“I had no idea what I was getting myself into.” That’s how Michael Hart, KC6MEH, replied when I asked about his first time competing in USA’s national championships of Amateur Radio Direction Finding (ARDF). Michael had limited experience at first, but by the time he went home, he was enthusiastic and eager to teach the sport to hams and Scouts in his hometown.
KC6MEH was one of 26 male and 8 female foxhunters who traveled to eastern Texas in mid-April for the 22nd annual USA Radio-Orienteering Championships. They came from nine states plus Ontario, Canada. All competitions took place in the 3026-acre Cooper Lake State Park (CLSP) near Sulfur Springs, Texas, which is about 95 miles northeast of the Dallas/Fort Worth airport.
New Mexico Orienteers was the hosting organization, using maps provided by the North Texas Orienteering Association. The Event Director was Jerry Boyd, WB8WFK; course designers were Nadia Schlarlau, KO4ADV (sprints), and Charles Scharlau, NZØI (all others). Additional logistics and communications support was provided by Backwoods Orienteering Klub and White Rock Lake Amateur Radio Club.
The main feature of CLSP is Jim Chapman Lake, a popular summer destination for boating, fishing, swimming and water skiing. The foxhunting courses were by the south shore. Tent and RV camping was available. Non-campers stayed in nearby hotels.
The gathering point each day was a group shelter on the lakeshore. Practice, training and equipment testing took place on Wednesday, April 19, with transmitters on two-meter AM and 80-meter CW, in accordance with the detailed rules developed over three decades by
