fertile T-hiding grounds...

Seth N6PL and I choose to revisit the fertile T-hiding grounds south of the Cahuilla Valley in southern Riverside County / northern San Diego County. There were 3 hunting teams:

• N6MI - started late due to personal commitments, unofficial
• WA6RJN - had an electrical problem with his vehicle which caused his trip odometer to reset, hence no official mileage
• KI6RXX/K6VCR - the only official hunter

There were 3 transmitters. Every T could be heard from every other T.

• T22
  • 80ish watts into a 4 element beam, located at a high point (4997’ elevation) 0.56 miles east of Cooper Cienaga Truck Trail (first image), with a commanding view of the Temecula Valley (second image; note Santiago Peak on the far ridge line). The location is actually on private property but we received permission from the local “caretaker" to use the spot. This T was (by design) heard at the starting point and much of the path towards the T. 
  • This location was used on at least 2 (maybe 3? I can’t remember) prior hides in the area without being found.  The problem seemed to be that coming from the north, the signal disappears as one approaches the base of the mountain, which on previous hides discouraged hunters from continuing south on Cooper Cienaga Truck Trail. Apparently it was also subject to numerous misleading reflections, although that was not by design.
  • On this hide, all 3 hunters found T22, but all came in from the south off of Chihuahua Valley Road. WA6RJN was in the area first, before 4 pm, but came to a dead end at Valley Oak Lane, left the area, and didn’t find the proper way in via Old Mitchell Camp Road (the next road to the west of Valley Oak) until returning to the area around 6 pm. He and RXX/VCR joined forces and found T22 around 8 pm, which was after N6MI, who found it around 6 pm after wandering around in the area north of CA 371 for a while.
• T3
  • 34 watts into a 4 element beam. The classic “Blind Faith” location, so called because on the path to the T, one must drive a long time without hearing the T, and thus must act on “blind faith” that one knows where to go. 
  • This spot has been used on several previous hides and has still not been found.
  • T3 could be heard in many places but the strongest reported signals were in the east Cahuilla Valley
• T5
  • 10 watts into a 4-element log-periodic beam. “Blind Faith Jr.” with many of the same characteristics but is not located near the other Blind Faith. 
  • Was used on 2 (or 3?) previous hides, and still has not been found.
  • Like T3, could be heard in many places but the strongest reported signals were in the east Cahuilla Valley

Since all 3 teams found T22, and none found any others, and only KI6RXX/K6VCR had an official mileage, they are declared the winner and will hide in March.

It has been suggested that  I should retire the Cahuilla Valley / Anza area as a hiding spot, and perhaps I should reveal the “undefeated” hiding locations … I don’t commit to that but even if I do use them again, it won’t be for a while.

Thanks to all who participated, and thanks as always to Scott N6MI for the equipment loans.