Winter Series 2001-2002
Round 4 - 13th January 2002

Report by TX operator John Heath:

The prime site I had discovered for this year's DF whilst I had been searching for Dave Chippendale the previous year was used in November by Chris Heys. But mustn't complain too loudly since local knowledge helped me win that event. The map showed a railway cutting nearby just north of Radcliffe that I thought was interesting, so I set out to investigate on the Wednesday afternoon. It turned out that the cutting was now filled in and houses had been built on the site. I decided to follow the line east and just after it used to cross the Manchester Bolton and Bury canal the line was nicely overgrown.

The following day I set up an aerial through a bramble bush and along the embankment, so all was ready for Sunday morning. Young Chris who had promised to hide with me was unable to come owing to a surplus of beer the previous night. I set up the transmitter and as I made the first transmission it started to rain gently. The signal was heard by all competitors at the start but only one could get a satisfactory bearing and the approximate bearing of 360° was issued. Chris Heys remarked that I had wanted to hide where he had hidden previously, and he wasn't far wrong.

Luckily the rain did not amount to much and at 11:05 Chris Plummer was spotted sauntering down the canal towpath. Chris always obliges by investigating the wrong end of the aerial first, but unfortunately this time the aerial wasn't very long and he soon appeared through the bramble bush to get his form signed.

Chris wandered off along the railway to investigate the overgrown track and about a half hour later Dave Chippendale and Dave Peacock arrived in quick succession. They wandered off and I settled down to await the arrival of Chris Heys, putting out ever extending periods of transmission. At about ten past 12 Chris rang. He was wet and fed up, as well as being half a mile down the canal having approached from the other side of Radcliffe. Having been told that all other teams had got in he decided to give up so we could go to the pub.

I chose the Rose and Crown pub, which had been a success on Chris Heys's November 2001 event.

If there was a prize for the most bearings Chris Heys would have definitely taken it. Unfortunately there were so many that his map looked very confusing. Congratulations to Chris P and both Daves and better luck next time Chris H.