“Fox Hunting” is an activity that amateur radio operators participate in, where they develop and use radio direction finding techniques and skills to locate a hidden transmitter. It can be done alone or with a group, over small and rather large areas.
What am I looking for?
A ‘fox’ transmitter is placed in a hidden location, transmitting on a specified frequency and often for only a short time (15-30secs) over a given internal (ex. 20 secs every 3 minutes). The objective is to use your radio to find the location of the hidden ‘fox. Our club’s foxes have a QR code that direct you to a site where your ‘find’ is logged. Residential areas are generally off-limits, but otherwise accessible locations are fair game.
Equipment
While there are a number of ways to locate a hidden transmitter, many hams use a Yagi directional antenna – due to its directional properties. A popular home-built design is constructed on a PVC pipe frame with (metal) measuring tape elements for a low-cost solution. Add a handheld radio with a signal strength meter and you’re set.
Where to Hunt
A couple of our local amateur radio clubs conduct regular ‘Fox Hunts’ to give participants an opportunity to hone their radio direction finding skills and have a good time while doing so.
- My own Fox – Steve
- Felicia the Fox – McKinney Amateur Radio Club
- Richardson Wireless Klub (my regular club and weekly hunt -2 Foxes)
- North Texas Amateur Radio Direction Finding – Regional Information
In other areas, check with your local ham radio club for information on availability.