1. FOX HUNTS (Mobile, Pedestrian, or Combination)

A Fox Hunt is a sophisticated, high-tech version of the childhood game of “Hide-N-Go Seek.” The person hiding is called the Fox. The persons hunting are called Hounds. The Fox uses his amateur radio to transmit regularly timed taunts to the Hounds. The Hounds use amateur radio direction finding equipment and techniques to locate him.

General Description:

Day & Time: Fox Hunts are usually held on Saturdays at various times.

Starting Location: The starting location will be a large parking area. He exact location depends upon the Hunt Boundary and will be announced by the Hunt Master in advanced.

Time Limit: Fox Hunts usually last between 1 and 4 hours, depending upon the size of the Hunt Boundary and the hiding location chosen by the Fox. The Time Limit will be announced by the Hunt Master in advanced.

Search Distance: The potential distance hunters may end up covering during any given hunt will depend greatly upon their RDF skills, but will be limited by the event's specific Hunt Boundary.

Hunt Boundary: The Hunt Boundary will either be given as:

A. A distance in miles from the center point of a circle, with the center point being the starting location.

or

B. A boundary, such as the city limits of a town, or an entire county, or in some cases a geographical boundary, such as a national or state forest/park.

Whistles: Since many of the areas where we hold Pedestrian Fox Hunts and Combination Fox Hunts are out of cell phone area, please bring a whistle to use in case you get lost.

Hunt Frequency: 146.565 simplex is our standard Fox Hunt frequency. However, occasionally we may use a different frequency.

Transmitter Power: The power setting used will be determined by the type of Fox Hunt and the Hunt Boundary. Mobile Foxes will be using the mobile rig in their vehicle. Pedestrian Foxes will be using a hand held radio (HT). The larger the boundary, the more power needed to be heard by the Hounds. In most cases, directional antennas (yagis, quads, or loops) will be needed to pick up the Fox’s signal. Foxes are not allowed to change their power setting during the hunt. (The only exception is when going from mobile to pedestrian, during a Combination Fox Hunt)

Odometer Conversion Factor: In order to have a fair Efficiency Ranking, all participants in our mobile Fox Hunts and mobile T-Hunts are required to obtain the Odometer Conversion Factor of any automobile they will be using during our hunts.

Odometers are notorious for being slightly off, which means any two different automobiles may drive the exact same distance, but have different accrued mileage on their odometers. The farther they drive the greater the discrepancy.

During all of our mobile Fox Hunts and mobile T-hunts, we use each vehicle’s Odometer Conversion Factor, and a simple calculation, to negate odometer discrepancies and insure that everyone has an equal and fair chance.

To obtain your vehicle's Conversion Factor you must drive it along a specific Conversion Factor Course on highway 80, which we have already precisely measured. All vehicles must use this exact same course to obtain their Conversion Factor. Once you obtain the Conversion Factor for your vehicle, write it down. Don't lose it and you wont ever have to drive the Conversion Factor course again for that specific vehicle. It is recommend that you obtain your Conversion Factor long before the start of any of our mobile hunts (on a different day is even better).

To obtain your hunt vehicle’s Conversion Factor, you will need to drive it along the following exact course on Highway 80, while recording your odometer reading:

Conversion Factor Starting Point: N 32° 17.044' W 90° 11.586' On Highway 80 in Jackson heading East. Start at the white line at the stoplight at Gallatin Street. At this exact starting spot (the white line), before driving forward, zero your Trip Odometer or write down the total mileage.

Conversion Factor Ending Point N 32° 17.020' W 90° 1.097' Drive east on Highway 80 until you reach the white line at the stoplight at Eastgate Dr. in Brandon. At this exact ending spot (the white line), before driving forward, write down the mileage accrued on your Odometer.

If you zeroed out your Trip Odometer at the start point, then the mileage showing on your Trip Odometer at the end point is your vehicle's Odometer Conversion Factor.

If you used your full odometer, then you will need to subtract the starting mileage you wrote down from the ending mileage you wrote down, and the difference will be your vehicle's Odometer Conversion Factor.

Please give your Conversion Factor to the Fox when you participate in our mobile Fox Hunts and mobile T-Hunts. Also, please email a copy to the HuntMaster: info@MSRDF.com

Whichever method you used, your Conversion Factor will be close to 10 miles, give or take a tenth or two. (Note: We used a Ford Crown Vic Police Cruiser with a Certified Odometer to measure the exact distance of the course. So if you try to improve you ranking by claiming a grossly inaccurate Conversion Factor, we will know.)

