Eight Hunters Find Both Transmitters at Mississippi ARRL Day in the Park

The Mississippi Radio Direction Finding Association (MSRDF) hosted a two-transmitter T-Hunt at Trace Park in Ridgeland on Saturday, October 24, 2026, in conjunction with the Jackson Metro Amateur Radio Club and the annual Mississippi ARRL Day in the Park. Eight hunters successfully located both hidden transmitters, recording a total of 16 verified finds.

Coordinated by Diane Johnson (K5DMJ), the pedestrian self hunt ran from 9:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. Participants could search at their own pace, with the top of the park’s big hill serving as the suggested starting point.

A Hidden Transmitter—and a Clue

The primary MSRDF Audio Transmitter operated on 146.565 MHz and used AI6YM’s PicoFox to transmit a message to attendees for approximately 70 seconds, followed by approximately 70 seconds of silence. Hunters used those repeating transmissions to work their way toward its hiding place.

Finding the primary transmitter also unlocked a second challenge. Its log sheet revealed the frequency of the MSRDF Bonus Transmitter, which remained silent until a hunter activated it.

The bonus transmitter used the Byonics BFoxCon. To make it respond, hunters transmitted DTMF tone 1 from their own radios on the revealed frequency. The transmitter then sent a sequence of audio tones for approximately 90 seconds before returning to listening mode. This gave participants an opportunity to practice activating a hidden transmitter and locating it during its limited transmission window.

The Results

Tracy Kennedy (KI5UXN), of Quitman, Mississippi, received first-to-find recognition for the primary Audio Transmitter, and Karey Todd (KI5ZLP), of Philadelphia, Mississippi, received first-to-find recognition for the Bonus Transmitter.

All eight participants successfully completed both searches. Finders are listed below in their recorded order.

Audio Transmitter

1. Tracy Kennedy (KI5UXN) — 11:11 a.m.

2. Karey Todd (KI5ZLP) — 11:11 a.m.

3. Wayne Myhe (KC5HPU) — 11:11 a.m.

4. Larry Anderson (K5LDA) — 11:11 a.m.

5. Terry Balderidge (Hunter003) — 1:30 p.m.

6. McLeod Johnson (W5JMJ) — 1:31 p.m.

7. Caleb Johnson (Hunter002) — 1:33 p.m.

8. Rez Johnson (K1REZ) — 1:33 p.m.

Bonus Transmitter

1. Karey Todd (KI5ZLP) — 11:37 a.m.

2. Larry Anderson (K5LDA) — 11:37 a.m.

3. Tracy Kennedy (KI5UXN) — 11:37 a.m.

4. Wayne Myhe (KC5HPU) — 11:37 a.m.

5. Terry Balderidge (Hunter003) — 1:45 p.m.

6. McLeod Johnson (W5JMJ) — 1:46 p.m.

7. Rez Johnson (K1REZ) — 1:47 p.m.

8. Caleb Johnson (Hunter002) — 1:48 p.m.

Participant ratings ranged from easy to moderate for the primary transmitter, while the bonus transmitter drew ratings from easy to challenging.

The comments left in Hunt Manager reflected the enjoyment of the afternoon. McLeod Johnson wrote, “Thank you for a fun hunt,” while Rez Johnson added, “Thank you. Fun hunt!” Caleb Johnson summed up his experience with a single word: “Fun!”

Join the Next Hunt

Thank you to everyone who participated, to Diane Johnson for coordinating the hunt, and to the Jackson Metro Amateur Radio Club for the opportunity to include radio direction finding in the day’s activities.

Visit MSRDF.com to learn about upcoming Mississippi radio direction finding events and register for a free Hunt Manager account. Hunt Manager lets participants log finds by scanning transmitter QR codes, record find times, follow their statistics, and earn recognition through MSRDF awards and achievements.

Whether you are learning to follow your first signal or looking for another challenge, we look forward to seeing you at a future hunt!

Bring a T-Hunt to Your Next Event

MSRDF is available to host radio direction finding hunts for amateur radio clubs and other organizations. Whether you’re planning a club outing, community gathering, or special event, a transmitter hunt offers a fun, hands-on way to introduce participants to radio direction finding. Visit MSRDF.com to learn more and contact us about arranging a hunt for your group.