June 16th, 2023 LRA Fox Hunt

We extend our gratitude to all those who took part in the thrilling Fox Hunt of June 2023! The experience of hiding and seeking two transmitters on different frequencies was truly remarkable. It was no easy feat, but our determined and skilled participants embraced the challenge wholeheartedly.

“Team OIL,” consisting of Dan and Dwayne, set up a clever VHF transmitter, while Matt – AF9Q – placed another on UHF. Both transmitters proved to be elusive, but our resourceful hunters rose to the occasion and successfully located them.

Let’s give a round of applause to Gene, Bonnie, Mary, and Al from “Team Haney” for their exceptional performance. They were the first to discover the VHF transmitter, utilizing Gene’s remarkable Doppler system. Their precision and ingenuity were truly impressive.

But that’s not all! Matthew and Stephanie from “Green Eggs and HAM” went above and beyond, locating both transmitters using their powerful KrakenSDR equipment. Their dedication and expertise paid off handsomely.

Regrettably, Team Beer Battered Boys encountered an unexpected equipment failure and had to abandon the hunt. We hope to see them back in action next time with their gear fully operational.

Here are the results:

1st place – Team “Green Eggs and HAM” for successfully finding both the UHF and VHF transmitters using KrakenSDR.

2nd place – “Team Haney.” Gene, Bonnie, Mary, and Al swiftly located the VHF transmitter.

3rd place – Team “Beer Battered Boys.” These intrepid engineers, who constantly innovate with new direction-finding “weapons” and tactics, showcased their determination.

Following the exhilarating hunt, we gathered at Jose’s Blue Sombrero to celebrate our achievements. The atmosphere was filled with excitement as we exchanged stories, enjoyed one another’s company, and indulged in delicious food and beer. It was the perfect ending to an extraordinary event.

Once again, a massive thank you to all the participants for creating an unforgettable and successful Fox Hunt. Your enthusiasm and camaraderie truly make these events special. We eagerly await our next adventure with all of you!

May 20, 2023 LRA Fox Hunt

Thank you to everyone who participated in the April 2023 Fox Hunt!

This time, Dan – KA9OIL and Matt – AF9Q hid just one VHF transmitter.

Matthew with his wife Stephanie hunted for the transmitter using 3 element arrow antenna with an offset attenuator and a HT. The “Green Eggs and HAM” team found the transmitter withing an hour.

Matthew – KC9UPR and Stephanie

After the hunt, we enjoyed lunch at the Castlewood Restaurant in Sturtevant. Thank you all for participating!

April 20, 2023 LRA Fox Hunt

Thank you to everyone who participated in the April 2023 Fox Hunt!

This time, we hid two transmitters on separate frequencies. Gene’s “Team Haney” set up one transmitter, while Matt – AF9Q set up another. Both transmitters proved to be difficult to find, and it took the entire allotted time to complete the hunt.

In the end, the “Team OIL” with Dan – KA9OIL and Dwayne – N9PYA, were able to find the 2m transmitter. The “Team Sailors” with Bill – KD1Z and Jeff – KD9VB came very close but ran out of time.

After the hunt, we enjoyed great company, beer, and wings at Doobie’s Beer Joint. Thank you all for participating!

March 11, 2023 LRA Fox Hunt

Thank you to everyone who participated in the March 2023 Fox Hunt!

This time, we hid two transmitters on separate frequencies. Bill – KD1Z and Jeff – KD9VBC set up one transmitter, while Matt – AF9Q set up another. Both transmitters proved to be difficult to find, and it took the entire allotted time to complete the hunt.

In the end, the “Team Haney” team with Gene – WB9ZKY, Bonnie – WB9ZKX, and Al – N9ZWJ were able to find both transmitters. The “Beer Battered Boys” team with Fred – K9SO and Jeff – KC9JOB came very close but ran out of time.

After the hunt, we enjoyed great company, beer, and wings at Doobie’s Beer Joint. Thank you all for participating!

73, AF9Q

SKYWARN

Welcome to the LRA Skywarn page! We are a group of amateur radio enthusiasts who share a passion for emergency communications and severe weather spotting. Our club is dedicated to promoting the use of amateur radio for public service and emergency communications, with a particular focus on providing real-time weather information to the National Weather Service through the Skywarn program. Whether you’re an experienced ham operator or just starting out, we invite you to join our community and become part of our efforts to keep our communities safe and informed during severe weather events.

This page is going to be updated with latest information, please visit often.

Resources:

January 2023 LRA Fox Hunt

Welcome to January 2023 fox hunt.
This is going to be an easy, drive up style, hunt with just one hidden transmitter.

We meet for breakfast at The Meadows Family Restaurant at 8am on Saturday morning January 14th and start the hunt at 10am by checking in to the net on LRA 2m repeater 147.270 + .6 PL 127.3.
If anyone has to cut out before 12pm, please let the Fox know. This way we will know how many people are participating.
The Fox may be also providing hints so please keep a radio tuned to this net at all times.

The hunt area

The hunt area is pretty large so there may be a decent amount of driving involved. Fox will be hidden with the transmitter, somewhere between Lake Michigan in the East, US highway 45 in the West, and between 7 mile Rd. in the North and State highway 50 in the South.

Transmitter

The transmitter will start transmitting at 10am for 15 seconds and repeat the sequence every 45 seconds until 12:00pm on 147.520MHz.

Scoring categories:
  1. Equipped – Hunter team using any kind of automatic direction finding equipment, such as Doppler, KrakenSDR, etc.
  2. SOP – Seat Of Pants – Hunt team using any kind of direction finding equipment from an HT radio to yagi antennas, attenuators, etc.

Winner is determined by the time of arrival. Member of the hunt team needs to come up and touch the Fox’s car. After the fox hunt we’ll go to some local establishment where we will celebrate and share our experiences and critique.