They came from 15 states and four foreign countries. In their suitcases were radio sets, antennas, sun block and running shoes, but they left some room in hopes of taking home a medal or two. They were the hams and future hams — ranging from age 12 to older than 70 — who went to Southwest Ohio in the third week of May for the 10^th Annual USA Championships of Amateur Radio Direction Finding (ARDF).

ARDF is done on 80 meter CW and 2 meter AM in separate events, each with five “fox” transmitters. Your mission is to find your assigned foxes, depending on which of the 11 age/gender categories you are in. Each transmitter is on for one minute at a time in a five-fox cycle that repeats. You must find your way on foot with just your direction-finding gear, the map you’re given and your compass. GPS help is not allowed. Read more here.

http://​www​.arrl​.org/​n​e​w​s​/​a​r​d​f​-​u​p​d​a​t​e​-​r​a​d​i​o​-​f​o​x​h​u​n​t​e​r​s​-​f​i​n​d​-​t​h​e​i​r​-​c​h​a​m​p​i​o​n​s​-​i​n​-​o​hio

Thanks to ARRL and ARRL ARDF Coordinator Joe Moell, K0OV for the text and photo.

Also available in Español (Spanish).