FT1D Radio Finds Lost FT1D via APRS Beacons!

During recent activation of MT Waugh W0C/SC-032…

K7PX and I were on a hasty down hill descent with weather moving in on us. Bashing down through thick forest when I stopped and turned around to see K7PX emerging from the trees. I immediately noticed he was missing his FT1D APRS radio! (Off trail bushwhacking is brutal on exposed skin, clothing, and gear …ripping items from pack and body as you claw your way through!)

Previous weekend I had just done a fox hunt with our W0TLM Club so I was keyed in on “lets find this wayward radio!” The big advantage was his FT1D was still on and sending a APRS beacons every 5-minutes. Luckily each beacon contained a LAT/LON, bearing, distance and elevation. Distance said “0.0 Mi.” so we knew we were close but how close was the question! LAT/LON was a ways off and uphill ~300’ (ugh!) but elevation was real close to where we stood?

We slowly searched back up hill until I saw a new beacon pop in on my FT1D giving us a new bearing pointing down hill from us. So we swung around …there it was laying on the ground! If it were a snake it would have bit us! Hah! …Woohoo radio found! Down we went before weather closed in.

Steve/wGOAT

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I guess that’s another reason to turn on the APRS beacon on your HT. :smile:

73, Bob K0NR

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Great work Steve,

I’m finding that the tendency to make everything black is a disadvantage when looking or a lost object.

73
Ron
VK3AFW

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Yah! …as I get older (72yrs) I’ve noticed it’s even harder to find my glasses (think I should paint the frames hunter orange!) Several years ago I lost my XG8 HT when I left it on the roof of my truck before leaving the TH and not noticing it missing till I got home.

Went back next day unfortunately it’d snow a good 10" but regretfully I didn’t have another APRS rig to hunt it down with!

This SOTA hobby can get expensive but it beats gambling at horse races and much more healthy for you! …says Peanut

Cheers, Steve/wGOAT

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Cool! As a young Marine Plt SGT, I always had to make sure my younger Marines had everything secured to their packs before we took off on an “adventure” hump. We referred to the little tie-downs as “dummy cords” :wink: Worked great! I still have a handful laying around here that I hung on to and still use 'em to this day. Easy to make out of Para cord iffen one wanted. And I agree - it’s hard to find stuff painted black when you’re up on a peak looking for that little HT laying on the ground. HI HI…

See ya on the air Steve…73, Todd KH2TJ

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