At the start point of Cajon Summit, Doug WA6RJN was
the only other Hunter. We did hear from Bob WA6JPI
recuperating at home and said he could hear the signal. From
the bearings, Doug indicated he thought Yucca Valley might
be where they were at, Deryl thought Big Bear. As we headed
toward Big Bear from the backside, it appeared to us that
Big Bear was the general area we would be hunting in. We
have not done well in this area on the last couple of hunts
that were there. We have had difficulty determining whether
the real signal was in front or behind us. Unfortunately
this was once again to be the case. After spending a long
while on a several mile long dirt road, going behind Onyx
Peak and coming around Onyx on the paved road and hearing
little to no signal from there, we determined we were on the
wrong side. But not before double checking on the dirt road
we had been on previously. After a short ways we were
satisfied we needed to get to the other side of the lake.
We eventually found Don & Steve at their vehicles
(Don had a new FJ). Deryl got his sniffer out and we found
the beam and the impressive looking transmitter equipment.
We went in search of another transmitter, along the way we
had passed some hardcore 4X4's, mostly Jeeps. We were on the
John Bull Trail, so the road was getting interesting and
difficult to traverse at points with only automatic 4WD with
standard road clearance that Deryl's Escape has. Don and
Steve were following us in Don's FJ, so we could be rescued
if we got into trouble. Eventually we got to a point that
had boulders on the the trail that were about as large as
Deryl's Escape. We pulled over. We were close. Deryl got his
sniffing device out, I had left mine at home. Above the
rocky trail ahead was a fairly steep slope, Deryl indicated
it was up the slope. I went up the slope and tried looking
for it visually with no luck. I was feeling a bit light
headed and dizzy. Deryl gave his sniffer to Don who was on
the slope with me and Don handed me the sniffer. It wasn't
much help because it was in a mode I could not get it out
of. At the steep angle of the slope and my dizziness, I had
to quit. I went back down by the vehicle and heard some
vehicles coming down the trail over the rocks. There were
several modified Jeeps and one brand new Jeep Wrangler 4
door, that the owner only had for a few days. We had a great
show, watching them coming over the rocks and a couple
getting stuck on their front differentials. We all took some
pictures and video of the spectacle.
We did not find that t, nor the other two. We did go
looking for the other two. Ending up at the other end of
John Bull Trail that was even worse and without Don behind
us to get us out of any predicaments. As we were driving
along we heard a loud BANG that sounded like a rock had hit
a window along the drivers side of the vehicle. A couple
minutes later we heard another BANG and saw an element from
the antenna come sliding down the windshield and resting in
the cowl on the drivers side by the wiper. Upon
investigation it was the front element of the antenna. Deryl
had repaired it in the past. Hmmmm.... could this have been
the front to back problems we have been having? We headed
home. Interesting hunt on some challenging roads, with a
great off road show. Thanks Don and Steve.
We only signed in at one t because it is the only one
we found. We have been accused of not signing in at t's we
have found. I can assure you this has never been the case
and it certainly wasn't this time either. At least one
location we have Don and Steve as witnesses that we did not
find the transmitter. If we find 'em we sign in.
-Ray