming from off the track to the west, so I plunged into the undergrowth, and, as I’d learned, got a loud and clear fix on the transmitter just before it went off. I was relieved to see a banner ahead of me hung generously high in a tree, and gratefully punched my card. I left the control site as quickly as possible and headed northwest to the major track junction from which I’d come, at the same time plotting a line to Number 1, which was beeping at me quite clearly across the valley.
I stopped at the junction to gather my thoughts, and to try and get some more information on Controls 4 and 5. Number 4 was bleating clearly from the east, and triangulating with my first bearing from the start, I guessed it would be a good plan to head down to the open areas at the bottom and see what happened. Number 5 was weaker and I imagined it was further over on the eastern spur. I staggered down the hill and decided to stop at the clearly defined track junction just beyond the open. Number 4, I thought, was possibly on the hillside ahead. The transmitter came on – loudly – but behind me, back across the other side of the open. I took a careful fix on it, and plodded back the way I’d come. As I approached the target area, the transmitter encouraged me into the wood but I forgot to back off on the volume and it seemed to be everywhere (note to self: remember to back off the attenuator when close in). I thrashed around for a bit and the control flag eventually decided to reveal itself.
Right, so far so good, but I suspected that Number 5 could be the tricky one. I left Number 4 heading south, skirting the open areas and joining the track around the base of the eastern spur. I was getting many confusing signals here that the control was below me, but seeing nothing encouraging, I decided, rather perversely perhaps, to gain some height in the hope of receiving more reliable information. This proved to be the case, and when Number 5 fired up next, it led me straight to a large depression, where the transmitter was waiting.
I now realised that I didn’t have a lot of information on Number 1, my final control, but that it was definitely north of where I was. Lumbering up the track in a northerly direction, I did get confirmation that it was ahead and right. I waited at one of the crossroads and the next signal sent me scurrying northeast, across the road and eventually into the control.
Job done, or so I thought, but there was a sting in the tail. I contoured around the valley on the road/track network, but then became entangled with the orienteering event start, eventually running between the starting competitors and their map boxes. I managed to fend them off with my aerial. I caught the eye here of many orienteering chums, who looked at me with varying degrees of pity and wonder. This led me into the event car park, and further disorientation. Eventually I got it sorted and stumbled into the Radio-O finish.
I was very pleased to complete the course without any major dramas – looking forward now to Hawkbatch in a month’s time!
Dennis
|