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

November 10th, 2024

Results: Fall 2024 Radio Orienteering Beginner Classes

All four of the “first timers” from week 1 who participated on week 3, completed the course, finding all five “cycling” foxes. Outstanding!

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November 7th, 2024

Gray Owl Orienteering & Radio-O Weekend Nov 15, 16, 17, 2024

Ruth and I would like to welcome you to our house adjacent to the Birkhead Wilderness Area in the Uwharrie National Forest for a weekend of Radio Orienteering and Classic Orienteering. Below is a registration button and details of the weekend plans.

  • When:
    • Friday Noon – 4pm Nov 15, 2024
    • Saturday 9am – 4pm Nov 16, 2024
    • Sunday 9am – 2pm Nov 17, 2024
    • Control Pickup Sunday 2-4pm
      • Any help is greatly appreciated. The orienteering controls are needed for the following week’s Raven Rock event.
  • Where:
    • Asheboro, NC
    • 1725 Gray Owl Road
    • 35.6346680703153, -79.88024674672587
    • Directions: There is a control on our mailbox at the intersection of Hopewell Friends and Gray Owl Road. Drive 1/4 mile on Gray Owl Rd and take the first left turn onto our driveway. Drive 1/4 mile to the turnaround, and then turn around and park only on the right side (east side) of the driveway as you are heading back out. Do not drive on the grass at all! Do not park in the turnaround!
  • What:
    • Classic Orienteering White – Blue
      • The Courses are the same all three days
    • Radio Orienteering
      • Radio-O shares controls with orienteering so you should plan to do your Radio-O courses before doing the Orienteering courses.
      • Sprint (Friday, Saturday, & Sunday)
      • Fox-O (Friday, Saturday, & Sunday)
      • 2m Classic (Saturday)
      • 80m Classic (Saturday & Sunday)
  • It is Hunting Season wear Orange
    • I have posted a map wiith the area we are using at the closest trail head.
    • Hunting is very unlikely in our area because no trails in our map area connect to any trail head.
  • Accomodations:
    • RV & Tent Camping – Zooland (6min from Gray Owl) https://zoolandfc.com/
    • Primitive Camping at Gray Owl
    • Hotels & AirB&B in Asheboro, NC
  • Pizza Dinner Saturday at ~4:30
  • Event Directors: Joseph and Ruth

Resources for Beginners

Check out these videos. The first one is our 15 minute class. Then there are two short ones, one introducing an orienteering map, and the other how to use a Thumb Compass – which we can loan you to try out on your course.

Event Notes

Map Notes

There are lots of controls out there considering everything is on one map, so be sure to check the code on the control to be sure it is on your course.

Non Standard Symbols

Controls in the woods:

You are likely to see controls out there that aren’t yours. Here is what is out there

  • 80m foxes have regular controls hanging with an ORANGE ribbon 181-185 3.560 MHz
  • 2m foxes have regular controls hanging with a PINK ribbon 121-125 144.50 MHz
    • The radio controls are also used on Orienteering courses
  • Orienteering controls may hang with colored ribbons or just a string. It doesn’t matter.
  • Sprint controls are striped poles with an SI-box on top. No flag.
  • FoxO controls are a black pole with an SI-box on top. No flag.

Courses:

The long walks to the start get the green and red to more complex section of the map that isn’t used as much and mostly away from the beginner controls. Starting closer would require the extra climb on your course and would limit the time in the more complex areas.

I would like to thank Dave Waller for being my Course Consulant. While I have had 46 years (yikes) designing courses Dave spotted issues that I overlooked. No matter how experianced you are it is helpful for new eyes to take a look to catch ways to make the courses even better.

Orienteering Courses

CourseHours:
Fri 12-4,
Sat 9-4Sun 9-4
Distance m# of ControlsWalk
to Start /
from Finish
WhiteFri / Sat / Sun164012100 / 10
YellowFri / Sat / Sun197014100 / 10
OrangeFri / Sat / Sun327011100 / 10
BrownFri / Sat / Sun38609100 / 890
GreenFri / Sat / Sun5550131500 / 10
RedFri / Sat / Sun7030171500 / 10
BlueFri / Sat / Sun1107021100 / 10

Radio-O Courses

Since Radio-O isn’t much fun if you know where the foxes are, you should do any radio-O courses before any Orienteering courses.

EventFoxesFrequenciesHours: 
Fri 12-4, Sat 9-4 Sun 9-2
ControlsLength k
Foxes 5/4/3

Effective L 5/4/3
SprintSlow3.560 MHzFri 12-4,
Sat 9-4,
Sun 9-2
Label: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
SI-boxes:
144, 145, 146, 147, 148



1 k
Beacon3.600 MHzFri 12-4,
Sat 9-4,
Sun 9-2
B / 180
FoxOring126-1293.54 MHzFri 12-4,
Sat 9-4,
Sun 9-2
126, 127, 128, 129
3, 4, 3f, 4f


2.8 k
3.9 EL
186-1893.58 MHzFri 12-4,
Sat 9-4,
Sun 9-2
186, 187, 188, 189
5, 6, 5f, 6f
Beacon3.600 MHzFri 12-4,
Sat 9-4,
Sun 9-2
B / 180
80m
LiveLox Code
5XVAW3
Foxes3.520 MHzSat 9-4
Sun 9-2
181-1855.8/4.4/3.6 k
7.6/5.8/5.1 EL
Beacon3.600 MHzSat 9-4
Sun 9-2
B / 180
2mFoxes144.50 MHzSat 9-4121-1255.3 / 4.5 / 3.4 k
6.9/ 5.9/4.5 EL
Beacon145.55 MHzSat 9-4B / 180
September 11th, 2024

Radio-O Sprint PopUp Sept 13, 5-7pm

Here are the final details:

  • Location: Pullen Park, upper parking lot
  • Turn on transmitters: 5pm
  • Finish by 7pm
  • Slow 3.52
  • Spectator 3.55
  • Fast 3.57
  • Beacon 3.60

I will set up SI-Timing for Start, Spectator, & Finish if you want to time your sprints. Results won’t be published, but you can see your result on the Tablet.

Everyone experianced in Radio-O is welcome. We won’t have beginner instruction. Sprints require fast locating and good memory. Practice, practice and more practice – make evaluating the field automatic. After this first practice we will try and do some weekday evenings.

Notices regarding Radio-O are sent out in the BOK-Radio-O mail group. To subscribe, send an email to BOK-Radio-O+Subscribe@BackwoodsOK.org.

September 8th, 2024

Schenck Forest Radio-O Sept 7 & 8 Results

What a pleasure to have cool weather for the weekend. Thanks to Matt and Will for picking up the controls. Schenck Sept 7 – 8, 2024 Radio-O Classic, Results Schenck Sept 7 – 8, 2024 Radio-O Classic, Results 2024-09-01 80m Long 180 min (6 Controls) 1 Imre Polik #2 Backwoods Orienteering Klub 5 p (29:18) […]

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July 17th, 2024

Advanced Foxoring at Umstead East – Results

Between the rain, the heat, the humidity, and the uncrossable powerlines, it was a very challenging course. Congratulations to everyone who completed it.

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