Monday, November 29, 2021

Needle in a Haystack

 


I flew my bird on Saturday morning, having a few hours before I needed to take my "reboot" nap, as I was scheduled for a work night. It was at one of my closer locations, not too large, but with plenty of bunnies to offer several slips. Well, several slips we did have, but just didn't connect for anything to take home in the bag. Her weight was a bit high. The greater disappointment came when after the hunt and call down, I discovered her transmitter had fallen off.

How does a heavy-duty zip tie just break?

I put her away into her giant hood in the car, then got out the receiver and yagi. I was happy to get a ping fairly close to the car, but as you can see above, the cover is challenging. It truly would be like trying to find the proverbial needle in a haystack. I followed the signal and isolated an area, but casting about on this cloudy day, I just did not see the brightly-colored tape I've marked the transmitter with. Time was pressing, and I had to give up.

I ruminated about it all evening.

The following morning I was just too tired to even think of attempting a "fox hunt". That is what I have learned the amateur radio enthusiasts call hiding a little transmitter and then inviting their club members to locate it. I went home and slept a few hours, then tried to tackle this challenge a little more rested. I also pulled out my more compact yagi (antenna), as well as practiced just a little in my driveway with a different transmitter to get a feel on how my equipment would work receiving the signal from a device on the ground.  

I returned to the location I had given up on the previous day. I was happy to see the battery was still working. It was slower, but still beeping. I had also brought ear buds so I could attenuate my receiver down, for finer locating once you get close to an object. The light was better, and to my delight, I found it within about 3 minutes.

Hoorah!!!!

I have lost this transmitter before, and found it. It's not pretty, but it is a favorite of mine. I won it at a NAFA meet a few years prior. It is called a "cheap beep". A falconer who is also an amateur radio enthusiast was making these inexpensive transmitters. I won one and bought one. I lost one when the bird attached to it headed for the hills during a hunt and I could not follow for the very same reason above - had to quit to take a nap prior to work. It didn't help either that the following overnight had a blizzard roll in that shut the whole area down for a few days.  That transmitter was lost along with the bird. I have also purchased a kit to make one, but it remains unassembled as neither I nor Rich seem to have the right tools.

I am happy to have it back. I really should cut a leather bewit to attach to the bird instead of zip ties. Or better still, eventually put a back pack on my hawk so she can wear a transmitter up high and out of the way on her back. I'll wait on that option to see whether or not she will be a bird worth keeping for a few seasons. Back pack installation is tricky, and not something the bird will sit still for. I'll save that stress for both me and the bird for a later day.

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