Top Band (160m) Multi-TX Experiment 
Reasons:
1. I enjoy both the car based 160m DFs requiring long distance navigation and the newer 2/80m on foot events.
2. Unfortunately the Colchester area has few large woods available where a completely on foot DF could be staged.
3. Top Band DF is not attracting newcomers - in my view this is due to the level of difficulty, continually increased to satisfy those with years of experience.
Aims:
1. To develop a style of event which can be attempted at many levels, thus offering success and challenge for young, old, beginner and experienced DFers.
2. To incorporate the best aspects of both styles of event.
3. To allow the use of a wide variety of sites.
Solution:
The links below will show what I came up with. |
| GENERAL INFORMATION |
Use the links in this table if you are coming to one our events for the first time and want to understand how it works. |
| General Description |
Basic principles, types of transmitter, outline of rules. |
| Tickets |
Detailed description of a scoring system using tickets - replaces the punches used in early competitions. |
| Operators |
Points to consider when setting up an event. |
| Sounds |
The Morse stream sent by a sequence of Mini-Txs H, I, J, K, L. Only the single letter ID matters in the competition. |
| LATEST EVENT INFORMATION |
|
Mid Essex Trophy 11/10/09
|
Times, frequencies and summary of tasks for this 10 Tx event. |
Pocket Schedule 11/10/09
|
Essential information needed on site (frequencies, times, Morse reminder). |
| Guide |
A detailed walk through of what you may expect on 11/10/09 - hopefully useful to newcomers. |
| Report |
The story of the Hares and the Tortoise |
| EQUIPMENT |
Manuals for the equipment used by the Colchester Club. |
| Mini Tx |
User manual for those running events |
| Maxi Keyer |
Auto timer and keyer which may be attached to any solid state Tx or even a valve one with some operator support. |
| Micro Tx |
Not much detail, but then how much do you need for an on/off switch? |
| HISTORY OF EVENTS |
This style of competition is evolving, the historic reports below have slightly different formats.
Newcomers may wish to read those marked with an * to get a feel for these competitions.
The Chelmsford and double events used the full Midi-Tx format.
The Colchester
evenings had one Tx as usual but Minis and Micros were put out so that people could get used to them after they had completed the main competition. This taught as much, good and bad about the use of unmanned stations.
|
| 19/09/08 Chelmsford |
First ever use of a remote Tx in by our club - birth of an idea. |
| 03/10/08 Colchester |
First test of a synthesised Mini Tx, it was no problem but ... |
| Mid Essex 2008 |
A Maxi and a Mini one each of three sites, yes 6 Txs! This used punches, tickets now preferred. |
| Snowman 2009 |
Snowman DF. Two sites, run by Andrew and Richard. 6 Txs on 2 sites (Maxi, Mini and Micro on each). |
| Chelmsford Evening |
First new style Chelmsford evening event. Philip with a Maxi, Mini and a Micro on one site. |
| Colchester with test |
I used the end of a normal Colchester evening event to test out 5 Mini Txs time multiplexed on 1960 KHz. (Main Tx on 1910 KHz). |
| Sunday May 10th |
First single site Sunday. Andrew set up a Maxi, 3 Minis and a Micro for his Chelmsford event. * |
| May Colchester Event |
Tim's Colchester event had 4 Minis added for fun only! Nettle soup anyone? |
| June Colchester |
Ian used something called a valve to get us close then *&%$* more practice with 4 Minis and a Micro - good pictures of equipment.. Some competitors had fun, others were ..................................... distracted, ..... who me?! |
| July Colchester |
Philip with Main station and two micros for fun. Navigator Graham got to use a DF set. Micros are excellent for training. |
| Aug Chelmsford |
Tim with Maxi, 2 Minis and a Micro. I managed to win with a useless strategy but others used even worse ones. *
I may struggle next year when the others work out the rules - better change them before then! |
| Sept Colchester |
Peter with 5 Minis added for fun. The main task was just to find the one Tx. Shame really, this would have made a superb Chelmsford (Multi-tx event).
Excellent site, nice tricks in Tx placement. Philip has just started to get the hang of this, and clearly I have lost my touch. |
| Sept Chelmsford |
Inspired by Peter's event Ian really goes for it with a Maxi (still with those glass thingies inside), 5 Minis and Micro in a dense wood and without even a moon to show us the way.
Not only could we not find the Txs, even the cars were a problem. We have been searching for definitions of difficulty with this new sport and this event explored the limits. If you think Multi-Tx is for wimps read this, but if you can't stand grown men bleeding, whining and being deprived of alcohol then this report should be avoided. |
| October 11 |
The Mid Essex 2009 - Ten Stations, Two Sites |
| THANKS |
to The British Top Band DF Association for almost 30 years of commando style training.
to Bob Titterington G3ORY for introducing me to 'IARU style DF'. I just wish we had the woods for it in Essex..
Many ideas were gleaned from my experiences in 2m / 80m events in the Birmingham area.
to ON7YD for some initial circuit inspiration
to Paul Clark G0BTH for much advice and loads of work in producing a synthesised Mini Tx when I found that 1960KHz crystals are even more rare than my DF wins.
to the members of my local club for being the guinea pigs and enduring long evenings, even longer reports and severe alcohol deprivation.
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