Training Log Archive: Vector

Field checking Eddy Discovery Center / Waterloo Turkey Hunt venue. Beautiful fall colors. Almost wish it was being held this weekend instead of end of November, everyone will be missing out on the amazing colors.

Got a sniffle after flying all night long. Decided to try to run it off. It worked. Third time I've successfully run off some kind of sickness. Maybe it's the fresh air? Psychological? Increased blood flow to transport the vitamins, white blood cells, etc? Or just coincidence?

Event: SMOC Crooked Lake
 

US ARDF Champs - Foxoring day. I hauled in a great groove for the 1st two TXs. Then the 3rd one I couldn't pick up the signal at all, and that my friends was the end!

The frequencies of the transmitters were not the same as what was posted in the bulletins and what was modeled in the model event. After scouring the area for many minutes I visually found the transmitter (#125). I stood less than 10 feet from it and still couldn't hear the signal... just a low hum/buzz. So I figured, oh well, must just be a bad TX, so I went off navigating to the next one. Once again I got to the control circle and absolutely no signal at all received! Then I started doubting my navigation. So I went off on a safety bearing to double check, re-attack the control circle, and bam, wound up in the exact same spot. Still nothing. Went in a different direction and re-attacked again... still nothing. No signal at all!! I tried changing frequencies a little above and below about 5 off both directions, still nothing. Just like #125 I was trying everything... changing attenuation, changing the fox power setting, changing frequency a little, etc... nothing. So then I went way out to the big trail and reattacked again.... still no signal and scoured the area again and finally found the transmitter, only because I *saw* it, but still no signal. Again as I got closer I picked up a low hum and that was it. No beeps. Triple checked all the receiver settings but still nothing... until I cranked the frequency all the way up to 3580+ and then I finally heard the signal beeps and could pick it up from a reasonable Fox-O-type distance. So the 1st 2 TXs that I found so quickly were transmitting as advertised on 3579.0, but others were on 3580+ ... and *that* is what ended what should have been a great day of Fox-O for me.

So obviously very disappointed and frustrated with this result. I ended up deciding to take advantage of the training value of just more casually completing the rest of the course despite having just spent an hour or so looking for 3580 TXs on 3579 and really enjoyed the orienteering aspect, another superb course from David Waller. Really enjoyed seeing some of the cool boulder features out there. Pretty deflated knowing how good I could have done today if only the TXs were on the advertised frequency.. but also took away a lesson learned I will never forget that I shouldn't be afraid to crank tuning up or down quite a ways from the advertised frequency if I ever get to a circle again and still don't hear the signal. Was happy to know I wasn't the only one that had this issue and that after checking it was confirmed some of the TXs were not on 3579, but seems like everyone else somehow figured it out and readjusted pretty quickly while I was troubleshooting other reasons like my navigation.

Ending on a positive note it was wonderful to see everyone at the pizza and awards get together. I was just elated to finally see US ARDF Champs back in action and that we were all able to have an enjoyable week out on the woods. A much needed break from the grind and kick in the rear for fitness! So many thanks to BOK and everyone who helped make it happen. Very much looking forward to the 2022 US ARDF Champs which looks to be only 6 months away!

(have no idea how far I ran/walked, so 10k is a guess)

US ARDF Champs - 144 MHz Classic. Bounced back from yesterday's debacle with a win for the gold today. 2nd consecutive M40 gold in US Champs 144 MHz Classic. Started out terrible, lots of chaos for me...spent too much time in the soup bowl of reflections down low. Was extremely frustrated and had all kinds of problems deciphering what was going on. But after I finally hit #1 I stayed higher on the terrain and clawed back. At least had the wisdom to save #3 for last since it was one of the few things I could figure out early on. So went to 2 then 4. Coming out of 4 I utilized the far west trail to transit to the other side of the map and to get to #3 vicinity which worked great and ran hard. Kept fast pace rest of the run through #3 and finish. It was a grueling, physical, challenging and technical run, definitely the toughest 144 MHz Classic I've had so far. Was just happy to have found all the TXs!

Event: 2021 ARDF US Champs
 

US ARDF Champs Sprint. Screwed up a couple times. Didn't pay enough attn to map thus bad sequence that involved backtracking on the slow loop. Then in the 2nd loop I lost track which ones I had already punched, so doubled up on 5, but somehow forgot 4...epic fail. Gravy was losing my car key fob somewhere out there...colossal problem. On plus side weather was nice and so great to see people haven't seen for far too long.

ARDF Champs training day 2. Sprint practice. First group of 5 TXs was a total disaster, I just struggled to make sense of it all, chalking it up to not having done it for 2 years. Second loop of 5 TXs I got in a groove and even had a good sequence...so maybe I just needed to knock the rust off. Sprint has always been chaos to me, but felt much better on second loop. Nice weather...wish it would stay this way rest of week but forecast says another heat spell.

In other news our ARDF Team USA uniforms are here and they look great. Only problem is they don't fit great lol.

ARDF practice event at Eno River State Park. 144 MHz Classic practice. Spiked the 1st one, good bearing discipline after cycle switched to the next one allowed me to spike sans signal. I took a horrible route out of #1 on way to 4 or 5. Got to a point where 4 and 5 were equal signal strength but 5 was coming from a bearing farther out on the map so opted to go to 5 first. On the way to 4 I was getting a signal coming from a hillside so I sensed the signal was napping the terrain and turned out I was right as I contoured the hills side where I guessed the signal would wrap around and sure enough I walked right to it when it was silent. A spike of all spikes due to complexity. Next was the last one, #2. Determined very early on my run that #2 was on the way to finish and it was. A slight bobble as I thought it was on east side of power lines but actually was just west of them, but still spiked it.

Totally exhausted after all the setting out and taking down the distant #3 TX that I didn't hunt since I knew where I put it.

Ankle definitely painful after running, but thankfully not during. May have to go in for repairs before end of the year.

Was great to knock the rust off and overall happy with how it went today. Probably pushed too hard for a practice day but thankfully tomorrow is sprint practice so should be restored by 1st competition day.

Event: SMOC Winnewana Night-O