Santa Barbara Amateur Radio Club
Upcoming ARDF Championships

General Information

Wednesday, June 16 - Check-in
Thursday, June 17 - Practice/Calibration of Equipment, Start Time Draw, etc.
Friday, June 18 - 2M Competition
Saturday, June 19 - 80M Competition, Awards Banquet

We will be using epunch for scoring, and rental sticks will be available if needed (projected $4.00 or less for the event.) This provides a lot of advantages including almost instant scoring, and splits for each leg.

Physical condition is going to be important! To do okay, you should be able to average about 10 minutes per km. for an hour, and not be dead tired afterwards. This includes up and down hills. To do well, you will probably need to be faster :).

One of my main goals is keeping costs down and trying to accommodate the schedules of those people wanting to compete in the Czech Republic at the World Championships. The entry fee will vary depending on what people want, but the basic entry fee will be $75.00 or less. That fee covers the venue permits, medals, and the Awards banquet; transportation is still being worked out. Lodging and meals will be the responsibility of those attending. Now is the time to let me know if you have any specific requests :). As soon as the headquarters location is confirmed, I'll be posting it, both to the listservers and to the web site.

Schedule

Saturday through Tuesday - June 12th - 15th

While not an official part of the competition, a training camp will be held to practice the various aspects of ARDF. Things get started on Saturday and Sunday with orienteering practice at Mt Pinos where LAOC is holding a two-day orienteering event. The following Monday and Tuesday will be devoted primarily to RDF practice in taking good bearings. Practice will concentrate on determining reliable bearings, course strategies, route choices, and other essentials for doing well. This training will be open to anyone who will be participating in the Championships. The training venue is expected to be at Travel Town in Griffith Park. 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.

Monday through Wednesday will be ARDF only practice. Most of the practice will be on 2M since 80M is mostly taking good bearings and then choosing appropriate route choices, i.e. orienteering. Topics that *I* want to cover :) include:

• Interpreting reflected signals
• Course setting and probable control locations
• Strategies to do well
• Practice

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. At this point, I think most of the time will be spent in Griffith Park although there is a chance we might be able to use Firestone Boy Scout Camp. Both venues will require *good* physical condition. I just put out an ARDF course at Travel Town in Griffith Park in conjunction with an LAOC meet, and everyone agreed it was difficult, both physically and from the reflections! My goal is to help us all be able to take better 2M bearings, and make good route choices to get there.

Wednesday - June 16th

The Championships will start today with competitors checking in. Competitors will be given a packet of information that will include the competition schedule, a bib number, area maps, tourist information, and other related information. The opening ceremonies will take place

Wednesday evening.

This is the official opening of the competition where formal introductions will be made, competitors will receive their starting times, course comments get made, and competitors get a chance to make new friends and renew old acquaintances.

Thursday - June 17th

Today will be a day of practice and free time. At this level of competition, practicing ARDF doesn't make any sense :), and thus the practice is really a day for competitors to check out their equipment in various settings. It is essential to know how your receiver will respond to the transmitters and antennas used for the competition. Both 2M and 80M short courses will be set up.

Friday - June 18th

The moment of truth has arrived; today will be the 2M competition. Depending on several factors, the competition will start somewhere between 8:30 AM and 9:30 AM. The time limit will be somewhere in the two to three hour range although the winning time should be under an hour. The competition should be over by 1:00 PM after which the scores will be posted.

Saturday - June 19th

Today will be the 80M competition, and again the starting time will be somewhere around 8:30AM to 9:30 AM. Typically, the 80M times are a bit faster than the 2M times. The competition should be over by 1:00 PM after which the scores will be posted. Saturday evening will be the awards banquet where everyone can again socialize, have a great meal, and where winners will receive their medals. The competition will officially close at the end of the awards banquet.

Marvin, KE6HTS
Chairman, 2004 US ARDF Championships