 Colchester Multi-DF 20/11/2011 Start 12.30 at Tiptree Heath - Finish 15.30 Operator Roy G4JAC 10 Txs - 1 Maxi, 5 Minis, 4 Micros Location - Highwood Colchester. |
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Preparation Highwoods has been the scene of many torturous events over the years but few recently, perhaps because of the invasion of houses and inevitable dog walkers. The last time it was used was possibly the hardest DF ever, so perhaps a good reason to pay another visit. My first walk round revealed a new visitors centre, toilets and loads of people! In view of the fact that we were bound to be noticed I thought I better ask permission. "Oh yes that's fine, the Orienteering group are regular users - just fill in this form .....". OK so we were booked in but I was keen to minimise contact with people. A second walk revealed that the bottom right area was a real maze with blackthorn hedges and a swamp - perfect. I started to make plans for Tx placement etc. Then came the Black Friday Traditional Chelmsford event. "I don't belieeeeeeeeeeve it". Not only had Ian decided to use Highwoods but he had chosen 'my favourite area' . B...........! The only good news was, on that Friday night, I knew where to park. Perhaps I should mention that I similarly robbed Ian of his Tiptree site last year - I can hear him saying "poetic justice". What to do? After filling in the forms and recognising that this was an ideal Multi-Tx site I was reluctant to change. Motto "When sh.. happens try to get something positive out of it". Perhaps it is time for more evolution, Multi-DF means you are longer on site and bound to attract attention. Let's see what we can do to address this, instead of hiding in the bottom right corner as planned, meet the public head on in the main wood - children's play area, picnic park visitor's centre, toilets and all! Steps taken: a) Police informed - a simple free phone call. b) Coded message about clothing sent to Topica. c) Posters were printed to put up on footpaths hoping to prepare the public for the presence of people with radios. d) Tx location plan (see left). |
 I'm not sure the locals
appreciated the
spelling but at least one or two of the DFers got it! |
 The sun just breaking through the early morning mist near Mini I. It was located 5 metres into the bushes on the right. This proved a popular spot with several competitors spending much time here. |
 Can you spot the Mini H triffid? Several didn't, preferring to plunge deep into the blackthorn searching right down to the railway - ah bless!. |
 Enlarged, yes there it is, to the right of the tree. It did match the other plants quite well, nice artwork Ian. The Tx was pushed out of view into the bush behind. |
 11.00 am PANIC!! I had put the Maxi aerial up on the Friday in a nice dense bit in the centre of the wood. Today, having gone round the edges of the site setting up the Minis and Micros I returned to the aerial's location to set up the Maxi. This was what I saw from the chosen hide. Yes the park rangers had decided it was a bit overgrown too, they were thinning it out and having a bonfire. |
 Fortunately, as a result of my form filling a few weeks previously, they new all about the DF, though not that the aerial was right beside them! They agreed to leave the hide unthinned - phew. One of them turned out to be a radio amateur, having done one of Frank (FIJ)'s courses. Once all the Txs started singing at 12.30 I let him see how much Morse he could remember, much to his friends amusement. |
| As is normal on these events I had
invited some novices to come direct to the site. Fearing
that old hands may spot us and our cars I had arranged to use the local
gymnasium car park. This can be seen in the aerial view above J.
Micros W and Z had been located reasonably close so that our
two
newcomers Joe and Peter would be able to hear them. Peter was offered a
set but thought it was better if he concentrated on helping Joe.
I told them to see if they could find W, Z and J
then
suggested a couple of other parking places where they should be able to
hear the other Micros and the Maxi. They seemed remarkably
confident after finding their first Micro so I left them to it.
Just then Philip was spotted heading for J. I
thought he
had done well to be there by 13.10 but was truly amazed
when I
read his report (below). I then drove around the site and saw Tim's car at the top and Ian's and Philip's in the main car park; so others were here but where were they? At last I spotted Colin near Micro X and then Peter and Joe completing their beginners' course around 14.45 at A. Soon Gary and Graham arrived to bank some tickets. They set off for the top area and actually found W, Z and J but sadly didn't have time to get the tickets back to the Maxi posting box before the 'Machine Gun of Dots' at 15.30. |
 Joe and Peter
looking for J.
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 Ian
demonstrates his latest Multi-technique, where's my rule book?