Fox Planning: Persons wishing to be the Fox during MSRDF Fox Hunts, must carefully plan in advanced: the hunt starting location (a large parking lot), their driving (and/or walking) route, and their eventual hiding spot. Use a map to plan, then follow up with one or more timed dry runs to make sure the hunt meets hunter expectations.

Fox Hunter Classifications:

Mississippi Radio Direction Finding uses the following Classifications for award purposes and our member points system. The Individual Hunter Classification is always included in each of our Fox Hunts and T-Hunts. Some of our events include one or more of the Team Classifications. In Hunts which include two or more classifications, participants must declare which classification they wish to enter when they sign in at the start of the event.

1. Individual Hunter: This includes individuals hunting by themselves. This classification also includes families, couples, or friends, who want to hunt together. These groupings may register as an Individual Hunter, as long as all of the members in their group stay together throughout the entire event, and all share only one RDF radio and antenna among them. When an Individual Hunter wins an award, he also receives MSRDF Member Points.

2. Pedestrian Team: Pedestrian Fox Hunt Team members may hunt together, or split up to triangulate on the Fox from different locations. Team members may also use radios to coordinate their hunt, as long as they use a frequency which is not close to that used by the Fox, and do not give out GPS coordinates or bearings over the radio. In some areas, where teams have cell phone coverage they may send text messages to each other conveying coordinates and bearings. However, teams need to have a back up plan, because not all of the areas where we hold Pedestrian Fox Hunts at will have good cell phone coverage. (Pedestrian Triangulation: One tried and true Pedestrian Team hunt method, is for a team’s members to split up and deploy to pre-agreed upon GPS coordinates, take bearings on the Fox from those coordinates, and then reconvene with the group at a pre-agreed upon location and time, to draw each other’s bearings on their own map, and thus triangulate on the most likely location of the Fox. Sometimes teams are faster than individuals due to faster triangulation, but the need to reconnoiter and reconvene can slow them down, if they don’t develop a good plan.) When a Pedestrian Team wins an award, they all share the one team award. However, individual members of the team will receive MSRDF Member Points. If you don't want to share the victory, or an award, participate as an Individual Hunter

3. Class One Mobile Team: Class One Mobile Teams consist of one vehicle. All Class One team members must ride in the same vehicle throughout the entire event. Usually, they each play a different role in the team: Driver, Navigator (Map Reader), Antenna Worker, etc. They may each have their own RDF radios and antennas, but do not have to. When a Class One Mobile Team wins an award, they all share the one team award. However, individual members of the team will receive MSRDF Member Points. If you don't want to share the victory, or an award, participate as an Individual Hunter

4. Class Two Mobile Team: Class Two Mobile Teams consist of two, or at most, three vehicles. Each of the vehicles can have as many persons in it as it will hold. Each vehicle must have its own RDF equipment. Multiple vehicles work together to triangulate the exact location of the Fox. (Class Two Team Triangulation: Each vehicle in a Class Two Team deploys to a different location to take bearings, shares their bearings with the group, the group draws all of the bearings onto a map, where the bearing lines cross is a very good indication of where the Fox is located.) Class Two Mobile Team members may also use radios to coordinate their hunt, as long as they use a frequency which is not close to that used by the Fox, and do not give out GPS coordinates or bearings over the radio. In some areas, where teams have cell phone coverage they may send text messages to each other conveying coordinates and bearings. However, teams need to have a back up plan, because not all of the areas where we hold Pedestrian Fox Hunts at will have good cell phone coverage. When a Class Two Mobile Team wins an award, they all share the one team award. However, individual members of the team will receive MSRDF Member Points. If you don't want to share the victory, or an award, participate as an Individual Hunter

Rules:

Just a few:

Do not let your competitive nature get in the way of anyone else enjoying the event. Its just a game, lighten up and have fun.

Individuals and Teams are not allowed to assists other Individuals and Teams.

The decisions of the Hunt Master and in lieu of him, the Fox are final.

No arguing or complaining. We are here to have fun.

Do not break the law, trespass, or drive over the speed limit.

Any participant who beaks, or attempt to circumvent, the written rules, instructions, conventions, and procedures given on MSRDF.com and/or given verbally by the HuntMaster and his representatives (The Fox), will be disqualified from ranking, awards, and points in the event. In certain egregious cases individuals may be disqualified from participating in future events.

SPECIFCS OF THE THREE FOX HUNT VARIATIONS (Mobile, Pedestrian, and Combination):

Mobile Fox Hunt Description: The goal in a Mobile Fox Hunt is to find the Fox as efficiently as possible, the focus being on using good radio direction finding technique, navigation strategy, and finding the Fox with the lowest mileage driven.

