Fox Hunting 2023

Archive

Our first year of fox hunting, with two hunts.

Sunday, July 30, 2023: King's Mill Park North

Base camp was in King's Mill Park North, with one fox to the north and one to the south. The south fox was a 15 mW Byonics unit and the north fox a 1 watt Byonics unit.

Nobody found the north fox. Hills, reflections, and the Humber River all worked against the hunters. Ian VE3INP found the south fox in about 15 minutes. Wayne VE3FMB, Walter VA3WJO, Jason VE3PLJ, and Carlos VA3CRL found it after about 40 minutes.

Congratulations to Ian for the fastest find, and thanks to the fox hunt committee and everyone who came out.

Map of the Humber River valley around King's Mill Park, with stars marking the two fox locations and a marker for base camp Group of club members posing in lawn chairs on the grass at base camp, with two dogs in front Base camp table with a transceiver, a small monitor, an orange equipment case, and a yellow dry bag, with trees behind Mobile transceiver tuned to 146.985 MHz on a table at base camp, with an orange equipment case behind it Hunter walking along the edge of a parking lot holding a handheld antenna Two hunters walking down a park road holding directional antennas, with apartment towers ahead Two hunters walking away along a quiet park road lined with trees, toward apartment towers Looking straight up through tall tree branches toward the sun Two large tree trunks in shaded woods along the Humber River Brown and white beagle sitting on the grass at base camp

Sunday, April 23, 2023: Marie Curtis Park and Lakeshore Park

This was the club's first fox hunt, held 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM across Marie Curtis Park, Lakeshore Park, and the Arsenal Lands.

Three foxes ran at different power levels, spaced 20 kHz apart. When everyone found a fox, it moved and went back into the hunt. An event captain on 147.400 MHz simplex gave clues, and the winner took home a virtual club trophy.

Info sheet (PDF) · Park map

Base camp with a white pop-up canopy and members on the grass at Marie Curtis Park, with Lake Ontario behind Chalkboard sign reading Radio Transmitter Fox Hunt, Become a Federally Certified Amateur Op, www.skywide.ca Base camp canopy with a chalkboard sign reading Skywide Amateur Radio Club Base Camp 147.400 MHz White canopy over tables of radio gear at base camp, with a member seated at the table Base camp table with a handheld radio, laptop, keyboard, and mobile transceiver, with the lake behind Two club members chatting under a white canopy at base camp beside the lake Smiling club member in a green jacket and red scarf beside a yellow tape measure Yagi antenna on a table Hunter in a cap holding a handheld radio and a Yagi antenna with purple elements in the park Hunter in a flat cap aiming a homemade Yagi antenna across the park Hunter in rubber boots and a small child in a green jacket standing on the grass by the waterfront Handheld radio, ring-shaped loop antenna, and other gear laid out on a camp cot on the grass

The parks from above

Aerial view of Marie Curtis Park with Etobicoke Creek running toward Lake Ontario, paths and bare spring trees on both banks
Marie Curtis Park, the eastern zone
Aerial view of open meadow at the Arsenal Lands with a historic water tower, a parking lot, paths, and Lake Ontario in the distance
Lakeshore Park and the Arsenal Lands, the western zone
Aerial view of Etobicoke Creek meeting Lake Ontario, with parkland on both sides of a road bridge Aerial view of Marie Curtis Park beside the creek, with neighbourhood streets alongside Aerial view of apartment towers beside a busy road bridge over the creek valley Aerial view of a road bridge crossing the wooded creek valley toward Lake Ontario Aerial view looking down on a strip of parkland between houses and the creek

Scouting the trails

Photos from scouting the parks in March 2023, to show the mix of trails and terrain.

Open field of dry grass with the historic water tower at the Arsenal Lands Paved trail through dry grass with bright red dogwood shrubs on both sides Paved path along the creek through leafless trees on a sunny day Leafless woods with fallen leaves on the ground in early spring Bare trees in a wooded area with leaf-covered ground Historic cannon on a concrete mount on a wooden deck in the park Colourful Muskoka chairs and a yellow umbrella near a playground

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