http://ke6hts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Complete-TMB.jpg

After putting on numerous antenna workshops prior to transmitter
hunts, it bccame apparent that the basic antenna was not sufficient
for hunting without either a receiver that included a built in
attenuator, or an external attenutor. And thus The Complete WB2HOL
Tape Measure Beam was born. It is the basic WB2HOL
Tape Measure Beam kit, but also includes an enclosure with
offset attenuator, power switch, and an output BNC connector.

The only additional thing you will need is a piece of 50 ohm
cable (RG-58 or RG-174 is what we use) with appropriate connectors
to connect the unit to your radio.

As with the Tape Measure Beam kit, the kit can be built with
a screwdriver and soldering iron in less than 30 minutes depending
on your assembly skills. To make it simple to build, the attenuator
is furnished as a complete assembly as shown in the bottom of
the photo.

The kits are $60.00 each at the antenna workshop only and include the parts listed below. These are only available when picked up at the Bonelli Antenna Workshop.

When ordering, I need to know if you want the attenuator with
a 2 MHz offset or a 4 MHz offset. The 2 MHz offset is normally
used with older radios that won’t tune out of band, and the 4
MHz offset for everything else.

To order, payment can be made by check, money order, or PayPal
(my email address is my PayPal ID.) Please email me first to confirm
what kits you are purchasing. My callbook address (KE6HTS) is
good and my email address is: .

Payment can also be made at the workshop.

Note: The tape measure beam kit is provided with permission from Joe Leggio, WB2HOL.

The parts included in the kit are:

   Pl   Stno Name                Pts     Time  Pty  Score 

Advanced  (11) 180:00 min  5 C  5 Pts      

    1      1 Bob Cooley            5  1:50:46           5
    2      9 Jay Hennigan          5  2:01:38           5
    3      6 Bob Frey              5  2:18:00           5
    4     10 Matthew Robbins       5  2:24:22           5
    5      3 Harley Leach          5  2:30:00           5
    6      7 Dick Arnett           5  2:35:00           5
    7      5 Dale Hunt             4  1:58:48           4
    8      2 Bill Smathers         2  1:52:41           2
    9      4 Kuon Hunt             2  2:20:09           2
   10      8 Keith Witney          1  1:17:17           1
   11     11 Karla Leach           2  3:05:00   -2      0 

     Pl     Stno Name                                            Club         Pts          Time      Pty    Score 

Advanced  (11)                         180:00 min  5 C  5 Pts                                                   

      1        1 Bob Cooley                                      BAOC           5       1:50:46                 5
                205(1)   204(1)   202(1)   203(1)   201(1)        F
                 20:26    44:42    57:01  1:28:00  1:38:29  1:50:46
                 20:26    24:16    12:19    30:59    10:29    12:17 

      2        9 Jay Hennigan                                    LAOC           5       2:01:38                 5
                205(1)   203(1)   204(1)   202(1)   201(1)        F
                 25:17    56:57  1:15:49  1:31:39  1:50:55  2:01:38
                 25:17    31:40    18:52    15:50    19:16    10:43 

      3        6 Bob Frey                                        OCIN           5       2:18:00                 5
                201(1)   203(1)   202(1)   204(1)   205(1)        F
                 28:06    48:11  1:05:46  1:20:00  1:51:43  2:18:00
                 28:06    20:05    17:35    14:14    31:43    26:17 

      4       10 Matthew Robbins                                 OCIN           5       2:24:22                 5
                203(1)   202(1)   204(1)   201(1)   205(1)        F
                 42:39  1:00:45  1:15:13  1:40:26  1:58:14  2:24:22
                 42:39    18:06    14:28    25:13    17:48    26:08 

      5        3 Harley Leach                                    None           5       2:30:00                 5
                201(1)   203(1)   202(1)   204(1)   205(1)        F
                 14:51    34:53    57:55  1:16:51  1:49:41  2:30:00
                 14:51    20:02    23:02    18:56    32:50    40:19 

      6        7 Dick Arnett                                     OCIN           5       2:35:00                 5
                203(1)   202(1)   204(1)   201(1)   205(1)        F
                 42:30  1:07:30  1:24:33  1:51:32  2:21:14  2:35:00
                 42:30    25:00    17:03    26:59    29:42    13:46 

      7        5 Dale Hunt                                       None           4       1:58:48                 4
                201(1)   203(1)   202(1)   204(1)        F
                 30:39    47:53  1:07:21  1:21:59  1:58:48
                 30:39    17:14    19:28    14:38    36:49          

      8        2 Bill Smathers                                   LAOC           2       1:52:41                 2
                201(1)   203(1)        F
                 37:43  1:09:38  1:52:41
                 37:43    31:55    43:03                            

      9        4 Kuon Hunt                                       None           2       2:20:09                 2
                201(1)   203(1)        F
                 37:09  1:06:20  2:20:09
                 37:09    29:11  1:13:49                            

     10        8 Keith Witney                                    ROCA           1       1:17:17                 1
                205(1)        F
                 41:36  1:17:17
                 41:36    35:41                                     

     11       11 Karla Leach                                     None           2       3:05:00       -2        0
                205(1)   203(1)        F
                 46:17  2:13:21  3:05:00
                 46:17  1:27:04    51:39                            

In talking to many people around the US, one thing that keeps coming up is how to get new people involved. Objections include a lack of equipment, training, and where to find transmitter hunts around the country. I’m going to address these issues and a lot more in future posts.

Additionally, I plan on getting other experts to write posts about their areas of expertise, and their ideas of how we can further promote transmitter hunting.

The MicroHunt transmitter, WB2HOL Tape Measure Beam kits, and the K0OV Offset Attenuator kits will also be brought over to this site. The documentation for these kits will be made available for download in a PDF format along with videos showing how to build the kits.

While I was serving as an International Referee at the 2010 World ARDF Championships in Croatia, the first Blind ARDF Championships also took place there. The US had one competitor, Dennis Schwendtner, WB6OBB, from California who took forth out of seven competitors. Some videos were taken of the event and will be posted for others to see.

If there is enough interest, I plan on starting a transmitter hunting forum. The first categories that come to mind are Mobile Transmitter Hunting, ARDF (Amateur Radio Direction Finding), Equipment, and a Classified section for radio direction finding equipment.

Something a couple of us have been working on for LAOC (Los Angeles Orienteering Club) is an event registration system. I installed such a system on a test page for LAOC to see if it would be suitable. It wasn’t as there were a number of needed features missing. These included being able to print a PDF of the filled in waiver and the inability to have threads of questions, i.e. do you have an estick. If yes, then enter. If no, then a rental estick is needed and auto-assign a dummy number for tracking.

So much to do with so little time!

Right now, comments are closed and will remain that way a day or so until I get some spam control measures in place. Once they are open, I will be looking forward to comments and suggestions on how this site can develop.

Marvin, KE6HTS