One of the my first ARDF events was at Mt. Airy Forest in Cincinnati.  Because it is close to convenient parking, and because it has a trailhead, "Sunset Ridge" is an area where we often put transmitters.  The terrain has many reflections and is very challenging for 2m direction finding.  Bob Frey set some controls here that gave me a lot of trouble.  Earlier this year we had a very confusing small event that used the terrain at Sunset Ridge.

I spent hours designing a practice course at a park about 45 minutes away, but the competitors asked me to set it at a closer park, so I chose Mt. Airy.  I didn't have much time to design the course, but I tried to use Sunset Ridge to make the most difficult course I could.  I did not use a 750m start circle.  I made all the circles 400m (more or less).

Bob Frey was first in about 90 minutes.  Brian DeYoung was next in 115, with radio problems (of about 25 minutes). Dick was third, with a very broken antenna, and the determination to finish the course anyway.  He also climbed the hill to 2 and 3 twice (ouch).  Emily was first female with 2 transmitters.

Everyone came in looking really tired after this course.  Everyone had a different order, and no one did the order I expected to be best. I apologized for the course, because I didn't really think it was fair, and the real purpose was hill training for Primorsko, anyway. The competitors promised payback. Click here for the map.

Good Luck to everyone going to Bulgaria. I'm really behind putting up articles, but I'm hoping to catch up. I'm looking forward to seeing what the organizers are planning for the online spectators.