Two reports - Revelation 22:13

It was raining heavily at the start as we listened for the signals. I took an initial bearing of 112 degrees on B. I couldn’t hear A, so took another bearing on B, this time 97 degrees. I could not understand why the two were so different but by the time Colin listened the signal had gone off. We plotted 100 and decided to drive east along the A50 and turn off to the south and go through Willington. I was aiming to stop at a car park I had spotted at the north of Foremark Reservoir. Unfortunately there was a hefty parking charge so stopped a little further along the road. The signal came up surprisingly strong and the bearing pointed south. Colin was convinced that I had got a wrong sense as it went away from the first bearing, but plotted it anyway. We then drove a little south east to give us a cross near Carvers rocks to the south of the reservoir. We then drove back and parked up where I had previously seen Torbay team. By this time the map had got so wet that it had started to disintegrate so had to leave it in the car. We set off on site and seemed to have to wait the full 15 minutes for a transmission, by which time we had caught up Paul. We made our way to the reservoir and met Tim coming the other way. This looks promising I thought. The signal came up and I spotted a little path going down to the Beach and the set suggested that was a good direction. But Colin thought we should take a more major path that went up and over the hillock around the side of the reservoir. We went up and down the path as there was some lovely dense cover. Eventually clambered down to the beach as Colin realised that Paul and Team had found him. I walked along the sand and did a double take as I spotted the hidden station. (Colin had apparently walked past Roger twice without spotting him.) I then called Colin and set off back to the car.

We had not heard the A station at 2 o’clock so opted to drive east, towards the approximate bearing line, a tortuous route through Swadlingcote and Barton under Needwood. We got to Yoxall before we got a signal that was strong enough to take a bearing on. This pointed due south through the Fradley Junction area. We drove a bit further south to give a cross. As we passed over the canal bridge I looked for Chris’ car, but could not spot it. Decided to go in from the south where the canal comes close to the road. A fair run before the signal came up on site very strong. Colin spotted some trampled undergrowth and followed it to reveal a very dripping Chris. I have never been so pleased to see him. As we walked out we met Tim coming in. I was so pleased that we had found two transmitters that when the rain became torrential on the way back to the car it did not matter. Had no idea of how well I might have done until the nice rendezvous, even then my victory could not be confirmed. We did manage to retrieve the data from the clocks later in the evening. Well done to Chris for making it so that all but one team found both stations.

Rosie Merry

What a day - wet, wet, wet.

One signal at the start - but it was wet as I said. I did just hear something on A station but could not believe it as the null was over 90deg. So off after B station in the west. A station 180deg approx and 10 to 20km.

I thought we had it sown up after our first station. Two bearings and we were there, Foremark Reservoir. Then Rosie and Tim turn up after several minutes waiting for a transmission in the wood by the reservoir.

I think it was two transmissions to get us really close and Matt found the operator trying to keep out of the rain pressed up under the rocks at the side of the reservoir.

We were ahead of the others (at that point we thought Tim was ahead of us as he was going in circles in the wood away from where we were).

Back to the car and off to the east. We stopped about 8km to the west of the approximate to get a bearing, but after 10mins wait and nothing heard we moved closer (to Barton under Needwood) and got a bearing but still very weak signal.

I had a three bearing cross about 1km to the north of Fradley Junction so we got close and took a quick two bearings which said the station was in the wood north of the canal by another reservoir, Fradley reservoir.

Having run through the wood to the canal (about 0.5km past our close in cross) and it still pointed onward, the signal strength still said the station was 3km away but was getting stronger.

Then the signal faded away rapidly as we ran past the pub, the Swan.

Back to the pub and ran the other way. Same thing - signal faded away. Over the canal and off at right angles. Signal faded away.

Back to the pub. Signal the strongest we had heard but went down every way we went and the sense was not clear.

So ran out of time.

B*gger, b*gger, b*gger all the way home.

Anyway thanks again.

Will get our own back in September!

Paul Clark