After heavy rain and thunder during the late afternoon, it was thought it was going to be rough that evening, but our dearly departed DFers switched off the rain and it was perfect weather at the start. Bob Gray, G3TRY/P, was on the Tx for this crunch match to try and stop Mr C Plummer once again getting first position.

A fairly weak signal was detected at the start with most of the eight teams plotting bearings around 338 degrees. Some teams managed to get on to the Aylesbury map for the 8pm transmission which gave a guide position around the Monks Risborough area. By the third transmission a few teams had arrived up a track in Longwick which slightly back-fired on them when the signal took them running the opposite way (Bob had found a site where the national grid pylons and two other lower voltage lines all crossed near to the TX site). This, in turn, sent quite a few teams searching hedgerows near these wires.

The site was situated in a newly-planted copse near Ilmer with a very long wire in the shape of an oval. Bob was also feeding the fence wire etc. Alan Simmons and I were lucky to arrive in early dusk and found the aerials going in every direction. Alan proceeded to search the main thicket whilst I started following the aerial into the small copse and, to my suprise, found Bob and his friend Darren hiding in the undergrowth. Alan was quick to find this aerial and then followed it in to Bob. We then left the site for the pub (hiding a short while to let other teams pass by).

I understand that when darkness arrived and with a fairly constant signal, teams found it quite difficult to find Bob. Chris Plummer, however, did for once state he had a handicap (he brought a friend from work to show him how it's done). At close-down seven teams had found Bob.

Brian Bristow.