Santa Barbara Amateur Radio Club 4th U.S. ARDF Championships

Training Camp

NOTE: The Los Padres National Forest has a parking fee they call an Adventure Pass. You must have one to park at Mt Pinos and on nearby forest property if you are bringing a vehicle. The cost is $5.00/day and they can be obtained at the Ranger Station or a number of local businesses on the way up to Mt Pinos.

While not an official part of the competition, the training camp will provide an opportunity for additional ARDF practice. Since not everyone will be able to attend the entire time, people are free to attend as much as they can. Participants will be responsible for their own expenses.

The training camp starts with the Mt Pinos Orienteering event on Saturday and Sunday (since orienteering seems to be a weak point with most of us anyway) followed by some ARDF practice in a nearby area if there is time.

The following Monday and Tuesday will be devoted primarily to RDF practice. Practice will concentrate on determining reliable bearings, course strategies, route choices, and other essentials for doing well. Most of the practice will be on 2M since 80M is mostly taking good bearings and then choosing appropriate route choices, i.e. orienteering.

If you plan on attending and have other topics you would like to see covered, let me know. I've included Wednesday as a training day in case anyone can't make it for the rest of the time, but would still like to get in some practice. The training will be held at Griffith Park in Los Angeles and will require *good* physical condition.

If you plan on attending, please let us know with an email to the registrar; dennis@rain.org.

Two 3-star hotels located close to Griffith Park are the Universal Sheraton and the Coast Annabelle Hotel. Expedia rates are $179.00 per night for the Universal Sheraton and $129.00 for the Coast Annabelle. If you want reservations there, let us know and we can get the price down to around $130 and $110 per night.

The Days Inn motel is located about 3 - 4 miles from Griffith Park and the rates are around $70.00 per night. The Days Inn information is:

For more information about the Mt Pinos Orienteering event and directions to Griffith Park, go to:

Current Attendees

Training Camp Schedule

Practice will concentrate on determining reliable bearings, course strategies, route choices, and other essentials for doing well. The training will take place at Griffith Park at both the northern (Travel Town/Mineral Wells) and southern (Vermont Canyon) portions of the part.

The venues can be rather warm in the afternoon. We sometimes get what is called the June gloom where the skies are overcast until about 11:00 AM or so, and helps to keep things cool. Sunscreen and water are recommended.

Talk-in will be on 146.565 simplex (the T-hunt frequency.)

Directions

Griffith Park - Vermont Canyon

We will be meeting at the picnic area across from the Greek Theater. From the intersection of I-5 and CA-134, take I-5 south to the Los Feliz Blvd exit. Head west on Los Feliz about a mile and a quarter, and turn right on Vermont Ave. The park entrance is about 1/2 mile straight ahead. After you enter the park, the golf course is on your right, and the picnic area is just north of the golf course.

We will be meeting at the picnic grounds at the Mineral Wells area. From the intersection of I-5 and CA-134, take the 134 freeway west and exit at the Forest Lawn Dr exit. Head south under the freeway about 1/4 mile and turn left onto Zoo Drive. Turn right at the stop sign and take Griffith Park Dr about 1 mile to the far side of the picnic grounds. If you see the driving range, you’ve gone too far.

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