[ARDF] Ideas for 2006 USA ARDF Championships

[Jay Hennigan]

On Mon, 8 Aug 2005 cscharlau at earthlink.net wrote:

> As Nadia and I make plans to host the 2006 USA ARDF Championships, we'd like
> to get some feedback from the likely participants. Here are some tentative
> plans. Please send us your comments in favor or against these ideas.
> Remember, they are tentative plans at this point, so give us your opinions!
> Final plans will depend on your feedback, and on the approval of the ARRL
> ARDF Coordinator.
>
> Venue: Raleigh, NC
>
> The two days of the competition will take place over one weekend, Saturday
> and Sunday. That's right: two days in a row with no rest day. (Come a few
> days early, or stay late, if you'd like to experience some R&R in beautiful
> North Carolina.)
>
> The Friday before the event will be for arrival, orientation, and a small
> practice session to help you become familiar with the transmitters.
>
> The possible weekends we are considering are: April 1-2, 22-23, 29-30 (We
> will avoid Easter April 16.)

The only date among those that will work for Winnie KA6OFZ would be the
weekend of April 1 and 2.  However, she does not plan on going to Bulgaria
in any event so if that date is a conflict for others, feel free to
schedule another date.  I am comfortable with any of the above.

> Participants will be responsible for their own transportation, meals, and
> accommodations. We'll provide a list of hotels, restaurants, and
> transportation options in the vicinity of the competition. Camping inside
> the park might be one option---let us know if you might be interested.

I'd like to suggest that you designate an "official" hotel for the
event to allow as many of the competitors as possible to be near each
other.  Depending on the turnout it may be possible to work a discount
or talk them into a free meeting room for awards, briefings, etc.

> We may forego a post-competition banquet in favor of a simple award ceremony
> immediately following the Sunday competition. This would allow competitors
> to depart sooner, to accommodate those who might need to return to work on
> Monday.

Either way works.  A restaurant with a private or semi-private area
could serve as well.

> The two-meter transmitters, including the homing beacon, will transmit using
> keyed-carrier amplitude modulation, just like at the ARDF World
> Championships.
>
> The courses will be challenging and conform closely to IARU Region I ARDF
> rules. Accurate, high-quality orienteering maps will be provided. The
> identity of the venue will NOT be kept secret, but all information about the
> courses themselves will.

I would suggest that you specify whether visiting the venues prior to the
competition will be permitted.  (I would suggest that it not.)

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