Radio Orienteering

Amateur Radio Direction Finding (ARDF)

Welcome to Radio-O.  Here is how it works! We provide a radio receiver with a directional antenna, an orienteering map, a compass, and a finger stick. By pointing the antenna and listening to the signal you can determine the direction of the signal.  Using this information you navigate to the transmitter and punch in with your finger stick. Only the start and finish are marked on the map and it is important to keep track of where you are.  To qualify as finishing you must find at least one transmitter on your course and reach the finish within the time limit. To calculate results -- first; the number of assigned transmitters you found, then; your time on the course. We offer beginner through advanced courses, Regular BOK fees apply, and Pre-Registration is required.

Latest News in Radio Orienteering

March 23rd, 2025

Half-Life Score-O and 2M Radio at New Hope Overlook

Half-Life Score-O

Join us for a Score-O event at the New Hope Overlook section of Jordan Lake on Sunday March 30. In this event, your goal is to collect as many points as possible within the allotted time. There is no set route—you can visit the controls in any order you choose.

Special Twist: “Half-Life” Controls
Some controls on the course will be designated as “half-life” controls, meaning their point values will decrease over time. To maximize your score, visit these controls as quickly as possible. These will be denoted as “1/2” on the control description

Event Timing and Rules

  • Map Handout starts at 10:00 and you can use as much time as you want to plan your route
  • Start Time: Anytime after 10:00 AM (but you must finish by 2:00)
  • Time Limit: You have 2 hours from your start time or until 2:00 PM, whichever comes first.
  • Maps will be printed at 1:10000 on an 11×17 (tabloid) sheet. These can be folded in half to fit in a standard map cover

Late Penalty
If you return after your 2-hour limit or after 1:00 PM, you will be penalized 3 points per minute, beginning immediately after the deadline.

Control pickup will begin promptly at 2:00, and help with pickup would be appreciated.

Registration will close at 5pm Friday, March 28.


2M Radio-O

Alongside the regular score orienteering course, BOK is offering a 2m Classic radio orienteering course. This course is meant for experienced radio orienteers and beginner instruction will not be available.

The courses will open soon after 10am to keep time with the score-O and we need you to be done by 2pm so that pickup can begin.

This is a classic 2m course with the goal of making it as much like a championship course as the narrowness of New Hope Overlook allows. The exclusion zone will be 600m instead of the normal 750m, but all controls will be at least 450m from each other.

The courses as designed are

  • Short – controls 2 3 5 with an effective length of 4.2km
  • Medium – controls 2 3 4 5 with an effective length of 4.9km
  • Long – controls 1 2 3 4 5 with a effective length of 6.3km

Registration will close at 5pm Friday, March 28.

March 15th, 2025

2025 USA Radio Orienteering Championships

The 24th US Radio Orienteering Championship

We welcome everyone to join us in Central North Carolina from June 14 – 22, 2025

Basic Schedule

  • Practice Days
    • Saturday & Sunday, June 14-15, 2025 – FoxO & Sprint
    • Monday, June 16, 2025 – 2m & Sprint
    • Tuesday, June 17, 2025 – 80m & Sprint
  • Equipment Check, Pre-Event Meeting & Pizza Dinner
    • Wednesday, June 18, 2025 – All transmitter types
  • Championship Races
    • FoxOring – Thursday, June 19, 2025
    • Sprint – Friday, June 20, 2025
    • 2m – Saturday, June 21, 2025
    • 80m – Sunday, June 22, 2025
  • Late fees begin May 1 ($5 per day)

March 12th, 2025

Sprints at Dix Sunday March 23

Note that the date has changed from Saturday to SUNDAY

  • What: 2 Orienteering Sprints and a full Radio-O sprint with 10 controls
  • Explorer Course (All controls score course)
  • Date: Sunday March 23
  • Starts: 11am – 2pm
  • Course Closes: 3pm
  • Where: Dix Park just NW of the intersection of Hunt Dr and Umstead Dr. (35.771353, -78.661836)
  • Registration closes Saturday March 22, Noon

Everyone is welcome at this event. There will be two orienteering sprints with Long and short versions as well as a full Radio-O sprint.

Also an Explorer course that is open to everyone, and particularly good for beginners, where you take whatever controls you want in any order and only need to be back by course closing time.

January 15th, 2025

Results – Gray Owl Expert Orienteering, Fox-O, Night events, and 6 & 12-hour Virtual Rogaine 2/1/25 & 2/2/25

On February 1st, BOK held a rogaine training event starting/finishing at Gray Owl in the NE corner of Birkhead Mountains Wilderness. This consisted of two 6-hour “loops” (one during the day and one during the night). Most of the controls on each course didn’t have physical flags. Instead, participants had to use the UsynligO and […]

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December 16th, 2024

Results – Radio-O 2m Short Classic and Sprint at Carl Alwin Schenck Memorial Forest on Sunday December 15 2024

We have had a nice day outdoors catching radio waves. The weather cooperated giving us a nice sun shine in the middle of December. Thank you all for coming. The directors would extend very special thanks to the BOK for scheduling the event, reserving the place, and providing rental equipment, Charles for his tremendous help […]

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