2007 Collier Cup Round 5

03 August 2007

Eight teams started this evening DF event with Peter Bradley G3UJO/P on the transmitter.

Most teams managed to hear Peter's signal but weaker than normal, possibly indicating he was a good distance away! Just like the last Oxford events, teams attacked the way across the map in various directions. Peter Lisle left the start first to gain a good distance on the hill just above Kennington, likewise so did David Ryan. This gave these teams the advantage of hearing Peter quite strongly unlike myself who only managed to get to five miles east of Abingdon and could not hear any signals at all. I had the same problem again at 8:15 still with nowt in ears. I decided just to plough across westerly until I actually heard Peter or saw another team.

Well both came true a little later when I discovered my tuning dial was 10 kHz out and spotted Bill Pechey taking a bearing in a lay-by. Now with a signal to DF, I drove up through to the village of Appleton where Steve Stone had decided to drive down a small lane which came to an abrupt end. Good news at last, Dave Ryan's car was there and also spotted Bill across the field, which was my favourite to run across.

Signal on, the pursuit followed with the younger Steve Stone overtaking me towards a wood which had streams running through it in various directions. Eventually, the next transmission gave us all a clue to where Peter was hiding and by just listening to Peter's chat I managed to spot Steve standing still (thanks, Steve).

Well we were all pleased to find Peter but not surprised to find out that Peter Lisle had been in and out before 8:45 ( Handicaps next year ). Peter's site was 20km plus from the start in a nice wooded area called Bessel's Wood. Seven teams eventually found Peter, but worries from Dave Ryan's team as he arrived early on in the evening just to run away in the opposite direction from where the Tx was. The prize for the most accurate bearings went to Bill Pechey whose bearings all crossed in Bessel's wood (but he did not completely trust them).

Brian Bristow

Position Competitor Finish
1 Peter Lisle 20:41:26
2 Bill Pechey 21:11:30
3 Steve Stone 21:11:50
4 Brian Bristow 21:12:01
5 Alan Simmons 21:12:37
6 David Ryan 21:24:48
7 Chris Friel 21:29:14
8 Mark Coventry NF