All of the Hunters (Hounds) will meet the Fox at the Starting Location at the Hunt Start Time and register for the event. At that time all of the participants must give their vehicle's Odometer Reading, and previously obtained Odometer Conversion Factor to the Fox.

After recording all of the participants’ Odometer Readings and Conversion Factors, the Fox will announce the Hunt Frequency, the Hunt Boundary, Hunt Time Limit, Transmitter Power, and time he will begin transmitting.

The Fox will then begin driving his vehicle around within the Hunt Boundary. After he has gotten off to a good head start (approximately 10 minutes), he will begin transmitting. As soon as the begins transmitting the Hounds are free to leave the starting location and track him down. Before doing so they should get a good bearing on his signal.

The Hounds are not allowed to transmit on the Fox frequency, until released to do so by the Fox 30 minutes before the Hunt Time Limit Ends.

The Fox will continue driving around within the Hunt Boundary for 15 to 20 minutes after he begins transmitting. He will alternate 1 minute of non-stop transmission, followed by 5 minutes of radio silence. The Fox will repeat this for the duration of his drive. (He may want to set a timer to help him keep up with when he is supposed to transmit.)

The person playing the role of the Fox, may use the tactical call sign "The Fox" during his transmissions. However, per FCC rules the Fox must identify with his call sign at the beginning of his first transmission, every 10 minutes, and at the end of his final transmission.

All of his transmissions will begin with "This is "CALLSIGN", calling all Hounds, Calling all Hounds, this is the Fox in the Mississippi Radio Direction Finding Fox Hunt." He will then follow that with polite taunts to the Hounds chasing him, or recite poetry, or scripture verses, or just talk about whatever is on his mind, as long as it is family friendly, non-controversial, and non-political. Whatever he says, he must keep it up for 1 minute non-stop.

Around 15 to 20 minutes after he first began transmitting, the Fox will stop at his intended hiding location. Once stopped, he will continue to alternate 1 minute of non-stop transmission, followed by 5 minutes of radio silence. Once stationary, if the Fox runs out of things to say, he may choose to read out loud during his transmissions, from a book, magazine article, or chapter of the bible, (anything family friendly, non-controversial, and non-political). He continues in this fashion, alternating transmissions and radio silence until all of the Hounds have found him.

As the Hounds find him, they must sign the Fox Log Book (with call-sign, name, time, and their ending odometer mileage). Ranking and awards will be based upon the order in which you sign the log book. So always get out of your vehicle and sign the logbook as soon as you arrive at the Fox.

Thirty minutes before the Time Limit ends all of the Hounds who have not yet found the Fox will be allowed to begun working together as one large group to locate the Fox. At that time the Fox will announce "The Hounds are all now free to work together as one group to find me and are free to use this frequency to coordinate hunting together, sharing bearings, GPS locations, rendezvous locations, and other information."

Fifteen minutes before the Time Limit ends, or after 90% of the Hounds have found the Fox, whichever comes first, the Fox will begin offering hints as to his location. The hints given will be in the form of landmarks within a quarter mile of the Fox's location.

We want all of the participants to find the Fox, sign the Log Book, and attend the Awards Ceremony. So five minutes before the Time Limit ends, the Fox will reveal his exact hiding location using landmarks and his exact GPS coordinates (obtained from a Handheld GPS, or a Smart-phone Ap) and give specific driving directions to anyone who has not yet found him.

After all of the participants have arrived, the Fox (or HuntMaster) will hand out the Awards.

Sometimes, the Fox will choose to hide in the parking lot of a restaurant, If so the Awards will be handed out inside the restaurant, where everyone can enjoy eating or refreshments while sharing stories about their hunting experience. (Depending upon the time of day being held, Fox Hunts which are planned to end at a restaurant will be called "Breakfast Bunch Fox Hunt", or "Lunch Bunch Fox Hunt" by Mississippi Radio Direction Finding, so that participants can make plans in advanced.)

During pleasant weather, we will occasionally host Picnic Mobile Fox Hunts, where the hiding spot will be at a park. Participants will be invited to bring a picnic lunch to enjoy during the awards ceremony. Picnic Mobile Fox Hunts a great way to involve the entire family.

In the rare event that the Fox is found while still driving to his intended hiding spot, the Fox will acknowledge the finder, then continue driving to his intended hiding spot. (The Hound may then follow the Fox to his hiding spot, or wait until the Fox is out of sight and attempt to DF the Fox again. Either way, his order in the found ranking has already been secured.)

