[ARDF] Cincinnnati ARDF Event and Practice Day: September 27, 2003

[Matthew Robbins]

I'd like to announce an ARDF Event that will be held on September 27, 2003 
at a small park NW of Cincinnati.  Details below.

The park is Indian Creek Metropark, and the map is 1:5000 with 2.5m 
contours.  The useable area of the map is just over 500m x 1000m, so it's 
pretty small.  The courses will be 5 transmitter with a 5 minute cycle.  The 
exclusion circles will be quite small to prevent over-constraining the 
control locations.  An equipment impound is planned.  I am planning to take 
a small propane grill and some cookout supplies.

I know that Albuquerque has events every month.  I was wondering what has 
been found to be a good strategy for scheduling events.  My thought was to 
have very small local events (like an orienteering "C" Club meet) on, say, a 
one-to-two month schedule, and larger events that would hopefully entice 
people to drive some distance (like a "B" meet?) on a, say, a four or six 
month schedule.  It seems like there has been one "A" meet a year for the 
last three or four, and that is the championships.  It would be nice to get 
that number up, but there's probably not enough participants yet to make it 
worthwhile.  Any thoughts?  What should be expected of a "B" meet to make it 
easy for someone to drive say eight hours to attend?  Two day, full length 
courses on a good map?  Friday model courses?  Later start on Saturday (like 
11am---for people driving from "nearby"---2-to-5 hours away) and an early 
start on Sunday (like 9am---for people driving a long way home)?

(This is intended to be a "C" type meet.)
The announcement below will also be posted on the www.ocin.org website, 
under Schedule.

Saturday, September 27, 2003: Radio Orienteering (ARDF) Short Course Event
and Practice Day
Indian Creek Metropark, Reily, OH
    Director: Matthew Robbins, aa9yh at hotmail.com

    This is an Amateur Radio Direction Finding (ARDF) Event.
    9:30am: Training for beginners (also available throughout the day)
    9:45am: Course Briefing
    10:00am:  2m Short Course (~3km), starts every 5 minutes.
    The 80m Short Course (~3km): will start approx. 30-90 minutes after
2m event finishes.
    After the 2m and 80m events, a variety of practice activities are
planned for as long as there is interest.
ARDF beginners welcome.
    Loaner equipment available, no experience or ham license needed.
    Regular orienteering courses will NOT be offered at this event.
    **Please e-mail Matthew Robbins if you plan to attend, or if you even
*think* you might attend.**
    Late arrivals are welcome, but will be worked in after the 2m start,
limiting your time to find the transmitters.
    Directions (from Cincinnati):
       From I-275, take US 27 north to Millville, Ohio.
       In Millville, turn left (west) on OH 129.
       Take 129 west for several miles, and turn right (north) on OH 732.
       Take 732 north for 3 miles to Reily and turn left on Reily-Millville
Rd.
       In about 1/4 mile, veer right on Springfield Rd.
       In another 1/4 mile, turn right into Indian Creek Metropark.
    Metroparks car permit required, available for purchase at site: $2
daily, $5 annual.

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