Jen and I competed in the Fourth IARU Region II ARDF Championships held
September 14-16, 2007, in South Lake Tahoe, California, USA. The
competition was held in the Tahoe Basin National Forest, on the north
side of Fallen Leaf Lake. The meet headquarters was
Camp Concord,
a summer camp a few miles west of South Lake Tahoe. The competition used
the same orienteering map as the 2003
USOF Championships.
Jen came home with the gold medal in both the two meter and the eighty
meter W21 categories, and I took home the bronze medal in both the two
meter and eighty meter M21 categories.
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The meet headquarters was
Camp Concord,
a summer camp owned by the city of
Concord, California.
Concord is over 150 miles away, in the greater San Francisco Bay area.
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The group activities all took place in the camp's Dining Hall. A small
meeting room in the dining hall was being used by a ladie's scrapbook club
during the weekend as well, but our activities rarely crossed paths.
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The dining hall was equipped with a disco ball. We never got around to using
it.
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This was the two meter rig of Paul Gruettner WB9ODQ. It's a tape measure
yagi, a two meter handheld radio, and an active attenuator. Paul found
surplus plastic tubing and end caps that he adapted to allow him to roll
up the antenna elements for transport.
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Ken Harker WM5R during the practice day, September 14. On the practice day,
the event hosts set out two transmitters on each band within a short walk
of the camp. Competitors can check out their equipment and get a quick
practice at taking bearings and calibrating S-meter readings.
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The chipmunks in camp were very comfortable around humans.
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Emily DeYoung K4MLE and Brian DeYoung K4BRI.
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Richard Thompson WA6NOL. Richard is a past member of Team USA. He did
not compete this year, but came to support his son, Jay Thompson W6JAY.
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Joe Moell K0OV and Dale Hunt WB6BYU. Joe is the
American Radio Relay League ARDF
Coordinator and Dale is the International
Amateur Radio Union Region II ARDF Coordinator.
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Four regulars at the USA/IARU Region II Championships: Csaba Tiszttarto,
Harley Leach KI7XF, George Neal KF6YKN, and Vadim Afonkin. George and
Csaba came from New York, Vadim came from Massachusetts, and Harley came from
Montana.
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Paul Gruettner WB9ODQ, Nadia Scharlau, and Charles Scharlau NZ0I. Paul came
from Wisconsin, and the Scharlaus came from North Carolina.
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Brian DeYoung K4BRI, Brian Ackerley VK3YNG, and Dick Arnett WB4SUV. Brian and
Dick came from the Cincinnati, OH area. Brian travelled to the event from
his home in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
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Matthew Robbins AA9YH and Jay Thompson W6JAY. Matthew came from Ohio and
Jay came from southern California. Matthew is wearing a Team USA jacket.
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Vadim Afonkin travelled further than any other IARU Region II competitor to
attend the championships. Here, he is sitting with Ardy Fox, the Team
USA mascot, and his friends.
area.
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Nadia Scharlau, Brigitte Roethe, and Nick Roethe DF1FO. This was the second
year in a row that Nick and Brigitte had traveled to the United States to
compete in the ARDF championships and then enjoy sightseeing in the American
west.
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Bryan Ackerley VK3YNG examines Nick Roethe DF1FO's homebrew 144 MHz receiver
and antenna. Like Nick, Bryan builds his own ARDF equipment.
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Jay Hennigan WB6DRV built this log periodic antenna for 144 MHz. The blue
receiver is a VK3YNG Sniffer Mark IV.
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A modified Ron
Graham RX1 receiver for 144 MHz on a three element yagi. The modification
adds a digital VFO to the design.
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A homebrew three element yagi using a gamma match. The receiver is the VK3YNG
Sniffer Mk IV.
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A classic
WB2HOL design three element tape measure yagi with RG-58/U feedline.
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A homebrew three element yagi with a VK3YNG Sniffer Mk IV. The receiver is
mounted on a unique bracket underneath the boom that tilts the receiver
upwards.
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Competitors gathering in the dining hall before setting off as a group
down some hiking trails to the start area.
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The start areas was on a trail near the northern end of Fallen Leaf Lake,
a reservoir south of Lake Tahoe.
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Fallen Leaf Lake was created by a small dam that we had to walk across
to get to the start area. This is the creek below the dam.
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A glimpse of Fallen Leaf Lake through the trees.
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Group photo of all the competitors at the two meter start area.
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At the start area, Charles Scharlau NZ0I applies duct tape the feet of
Nadia Scharlau.
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Bryan Ackerley VK3YNG and Dick Arnett WB4SUV waiting for their start times
by the impound area.
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The impound area was a tarp where we all deposited our receivers before the
transmitters were turned on. This is a Ukrainian receiver.
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The two receivers of Nick Roethe DF1FO and Brigitte Roethe. Notice that
in one of the antennas the receiver is located between the driven element
and the reflector, whereas in the other one it is mounted between the
driven element and the director.
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Marvin Johnston KE6HTS, Karla Leach KC7BLA, Brian DeYoung K4BRI, Emily
DeYoung K4MLE, and Monique Beringer.
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Some more two meter gear at the impound area. Almost everyone uses
three element yagis as the basic antenna design.
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Both of these integrated radio/antenna units originate from eastern Europe,
and were probably purchased by members of Team USA at one of the previous
World Championships.
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Because of transmitter and rechargable battery problems in the field, there
was an unexpected two hour delay at the start. Mostly, people tried to find
places to sit in the sun to keep warm.
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On Sunday morning, September 16, everyone gathered again in the Dining Hall
to get ready for the 3.5 MHz competition. This is a Ukrainian receiver. Notice
the compass mounted on the bottom. The receiver is designed to be held
with the whip antenna pointed straight up.
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Dale Hunt WB6BYU prefers ear bud style headphones. The sweat band holds them
in place while running.
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Scott Moore KF6IKO came from Santa Barbara, California. Like the rest of
us, he's waiting for the group to head out to the start area.
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George Neal KF6YKN explains to Matthew Robbins AA9YH how he has attached a
compass to his map board.
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The start area for the 3.5 MHz competition day was on a trail near a
small pond. Emily DeYoung K4MLE is enjoying the warm sunshine while
waiting for her start time.
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Karla Leach KC7BLA ran both competition days in the D50 category.
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Bill Wright, who does a lot of orienteering with the Bay Area Orienteering
Club, gets ready for his run in M40.
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Charles Scharlau NZ0I has a unique way of keep his map board at hand at
all times. He wears a wristband that snaps onto the center of the back side
of the board. The board can spin freely while remaining snapped to his
wrist.
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Down the trail, you can see the blue tarp of the impound area off
to the right.
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