In Mobile Fox Hunts, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Place Awards will be given based on Mileage Accrued during the hunt, and ordered from lowest to highest odometer reading (after the conversion is factored in). In the event of a tie, the tie will be broken based on the order in which participants sign the Fox’s Log Sheet. Always sign the Log Sheet as soon as you find the Fox.

In Mobile Fox Hunts, everyone riding in the same vehicle is considered a team. One medal is given to the team (not to each person on the team). To put it another way, only one medal will be awarded per vehicle. If there is more than one person in the vehicle, the team will have to decide which member gets to take home the medal. If you are very competitive and don't want to share the victory, or a medal with teammates, hunt alone.

Pedestrian Fox Hunt Description: The goal of a Pedestrian Fox Hunt is the find the Fox as quickly as possible, the focus being on time, speed, and order of arrival at the Fox. Since this event is held on foot, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Place Awards are given based solely on time, specifically the order in which participants sign the Fox’s Log Sheet. Always sign the Log Sheet as soon as you find the Fox.

Families & Couples may Pedestrian Fox Hunt together as a group in the Individual Category, provided they are all sharing one direction finding radio and hunt antenna. However, if they have two or more direction finding radios and hunt antennas, and want to stay together as a group, they will need to register as a Team in tree Team Category.

Pedestrian events are usually held in State or National Parks or Forests, or other locations with woods and trails. Some of these places require a modest ($4) entrance fee per vehicle, payable at the gate. The locations that do so are very nice places for hunts and well worth the entrance fee. A few are held in urban areas.

After everyone has signed in, the Fox will announce the Hunt Frequency, the Hunt Boundary, Hunt Time Limit, Transmitter Power, and time he will begin transmitting. He will then be given a 20 minute head start walking/hiking off into the woods, before he is required to start transmitting. As soon as he begins transmitting the Hounds are free to leave the starting location. The Pedestrian Fox will use the same alternation of transmitting and radio silence as used in Mobile Fox Hunts.

The Fox will walk/hike around within the Hunt Boundary for 15 to 20 minutes after he begins transmitting. He will alternate 1 minute of non-stop transmission, followed by 5 minutes of radio silence. Around 15 to 20 minutes after he began transmitting, the Fox will stop at his intended hiding location. Once stopped, he will continue to alternate 1 minute of non-stop transmission, followed by 5 minutes of radio silence. He continues in this fashion, alternating transmissions and radio silence until all of the Hounds have found him.

If the Fox is found while still walking/hiking to his intended hiding spot, the spot where he is found becomes his stationary hiding spot.

As the Hounds find him, they will sign the Fox Log Book in the order in which they found him.

Thirty minutes before the Time Limit ends all of the Hounds who have not yet found the Fox will be allowed to begin working together as one large group to locate the Fox. At that time the Fox will announce "The Hounds are all now free to work together as one group to find me and are free to use this frequency to coordinate hunting together, sharing bearings, GPS locations, rendezvous locations, and other information."

Fifteen minutes before the Time Limit ends, or after 90% of the Hounds have found the Fox, whichever comes first, the Fox will transmit his exact GPS location (obtained from a Handheld GPS, or a Smart-phone Ap), and any recognizable landmarks near him. He will also dispatch Hounds who have already found him to assist those who have not. We want all of the participants to find the Fox, sign the Log Book, and attend the Awards Ceremony.

After all of the participants have arrived, the Fox (or HuntMaster) will hand out the Awards. Sometimes, folks will bring food or refreshments to enjoy afterwards, while sharing stories about their hunting experience. A Picnic Pedestrian Fox Hunt is a great way to involve the entire family.

Combination Fox Hunt Description: The goal in a Combination Fox Hunt is to find the Fox mobile and on foot as quickly as possible, the focus being on time, speed, and order of arrival at the Fox. Since this event starts out mobile, but ends on foot, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Place Awards are given based on time, specifically the order in which participants sign the Fox’s Log Sheet. Always sign the Log Sheet as soon as you find the Fox.

Families & Couples may Combination Fox Hunt together on foot as a group provided they are all sharing one direction finding radio and hunt antenna. However, if they have two or more direction finding radios and hunt antennas, they will be competing against each other separately once they go on foot. (They may, of course ride in the same hunt vehicle, and while doing so, work together to locate the place where they will need to go on foot.)

Pedestrian events always start out in a large parking lot. They usually end in a park or wooded area where there are trails. Occasionally it will be a state or national park or forest which charges a modest ($4) entrance fee per vehicle, payable at the gate. The locations that do so are very nice places for hunts and well worth the entrance fee. Since the Fox doesn't want to clue you into his intended pedestrian destination, he will not be able to alert you to the fact that you might have to pay a vehicle entrance fee. So have a few dollars on hand, just in case. A few Combination Hunts will end in urban areas.

