[ARDF] USA at the World Championships

[Homingin at aol.com]

A 21-member delegation is returning from the Czech Republic after 
representing USA and ARRL at the Twelfth World Championships of Amateur Radio Direction 
Finding (ARDF).  This year's championships attracted 327 competitors from 28 
countries to Brno, a town about 110 miles southeast of Prague.  Men under age 40 
and women under 35 competed on 80m on Thursday 9/9 and the rest did their 2m 
hunt.  The reverse occurred on Saturday 9/11.

This was USA's fourth trip to the World Championships.  Our team members 
ranged in age from 19 to 62 and came from nine states.  This year's Team Captain 
was Harley Leach KI7XF of Bozeman, MT.  Also in the delegation were Dale Hunt 
WB6BYU of Portland, OR and Marvin Johnston KE6HTS of Santa Barbara, CA, 
representing USA and IARU Region 2 on the International Jury overseeing the 
competitions.  Each was assigned to be a Course Marshall at one of the radio foxes.

The competition areas were very large (about 4800 acres) and forested, with 
occasional thickets, slopes, and cliffs.  One Team USA member described the 
Saturday course as the toughest he has ever done.  A shallow river ran through 
the middle of that site.  It was in a deep ravine that had to be scaled to cross 
it.  This year's course time limit was 2-1/2 hours.  The gold medal winner in 
the five-fox prime age category for men completed the 80-meter course in less 
than 53 minutes.

Two Team USA members had top-ten individual finishes in their categories.  
Nadia Scharlau of Cary, NC placed 6th out of 22 on Thursday, despite losing ten 
minutes when the battery fell out of her receiver and she had to backtrack to 
retrieve it. Her Saturday time was much better, only 10 minutes above the 
first place finisher in her category.  But other D35 hunters also did better on 
that day, putting Nadia into 11th place.  Bob Cooley KF6VSE, age 62, of 
Pleasanton, CA placed 9th out of 34 on his two-meter run.

European and former Soviet countries have been holding ARDF events for over 
30 years, so it is no surprise that they dominated in the standings.  Nine of 
these nations garnered all of the individual and team medals.  The total medal 
count was led by Czech, Russia, and Ukraine with 34, 28 and 26 respectively.

USA, Australia, and Great Britain were among the 19 nations that won no 
medals.  Nevertheless, the teams of these three English-heritage countries enjoyed 
a friendly rivalry as they shared living quarters in the same corridor of the 
host facility.  Each is relatively new to the sport and is building a national 
ARDF program.

The ARRL Foundation and the Colvin Award Fund provided a portion of the entry 
fees and in-country expenses of the USA team.  The remainder of these fees, 
along with training expenses and domestic/international airfares, were paid by 
the individual team members.

More about ARDF, the Championships and Team USA, including a member roster 
and team category standings, are online at www.homingin.com.  Photos will be 
added when available.

Team members greatly appreciate the efforts of stateside supporters who have 
organized practice sessions for them and others.

Joe Moell K0OV
USA ARDF Coordinator