My Foxhunting Adventures

When I joined my local ham club in Boston, I got interested in Foxhunting, also known as Radio Direction Finding (RDF). Foxhunting is one of the most enjoyable and challenging activities in amateur radio. Participants use their radios and directional Yagi antennas to locate hidden transmitters, affectionately known as foxes.

Here is a summary from the two foxhunts. See further details below the summary. Stay turned for additional updates of my foxhunting adventures.

Foxhunt One – Field Day 2026 (Westwood, MA):

• First foxhunt experience during Amateur Radio Field Day hosted by the Boston Amateur Radio Club (BARC).

• Mentored by experienced fox hunter W1MJ.

• Used a Baofeng UV-32 handheld tuned to 147.540 MHz.

• Learned the body deflection method to determine the direction of the fox.

• Experienced firsthand how signal reflections from rocks and trees can create false directions.

• Learned that inexpensive handheld radios can become overloaded when close to the transmitter.

• Switched to a YAESU handheld near the end of the hunt, making it much easier to pinpoint the fox. (The s-meter on the YAESU was more sensitive/accurate.)

• Successfully located the fox within 5–10 feet with guidance from W1MJ.

• Gained valuable experience that prepared me for my next hunt.

Foxhunt Two – Local Park 2026 (Waltham, MA):

• Better prepared with a YAESU FT-70D handheld and **RF attenuators.

• Used both the body deflection method and a passive step attenuator to reduce received signal strength while closing in on the fox.

• Applied a new technique by monitoring the third harmonic (442.620 MHz) on a second handheld radio.

• Used the harmonic signal as a close-range indicator when within 15–20 feet of the fox.

• Successfully located the fox in about 35–40 minutes with minimal assistance from W1MJ.

• Learned to recognize and avoid false signal peaks caused by reflected radio waves.

• Built confidence by trusting my instincts instead of relying solely on signal strength.

• Demonstrated how improved equipment and techniques significantly increased accuracy and independence.

Foxhunt Three – HamExpo 2026 (Marlboro, MA):

• I used a Explorer QRZ-1 5W VHF/UHF Handheld from GigiParts due to the simplicity of programing frequencies on the move.

• Used both the body deflection method and a passive step attenuator to reduce received signal strength while closing in on the fox.

• Applied the same technique of monitoring the third harmonic (439.820 MHz) on a second handheld radio.

• Learned a valuable lesson about checking random objects on the ground. One of the foxes was hidden in a Pringles can.

Foxhunt One:

My first “foxhunt” was at ham field day 2026 in Westwood, MA. Ham field day in Westwood was sponsored by the Boston Amateur Radio Club (BARC). The club did an amazing job of teaching Amateur (Ham) Radio Enthusiasts varies modes of communications including Morse Code (CW), Phone (Vocie) and FT-8 digital modes of long-distance communications on frequencies between *15-20 meters. In addition to working FT-8, I went on my first foxhunt with a seasoned veteran (W1MJ) who planned the fox in the woods near where BARC was set-up. I couldn’t have picked a better teacher & mentor for my first foxhunt.

For my first foxhunt, I used an inexpensive BAOFENG UV-32 walkie talkie manually tuned to the VHF frequency of the fox transmitter (VHF 147.540 MHz). With some input from my mentor W1MJ, I started walking down the gravel driveway while listening to the fox transmitter message playing every minute. The signal was strong on the walkie talkie s-meter from the start. I used the body deflection method by holding the walkie talkie close to my body while turning in circles. This helps to identify the dead spots. By stopping every time, the message played I was able to tell the general direction of the fox. After 15-20 minutes of exploring a side trail to the right of the main road, I decided it was a dead end. One of the challenges with fox hunting is that obstacles like large rocks, trees, and other manmade structures can lead you to believe you are going down the correct path when you are going the wrong way. This is because radio waves bounce off obstacles. Even seasoned foxhunting veterans can fall prey to this phenomenon. I started off down a trail on the right to the main gravel road. The signal was getting stronger and I had no way of knowing where the fox was hidden even though at this point, I removed the antenna from my walkie talkie. The problem with lower cost radios is they are not very accurate and over sensitive to signals. I switched radios with W1MJ since he had a YAESU walkie talkie. Using his walkie talkie, I was able to get within 5-10 feet of the hidden fox transmitter. M1MJ pointed me to the fox when I was almost on top of it. This was all great learning and pre-prep for my second foxhunt a few weeks later.

BAOFENG UV-32

Fox transmitter

Finding the fox

Foxhunt Two:

