Where To Hide February 2003
The month had arrived when Deryl N6AIN and Ray N6EKS were due
to hide. Deryl suggested the San Diego area and Ray agreed because the
annual Antique & Classic Car Swap Meet at QualComm Stadium was to be
held that particular weekend and he could go on Friday to take a look around.
Deryl had seen some potential areas while hunting the previous
month All Day. So we went searching for and found the main spot, only to
discover that it now has a sign that indicated the road was private and
permission to pass from owners was required. However, they did not say
whom to contact for permission. So that was out.
The next spot now had a new gate across it. Seems this is not
unusual. After a transmitter hunt happens, soon there after, there are
signs and gates. Oh well so much for the mountains, how about the desert.
Ray wanted to stay in the San Diego area for the old car swap
meet. We also thought it may well be raining as the extended forecast showed
a strong possibility of the wet stuff. The last 2 All Days we hid
were in the midst of downpours.
It didn't look like we could get a signal back to P.V. from around
the stadium. After looking at a map during dinner at Spires in Escondido,
we thought that along the coast from La Jolla we should be able to get
a signal back to the start point.
After fighting traffic thru La Jolla, it was obvious that this would
probably not work due to congestion, parking, cost, etc. We went on up
the coast, got in the "loop" of UCSD and drove around there in circles,
until finally making our way out and on thru Torrey Pines. Lots of good
spots all marked "AREA CLOSED" and /or NO PARKING. As we drove thru these
areas we were able to key up a 2 meter repeater on P.V. with the mobile
rig in the Land Rover, so we had a hunch we would be heard at the start
- we hoped.
We drove on thru Del Mar and concluded that we could probably find some
motel/hotel along the coast in the area. We would need to look at the maps
and search for a place via the Auto Club and the Internet. We headed on
North back home.
After doing some homework in
guidebooks and the internet, we narrowed it down to a couple of places
and then after a couple of phone calls, we made reservations at the Del
Mar Motel. We thought if it rained, we could get a room facing the ocean
and have the main transmitter in the room.
THE HIDE
Friday - Ray went to the old car
swap meet at QualComm Stadium. Deryl had a bit of a false start after reaching
Long Beach. He realized he had forgotten the amplifier, so he had to go
back home and get it. We met at the Del Mar Motel around 3:15 pm. We were
having some intermittent luck bringing up a couple of open repeaters from
the mobile rigs in the vehicles, in the motel parking lot.
We went in the Rover in search of
some possible sites to place some transmitters. After driving around for
a couple of hours we didn't have much luck. We decided to have dinner at
Milton's Deli and Restaurant. The name of the restaurant seemed appropriate
being SK WA6FAT hunter extrodinare's name. We decided that we would find
appropriate places to scatter Ts after the main T was going and the hunt
was underway in the morning. There was a beautiful sunset out over the
ocean and no hint of rain.
Saturday - After breakfast Deryl
was attempting to bring up repeaters on P.V. with his old base station
Diamond vertical antenna mounted thru the t-hunt mast hole in the Jimmy.
This would be the main hidden transmitter's antenna. A 2AT driving the
amplifier was transmitting approximately 60 watts into a 6 db gain antenna.
From where we sat, it looked on the map that it was 135 degrees from the
start point directly over the water to us. Some sort of signal should be
heard at the start point. We got a little nervous when we were having problems
bring up the repeaters on P.V. consistently so we decided to try to reach
someone who might be on the hill at about a quarter to 10 am. No response
over the t-hunt frequency. So Deryl looked thru his cell phone list of
hunters who might be on the hill. He reached Wayne KC6TNJ and by about
10:05 am it was determined that definitely a number of teams were able
to hear the transmitter in the church parking lot. Hallelujah!
After securing the Jimmy, we went
off in the Rover in search of locations to place more transmitters. After
more wandering with the map as our guide and having no luck finding locations
that were not marked or looked okay to place a transmitter unbothered.
We decided to go to where else - Black Mountain. As we headed up the road
that was the direct route to where we wanted to go, it was closed off.
We were going to have to go around and approach it from the other side.
We saw on the map, a park that was on the side that we were on, so we decided
to check it out. The park was very busy with lots of people, but just up
the hill there was a walking path. Ah-ha, that looks good so we hiked up
past a high voltage tower and placed a transmitter in a bush off of the
path. On the way back down the road, just around the corner from the park
we placed a micro t along the side of the road in some bushes.
After that transmitter was placed,
Ray realized he did not have the key to lock his T's contents from being
taken (which included a 2AT) or the box itself to anything. So he
turned it on and left it in the vehicle. We headed back to the motel and
waited for hunters to start arriving. Before Ray had decided what to do
with his transmitter in the Rover, teams started arriving. Not wanting
to give away the location, at first Ray did not turn off the transmitter
in the Rover. But after there were 3 teams wandering around, Deryl
went down and thought that since there was no sign-in sheet for that transmitter,
it was causing unneeded confusion to the hunters, so it was turned off.
We apologize for any confusion or frustration with that transmitter.
Thank you for hunting and we hope
you had fun.
Deryl N6AIN & Ray N6EKS