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Radio Transmitter Direction Finding |
Radio Direction
finding is a hobby shared by CB Radio operators and Amateur Radio operators
alike. This is an outdoor sport, and is by no means cheap!
Equipment that is used in RDF can be quite complex and the actual sport itself
is quite physical. A radio transmitter is setup in a location such as a public
park, car park or any public location. Generally it is physically hidden to some
extent to prevent easy sighting of it.
Operators form teams, 4 people to a team being a good size. From the 'fox hunts'
I've been too (RDF is also referred to as fox hunting) there would be the
driver, navigator (read the local map directory) & person monitoring the signal.
I wasn't involved in a particularly successful team though! We had complications
and arguments frequently. The signal monitor would be yelling directions, the
navigator trying to direct the driver and the driver trying to keep his cool. An
extra person was the 'sniffer', the one to get out somewhere and run on foot
with handheld equipment to try and 'sniff out' the transmitter.
Equipment Required includes (Breif list):
Vehicle
Antennas of sorts
Radio Receivers
Fox hunts last a few hours and it can take
anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour to track down a transmitter. Some
transmitters stop/start transmitting to make things even harder. This sport is
not cheap depending on how enthusiastic you are. You can drive moderately hard
to get to a spot quickly, but the harder and faster you go the more wear and
tear on your vehicle & the more dangerous it becomes. Remember, Speed Kills. Any
car will do the job, as long as it's reliable and has some go in it. Also
remember that car loaded with people drinks more petrol. Small cars may not be a
healthy choice for teams of 4 people. Don't forget you have to fuel the car too!
Antennas have to be mounted on the vehicle, and should be able to be rotated
while mobile as well. A completely external system would be good, but a hand
operated directional antenna will do the job. It's not necessary to drill any
holes into a vehicle. Equipment can be mounted in the car where you want, or you
can just operate it on your lap.
This page was provided as a simple explanation of what 'foxhunting'
actually is and a few aspects as to how to do it.
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This Web page was last updated on Friday September 21, 2001
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