For foxhunt two, W1MJ plated his “fox” in a local park with uphill hiking trails (some paved) and roadways leading to scenic overlooks at this hilly park with Boston views. This time I was better prepared than my first hunt. I purchased a quality YAESU FT-70D walkie talkie and an **offset attenuator & passive step attenuator a week before the foxhunt. You can read more about how attenuators work from my earlier blog on foxhunting, tricks of the trade. I used the YAESU FT-70D using the same body deflection method in combination with the passive step attenuator, which allowed me to limit the output of the fox using 5 dB, 10 dB, 20 dB, and 30 dB combined incrementally. Basically, the attenuator allows you to step down the output of the transmitter you get closer, otherwise the s-meter would be pegged on your walkie talkie, and this makes it impossible to find the fox. The other method I learned from W1MJ from my first fox hunt was to tune a second walkie talkie to the third harmonics output of the fox. (In ham radio, a third harmonic is an unintended signal or resonant point exactly three times the frequency of the fundamental signal.) The fox was set to transmit on VHF frequency of 147.450 MHz; the third harmonics in this case was 147.540 * 3 = 442.620 MHz. By tuning a second walkie talkie to the third harmonics, I was able to detect the fox when I was within 15-20 feet. The second walkie talkie started making squawking noises like a sick Chicken calling for help. Finding the fox with minor input than the first one from my mentor took about 35-40 minutes. One important lesson I learned was to trust my instincts even when I thought I was on the correct trail. An example of this was a rocky hill where the signal became extra strong even with the antenna removed and only the passive step attenuator connected to my walkie talkie. After several transmissions of the fox, I decided it was a dead-end created by the rocky hill.

YAESU FT-70D

Foxhunt Three – HamXposition (Marlborough, MA)

Foxhunt number three at HamXposion involved a diverse group of ham hobbyists

searching for “four foxes” on the grounds of the hotel and conference center. The foxhunt started with W1MJ teaching a class in one of the conference rooms. The interesting part of any foxhunt is the actual hunt, not so much of the theory – although having an instructor was perfect for the new people who had never been on a hunt.

As I mentioned, there were four foxes hidden be different groups including the Minute Man Repeater Association (MMRA). We decided as a group to exclude that fox since it only transmitted every 5 minutes. I prefer foxhunting for a fox that transmits every 60 seconds minimum. This makes getting initial directions to the fox easier. A fellow foxhunter had a home-made Yagi looking antenna with a WT and a box mounted on it with lights. The contraption guides you to the general area of the fox by following the lights in the proper direction. I wished I had a picture of the Yagi style setup. All the foxhunters had a WT. W1MJ and I both had a passive step attenuator from BYONICS. I go into more detail on attenuators on an earlier blog post.

Hunt Number One:

Using the attenuator with the body fade method it was easy to find the area in the back of the conversion center after a brief search in the general area including the woods at the edge of the parking lot. Whoever planted that fox and the one after was a genius. Next to a trash dumpster was a gray electrical service box with electrical conduit running into the group. One of the foxhunters examined it more closely (there were 15-20 of us) and noticed there was a QR code on the side. That was the dead giveaway since the posted instructions stated that you were to scan the QR code, which brought you to Google Forms doc.

Hunt Number Two:

Using the same methods as the first foxhunt, we headed off as a group quickly finding the general area using the body fade method and tunning a second cheap BAOFENG UV-32 to the third harmonics. The fox was tuned to 145.630, so the third harmonics was 439.890. I also got into more depth on this in a different blog. The ham with the Yagi contraption also found the area of the fox quickly. The problem we faced was the signal was strongest in the flea market area of the convention so were dealing with cars and trailers. We though initially that it was hidden under a car or in a trailer. After walking in circles for about 5 min. one of the other foxhunters noticed a Pringles Potato chip can at the base of a tree. Bingo! It also had a QR code to scan.

Fox Transmitter Hiden in a Pringles Can

Hunt Number Three:

The third fox had been planted by my club secretary, W1MJ. We found the general area after a short five-minute walk from the hotel. There were some false positive readings next to a small lake that was most likely caused by the radio waves being reelected off the lake from the 5-watt fox transmitter. After some milling around in the hot sun, we decide the readings were false and we kept walking away from the convention center. I found the fox hidden in the woods just off the parking lot of the building next to the convention center.

Summary

Remember to trust your instinct when foxhunting. Use the tools you have. If you don’t have a passive step attenuator, try unscrewing your antenna and use the body fade method turning in a full 360 degrees to find the dead spots once you are close. A pegged s-meter is typically a good indicator that you are close along with having a second WT turned to the third harmonics. Check every object closely and double check, if necessary. A Pringles can was the last place I would expect to find a fox transmitter. In addition, don’t forget to scan the QR code or sign the paper log if there is no QR code on the fox. This proves you found the fox, date, time, location, etc. If you are searching in the woods, always bring bug spray and check for those nasty ticks when you leave.

Overall Lessons Learned:

• Good mentorship accelerates learning.

• The body deflection method is an effective technique for beginners.

• Signal reflections are one of the biggest challenges in radio direction finding.

• Quality equipment and RF attenuators greatly improve close-in accuracy.

• Monitoring harmonics can be an effective technique for the final approach.

• Fox hunting is as much about interpreting the environment as it is about reading signal strength.

• Each hunt builds confidence, improves technique, and reinforces the importance of patience and persistence.

I have become so fascinated with foxhunting that I have decide to purchase a MicroFox 50 fox transmitter and deploy it in a local park.

**Note: The BYONICS attenuators are bi-directional. I ordered a 2PCS SMA Antenna Pigtail Cable, RG316 SMA Male to SMA Female Jumper, Low Loss 6Inch(15cm) SMA Extension Coaxial Cable for Ham Radio from Amazon. This gives room to work with otherwise the attenuators are up against the HT with little wiggle room.

*20-meter (14.000–14.350 MHz) and 15-meter (21.000–21.450 MHz) amateur radio bands are premier HF bands for global DX (long-distance) communication.