QRP-L Foxhunt History -- The beginning =================================================== From the Archives of the QRP-L e-mail list on Think.Com, Netcom.com, and lehigh.edu as extracted from the QRP-L Archives CD, Volume 2 Kevin Anderson, K9IUA, December 2000, Lincoln, ND =================================================== In the beginning there was apparently a "void" on the frequencies of QRP operators. The "Lord" (Chuck, K7QO, nee K5FO) saw good, and said, "let there be QRP FOX hunts...." ----------------------------------------------- Below is the first post that I can find that brings up the idea of the QRP "FOX Hunt". As you can read, this is an "update", so stuff still preceeded it. Unfortunately there is a gap in the archives from July 9th to August 11th. This was the time when we were still on Think.Com, but with shutdown imminent, and before we arrived on Netcom.com. From Chucks update below, it appears that 10m was first discussed as the place for encouraging QRP ops. Chuck had recently rediscovered his 10m Uniden transceiver. At the same time there must have been discussions that came out of QRP operations in both ARRL Field Day and/or QRP Afield events that suggested a lack of QRP operators on the air at the time. At the same time, intrusions onto 10m from "freebanders" was the tune for the day (as if that hasn't changed much). So, the saga begins.... ==================================== QRP-L Archive for August 12, 1994 ==================================== From: adams@chuck.dallas.sgi.com (chuck adams) Subject: FOX hunt Update. Looks like it's going to fly. Some have volunteered for weekend duty, but I'm prone to leave it at weekdays only. That way we don't have to compete with 'Telephone Climbers Bare Naked Club' contest on OUR frequencies. Some have mentioned that there code speed wasn't that fast. Who cares? We are going to go at your speed. Heck, it'll get us to chill out dude. :-) On the 10M stuff. Don't we 'own' 28.060MHz. Let's get on there and run off the 'free-banders'. We ought to be holding on the band anyway and we as a 'group' can do our part to keep the CBers from moving up. I don't like possession is 9/10 ownership. :-) I'll take the 10M whip outta the closet (I sold the Uniden 2510 this week - probably a big mistake) and put the Argosy in the truck. Catch me on 10M Mobile QRP CW at 28.060MHz anytime I'm in the truck. The Geekmobile is alive and well in Dallas TX. Darn - guess I'll have to take down the gunrack. :-) Now, I have to tell you about this whip. I bought an 11M whip at a truck stop. This puppy is a mag-mount jobbie with large center loaded coil. It is capable of handling a KW, I'm sure. Worked EU in mornings on 10M and JA's in evening commuting 25 miles daily during the last peak. I think the thing was like $25 or so. Quite a deal. Also found a place the other side of Weatherford TX where I could have bought broadband linear amps for less than $1 per watt (also a truckers paradise). Ooops. make that 28.060MHz and whatever the novice equivalant is. I want to be the first person in the world and on this network or anywhere else to work Wayne Burdick on all bands Sierra-to-Sierra at distances of more than 1 mile, so ground wave contacts do NOT count. Maybe we can get Wayne to play FOX with the Sierra some day and we can create a pileup on his frequency and the rest of the world will join in. They'll think he's DX. They'll think that it's a rare island. They'll think it's a conspiracy. :-) They'll think that it's madness. In fact, as a warm up exercise, someone volunteer for some weeknight to get on the air. The rest of us will pounce on you like a duck on a june bug (Texas talk). Announce the time and place. Get on - they will come. Need a state QRP - announce it and get on - they will come. That's it for today folks. Gotta get more time from work to get on. Looking for way to get RF out of a QTH surrounded by 30 to 40 ft pecan trees. Any help greatly appreciated and personal experiences. Tower is an option, but distance from possible shack to tower may be an issue due to geometry of trees. dit dit Chuck Adams K5FO CP-60 adams@sgi.com ------------------------------