After all of the participants sign in, the Fox will announce the Hunt Frequency, the Hunt Boundary, Hunt Time Limit, Transmitter Power, and time he will begin transmitting.

The Fox will then begin driving his vehicle around within the Hunt Boundary. After he has gotten off to a good head start (approximately 10 minutes), he will begin transmitting. As soon as the begins transmitting the Hounds are free to leave the starting location and track him down. Before doing so they should get a good bearing on his signal.

The Hounds are not allowed to transmit on the Fox frequency, until released to do so by the Fox 30 minutes before the Hunt Time Limit Ends.

In a Combination Fox Hunt, the Fox drives around in his vehicle, within the Hunt Boundary for 15 to 20 minutes while alternating between 1 minute of non-stop transmission, followed by 5 minutes of radio silence. After 15-20 minutes of driving, the Fox parks his vehicle. After parking, the Fox leaves his vehicle carrying an HT and begins walking/hiking while alternating between 1 minute of non-stop transmission, followed by 5 minutes of radio silence. After walking/hiking for 15 to 20 minutes, the Fox sits down at his intended hiding spot and remains there where he continues alternating between 1 minute of non-stop transmission, followed by 5 minutes of radio silence. until all of the Hounds have found him.

In the rare event that the Fox is found while still driving to his intended hiding spot, the Fox will acknowledge the finder, then continue driving to his intended walking/hiking spot. (The Hound may then follow the Fox to his hiding spot, or wait until the Fox is out of sight and attempt to DF the Fox again, either way, his order in the found ranking has already been secured.) If the Fox is found while still walking/hiking to his intended hiding spot, the spot where he is found becomes his stationary hiding spot.

As the Hounds find him, they will sign the Fox Log Book in the order in which they found him.

Thirty minutes before the Time Limit ends all of the Hounds who have not yet found the Fox will be allowed to begin working together as one large group to locate the Fox. At that time the Fox will announce "The Hounds are all now free to work together as one group to find me and are free to use this frequency to coordinate hunting together, sharing bearings, GPS locations, rendezvous locations, and other information."

Fifteen minutes before the Time Limit ends, or after 90% of the Hounds have found the Fox, whichever comes first, the Fox will transmit his exact GPS location (obtained from a Handheld GPS, or a Smart-phone Ap), and any recognizable landmarks near him. He will also dispatch Hounds who have already found him to assist those who have not. We want all of the participants to find the Fox, sign the Log Book, and attend the Awards Ceremony.

After all of the participants have arrived, the Fox (or HuntMaster) will hand out the Awards. Sometimes, folks will bring food or refreshments to enjoy afterwards, while sharing stories about their hunting experience. A Picnic Combination Fox Hunt is a great way to involve the entire family.

Team Competition Category: In addition to the Individual Competition Category, which all of our events have, the Hunt Master may, at his discretion (if he has the extra awards), also add a Team Competition Category to Pedestrian Fox Hunts, and award 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place medals to Teams. In a Pedestrian Fox Hunt, teams consist of 2 or 3 persons, who registered as a Team at the start of the event.

Pedestrian Fox Hunt Teams may hunt together, or split up to triangulate on the Fox from different locations. Team members may also use radios to coordinate their hunt, as long as they use a frequency which is not close to that used by the Fox, and do not give out GPS coordinates or bearings over the radio. In some areas, where teams have cell phone coverage they may send text messages to each other conveying coordinates and bearings. However, teams need to have a back up plan, because not all of the areas where we hold Pedestrian Fox Hunts at will have good cell phone coverage.

One tried and true method, is for a team’s members to split up and deploy to pre-agreed upon GPS coordinates, take bearings on the Fox from those coordinates, and then reconvene with the group at a pre-agreed upon location and time, to draw each other’s bearings on their own map, and thus triangulate on the most likely location of the Fox. Sometimes teams are faster than individuals due to faster triangulation, but the need to reconnoiter and reconvene can slow them down, if they don’t develop a good plan.

One medal is given to a team (not to each person on the team) which places 1st, 2nd, or 3rd. If you are very competitive and don't want to share the victory, or a medal with teammates, hunt as an Individual.

If the Team Competition Category is offered, you must either register as an Individual or as a Team. Hunters registered as Individuals do not qualify for Team Medals. Hunters who registered as a Team, do not qualify for Individual Medals.

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