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Doc. #38
This report of the ARRL Amateur Radio Direction Finding (ARDF) Coordinator to the ARRL Board of Directors covers the period July 18, 2002 to January 14, 2003.
INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE
As defined by the Terms of Reference document of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) Region 1 ARDF Working Group, "ARDF is a technical, sport activity within the framework of the amateur service. It deals with the taking of radio bearings and finding hidden transmitters, constructing relevant equipment, and the training of amateurs involved in and with the organizing of relevant sport and social events."
The purpose of the national ARDF Coordinator position is to promote the development of this sport within the country and to work with ARDF Coordinators of other IARU countries to organize ARDF events and activities.
It should be noted that the focus of a country's ARDF Coordinator's effort is on international-rules on-foot foxhunting (also called foxtailing, fox-teering, and radio-orienteering), a sport that is most commonly practiced in Europe and Asia. It is not on vehicular transmitter hunts, search/rescue or volunteer enforcement.
TEAM USA PARTICIPATES IN ARDF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Slovak Amateur Radio Association (SARA) hosted the Eleventh ARDF World Championships from September 2-7, 2002. The site was Tatranske Matliare in the High Tatras of the Slovak Republic, at about 900 meters elevation. For the third time, ARRL was represented at these championships.
The 323 competitors from 29 countries were divided into five age categories for males and four age categories for females, in accordance with newly-approved ARDF rules of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU). Each country may have up to three persons per category on its team for the World Championships. Team USA members were selected based on recent performances and standings in events such as the First USA ARDF Championships (Albuquerque, August 2001) and the Second USA ARDF Championships (Atlanta, April 2002).
Here is a list of our 2002 competitors, categories and hometowns.
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Dick Arnett WB4SUV |
M50 |
Erlanger, KY |
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Bob Cooley KF6VSE |
M60 |
Pleasanton, CA |
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Dave D'Epagnier K0QE |
M40 |
Longmont, CO |
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Bob Frey WA6EZV |
M50 |
Cincinnati, OH |
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Marvin Johnston KE6HTS |
M50 |
Santa Barbara, CA |
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Harley Leach KI7XF |
M60 |
Bozeman, MT |
|
Nadia Mayeva |
D35 |
Mooresville, NC |
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Gyuri Nagy KF6YKN |
M40 |
Maspeth, NY |
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Larry Noble N0NDM |
M40 |
Aurora, CO |
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Charles Scharlau NZ0I |
M21 |
Chapel Hill, NC |
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Csaba Tiszttarto |
M21 |
New York, NY |
In addition, Karla Leach KC7BLA represented ARRL and IARU Region 2 on the International Jury. Her assignment was Course Marshal at one of the fox transmitters on each of the two days of competition.
Team Co-captains were Bob Frey WA6EZV and Dick Arnett WB4SUV. They insured that all competitors got to the starting line on time for both the two-meter and 80-meter competitions, plus they represented the team and ARRL at meetings of the international ARDF Working Group.
Team USA came within two minutes of bringing home its first World Championships medal. Nadia Mayeva took fourth place on 80 meters in D35 category (women ages 35 through 50) by finding all her required transmitters in 1:49:02. She was edged out by Han Chunrong of China, who won the category bronze medal in 1:47:20. Gyuri Nagi KF6YKN placed fifth out of 50 in the hotly-contested M40 (males ages 40 through 49) category on two meters. Gyuri and his family had organized a one-week training camp for six members of Team USA near Gyuri's native hometown in Hungary during the week before the World Championships.
Many thanks to the ARRL Foundation and the Colvin Award Fund for providing the entry fees and in-country food/lodging/transportation expenses of the USA team. The next ARDF World Championships will be in the Czech Republic in 2004.
THIRD USA ARDF CHAMPIONSHIPS
Your ARDF Coordinator has selected The OH-KY-IN Amateur Radio Society to host the Third USA ARDF Championships. In addition, IARU has designated this event as the Second IARU Region 2 ARDF Championships. They will take place from July 30 to August 3, 2003 near Cincinnati, Ohio. Registrations are now being accepted.
As always, the USA ARDF Championships are open to anyone, at any ARDF skill level, from any country with an IARU Amateur Radio society. Separate USA-Only and Overall awards will be presented in all IARU-designated age/gender categories.
To simplify logistics for all competitors, especially the anticipated visitors from Europe and Asia, group housing and local transportation will be available. OH-KY-IN has arranged for a block of double-occupancy rooms at Havighurst Hall, a co-ed dormitory at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.
The OH-KY-IN ARS Co-Chairs overseeing the plans are Bob Frey WA6EZV of Cincinnati and Dick Arnett WB4SUV of Erlanger, KY. Both have a wealth of experience in the sport, having served as Co-captains for ARDF Team USA to the World Championships last year. They also competed at the first two USA national Championships, the 1999 IARU Region 2 Championships, and the 2000 World Championships.
Other officials on the event committee are Joe Haltermann KD4PYS (Awards), Carol Hugentober WA8YL (Registration/Lodging), Rick Haltermann KD4PYR (Start/Finish) and Brian DeYoung K4BRI (Transportation). Additional support will be provided by the Cincinnati Orienteering Group (OCIN).
CONCLUSION
ARDF continues to grow in popularity, with increasing numbers of local events taking place. The encouragement and support of the ARRL Board of Directors for activities of ARDF Team USA, the North American ARDF Task Force and the ARRL ARDF Coordinator is greatly appreciated. Thanks also to ARRL Headquarters, especially QST and ARRL Web staff, for publicizing ARDF activities and events.
Latest ARDF news and information is available on my Web site, URL below.
Respectfully submitted,
Joe Moell K0OV
ARRL ARDF Coordinator
homingin@aol.com
http://www.homingin.com
