2014 Gage-Tyler Cup round 2

16 April 2014

I spent two days looking at sites in the Ascot, Crowthorne and Bracknell areas but finally decided on a location close to the South-East edge of "Caesar's Camp" within Swinley Forest. This is part of Bracknell forest, to the South-West of Bracknell and about 15 Km from the start at Maidenhead Thicket.

I met up with Dave Ryan and his friend, another David, at "The Golden Retriever" pub at about five P.M. We took my car into the housing estate to the North of "Nine Mile Ride" and then set off on foot into the forest.

Our first idea was to be in one of the extensive Mangrove clumps, but made a last minute change to lay in a fairly open area of dead ferns, relying on the dark to keep hidden.

The first shot with trusty catapult put the lead weight and fishing line over a tree about 80 feet high, and we easily pulled the brown aerial wire up and over, resulting in an inverted vee, about 260 feet long. Each end was extended, one into a thick booney clump, and the other a little above head height to where the transmitter was located. Another low wire was strung out as a counterpoise earth, the ground being too dry for an earth rod and not wanting to connect to a fence in case it made things too difficult for competitors!!!

After about an hour of suffering mosquito attacks, torches finally appeared, and became more numerous. Alan Simmons walked within a yard of my head at one point, but did not stop!

After about a half-hour of competitors crashing around within a few hudred yards, I started trying to help them get closer with verbal goading on the transmitter.

It seemed that having no earth connection, combined with a high aerial rendered the DF receivers of very little help when on site.

All four competitors eventually arrived in quick sucession, and after removing the aerial wires, we all met at the Golden Retriever to apportion the blame.

My thanks to all that took part,

Graham B. Phillips, G3XTZ.

P.S. The signal from G4MDF/P was being heard quite well in Staffordshire!

Some Further Comments

We went to some lengths to avoid the centre of Bracknell but, in hindsight, it might have been better to go straight through. Eventually we parked in a place we thought was close to the transmitter but it turned out to be quite a way. After another couple of transmissions we were within a few hundred yards of Graham. The signal was very misleading and kept drawing me to a rhododendron bush. It was just about light but I still couldn't find Graham. Alan, and then Steve, arrived and we all milled around for some time, never getting a good indication of the location of the Tx.

I moved away from the general area hoping to get a good bearing and, luckily, I heard Graham's voice. The rest was easy. I was so relieved to get in that I didn't make much effort to conceal the fact and the others followed very quickly.

I had lost Doreen and my bearings by this time so had to find her and then the car. I found that I had made several errors in retracing my steps but found her after a while. I kept thinking of the time when Brian got completely lost in this same area and did not find his car for a very long time.

Thanks, Graham, for a very interesting and, for me at least, challenging DF.

Bill Pechey.

Competitor Time Adj. Time Time Diff. Score Bill North
Bill Pechey 21:20:30 21:20:30 00:00:00 -5 10
Steve Stone 21:21:17 21:21:17 00:00:47 2 6
Alan Simmons 21:21:31 21:21:31 00:01:01 4 4
John Mullins 21:22:50 21:22:50 00:02:20 6 3
Graham Phillips op - - - 4