This is where you will find the Official Fox Hunting Rules for the BSARC.

* If you have any questions, please see the contacts page for someone to ask.

Nomenclature:

Fox - a low-power hidden transmitter that is the game objective.
Hound - an amateur radio operator attempting to locate the Fox.
Coordinator - an amateur radio operator responsible for hiding the fox, directing the hunt, providing clues, and determining the winner of the game.

The Big Spring Amateur Radio Club supports and encourages FOX hunting within the city limits to hone HAM operator's radio directional finding skills. This is just another one of the many fun aspects of the amateur radio hobby and is seated in tradition and fellowship. The following provides the hunting guidelines for the BSARC located in Big Spring, TX.

So what fox sound like exactly?

The morse code at the end identifies itself as FOX1 - the tracking tones and morse sound for a little over 20 seconds, followed by a remainder of silence totaling 1 minute. HINT - use a countdown timer that you can quickly reset for 1 minute. Each time you hear the tones, start the timer. When it chimes - you should know to start listening again for the FOX. If you don't hear it, you went out of range.

Fox hunters must diplay an advisory in their vehicle. Click HERE to downoad. Print this out and place it either on your dashboard, or in a window where it can be clearly seen. Fill in your call sign and include an emergency number at the bottom.

Hunt rules:

1 - Safety. All hounds should be aware of the distraction(s) involved when
            driving a vehicle and tracking a frequency using radio directional 
            finding. Do not lose attention of the surroundings and the 
            situational conditions of driving and performing other tasks
            at the same time.

            Obey all traffic laws and be courteous to other drivers and 
            pedestrians that are unaware of your focus and intent.

2 - Notify the local police department and DPS. 

            It is important to let the local law enforcement know when a
            hunt has been scheduled, what it entails, and how long it the
            game session will last. 

            It is the Coordinator's responsibility to make this notification.

3 - Unless otherwise designated as a distance challenge based on odometer readings,
    all games once declared will run starting at the designated day and time
    for a 24 hour period. 

    Distance challenges will have a designated starting point determined by the 
    Coordinator. Hounds will take a picture of their odometer with the background
    of the stating position in the frame.

4 - The Fox will be hidden within the city limits of Big Spring, TX

5 - The Coordinator will place the Fox in a location that is publicly 
    accessible. 

6 - If a Hound, after an exhaustive attempt, is unable to locate any signal at all,
    they may contact the Coordinator for a clue. Once a clue has been given they 
    will have only 30 minutes to find the Fox. 

7 - Hounds must have their vehicle identified as a participant. Click HERE to 
    download a MS Word docx file that can be printed out. This should be placed 
    on the dashboard, and somewhere that can be easily read by bystanders and
    law enforcement.

8 - The Fox transmitter may not be modified, altered or moved in any way after 
    being placed by the Coordinator. This includes but not limited to:

         * The transmitter frequency
         * The transmitter power output
         * Antenna configuration
         * Location

9 - Hounds may not move the Fox or camouflage it after they have found it.

10 - Hounds will not discuss their progress with others hunting the Fox.

11 - The Coordinator will be the only on that knows which Hounds have found
     the Fox and in what order. Hounds will all be hunting under the impression
     they will be the first to find the Fox.

12 - Hounds may participate as teams, but only in a SINGLE vehicle. No radio
     communications revealing progress on the hunt may be transmitted. E.g.
     "I'm on 10 th heading west past Gregg st." 

13 - Abuse to the Fox will not be tolerated under any circumstances. Incidents 
     will be reported to the ASPCA.

14 - The Coordinator will announce when the game has completed and declare the
     winning Hound(s).

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