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 Do you want
the
picture or the 1000 words? Hmmmmm.....
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 Time to
review the day - Larby and Rosie had a 'Mini
L of a time'.
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 Colin posts his tickets - then Rosie asks
"Have you found X yet?" .. ."Don't know, my tickets are in the
box!"
Where was your patented LED Tx recorder Colin? |
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Part of the thousand words: Larby's Report: After a bit of luck recently I felt I should take it easy and let someone else have some glory. I even managed to judge it perfectly to finish last! Phil wasn’t in such a benevolent mood and took the win it making 5 wins out of 6 on the Colchester series. Well done Phil. Thanks to Roy for his tireless work in keeping us all in check during the year and planning the events. Larby |
| So
how did you do it Philip? Bonfire of Triffids at High Woods Country Park – 20th November 2011. The Colchester Multi TX season ended in a blaze of Glory for G0NXH who was crowned Triffid King 2011. The Hunt started in Tiptree with a good signal heard by all going north east through the middle of Colchester, so it was up the back-roads onto the A12 ignoring the 12.35; 12.40 and 12.45 signals. Around the northern by-pass the signal increased in strength and the minis started to come up. Looks like High Woods Country Park, only place really big enough in the area to host a multi TX, but only recently visited for a night event run by Ian. Using the new A12 junction for the football stadium came off and took a final bearing. Driving down Mill road picked up Micro W which came and went as I turned into Turner road, heading for the main entrance and visitor centre. |
 Arrived about 1.00 ish, first thing first – the Joker for the main ‘A’ station up to the north, after it went off found that X was strong and close by so polished that off first – full 40 points. Off again for A on the next signal and followed a path and a signal that turned just by two Park Rangers stoking a fire lit in a small clearing. |
 They soon worked out what I was doing, and clearly expected me. ‘Your getting warmer’ they said as they threw another log onto the fire to distract me further. |
| Next
transmission worked my
way
back round them to find the main station, another 40 points, posted the
two tickets and joker just to be on the safe side. Headed back north for W heard earlier and ended up virtually back on the road I had just driven round. 32 points-who the hell has been here ahead of me! The Mini J was close by and on my way came across novice Joe and accomplice Peter. Not tough enough to beat me to the 40 points at the mini J, but fast enough for Z, dam 32 points again. But they were knackered and had to sit back whilst I gave them and Roy an object lesson in Triffid hunting on K, another 40 points – beautiful. Surprise of the afternoon was running round a corner and finding what looked distinctly like a small wild boar, which then took flight. Sure that’s what it was. If it was near L, it could have been Larby - he was getting really cross! Ed. |
 Mini K - Was
the triffid too obvious? The Tx was under the leaves.
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High
Woods park is big, really big, and it gradually became obvious Roy
was seeking vengeance and was going to make us run round the whole of
it. Worked my way round the corner of the housing estate towards ‘I’
that seemed the next strongest and there came across Rosy in some
distress as she had been stuck there all afternoon having
been
deserted by Colin and others. Couple of transmissions and we were in –
but the hardest station of the afternoon. Off then to the bottom south-westerly corner of the park looking for H, meeting up with Peter, also having an off day. Found H perched nicely on an embankment right by the Railway line and its micro Y not far away, not much in the way of points, but part of the full set. Mini L then took me full circle back towards the visitor centre – ten stations by 2.45 pm, about and hour and 45 minutes on site. |
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Results
 Another amazing
performance from Philip with the Ian snapping at his heals.
Despite starting on site our novices showed they had a nose for a triffid too. Notes 1) In 2 years of running this scoring system we have never had a tie before at any position in the results table. On this occasion we did, see para 5 of rules. This does give a reason to visit the Maxi early, of course there are many other reasons not to! 2) Novices starting on site are not awarded league points. |
 At the pub the results confirmed Philip's incredible performance this year. See the Colchester League |
 There was just nothing for it but for Head Triffid Man Ian to present him with the Colchester Trophy and of course offer a few training hints for next year ....... perhaps a change of diet to something more like this? |
So that's it for another year - but weep not, we can all do it again on the Snowman Multi - February 5th 2012. Thanks to Larby for volunteering to run it ............ or does he want to get his own back? Hope to see you there.
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