Location
Lower Brockhampton This is the woodland and parkland of a stately home now run by the National Trust. There is a steep drop from the start/finish area in the parkland down to the woodland area, where there are several small valleys and a dense network of paths.
The entrance to the Brockhampton Estate is off the A44 between Worcester and Bromyard at NGR SO685544 or postcode WR6 5TP.
Click here for a map of the area:
or on Streetmap
The National Trust webpage for the area is at http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/brockhampton-estate/
Details of the normal orienteering event will be at:
http://www.harlequins.org.uk/fixtures.html
Directions and Parking
The assembly point is close to the estate's church, on the north side of the A44, 12 miles west of Worcester. Follow the National Trust signs, plus there will be orienteering signs at the entrance. Follow signs to the orienteering car park field. Do not park in the NT car park. There is no charge for parking (the NT have kindly waived it) but NT members are asked to show their membership cards at the entrance hut for statistical purposes, which enables the Brockhampton Estate to claim funds from their central office. Inform the car park marshals that you're there for the Radio O event and they will direct you to the correct parking area. Look out also for the ARDF flag
Format of Event
The event will conform to the general principles of IARU events, but will be less formal than a Championship. For the 144MHz event there will be a time limit of 90 minutes, five transmitters and an MO beacon at the finish. Competitors can elect to hunt the five 'foxes' in any order or (long course) in the order odd-even-odd-even-odd. SI electronic punching will be used for both competitions.
For the 144MHz event, the transmitters will be separated by at least 300m and the nearest transmitter to the Start may be as close as 400m (IARU rules state 750m).
The afternoon Sprint competition will effectively be half of a full sprint event. The transmitters will send for 12 seconds each in a 1 minute cycle
Map
Scale is 1:10,000. Size A4 landscape. Printed in four colours on waterproof paper.
Timetable
1030 Registration opens. Information sheets issued to ALL entrants.
1055 Map issue to the first starter in the 144 MHz competition.
1100-1145 144 MHz starts
1230-1330 3.5MHz starts
1430 Courses close
Entries
Entry fee £5.
The results will be posted on this web site as soon as possible after the event.
Procedures
Registration for the ARDF event will be in the orienteers' car park near the church. The Start and Finish for the 144 MHz event will be the same as for the normal orienteering event - follow signs. The Start is approx 250 m from registration; the Finish is approx 100m from registration. The Start and Finish for the 3.5 MHz event will both be at the Finish of the morning event.
In accordance with the informality of the event the organisers will not require you to deposit your receiver in a pound before the transmitters start sending. They do expect you to respect the spirit of this concession by refraining from using your receiver until reporting to officials in the start area and then only under their supervision.The 'flags' for the morning competition will be 15cm side length. For the sprint competition, the only indicator will be an SI box on a stand.
Safety
Competitors are responsible for their own safety and take part at their own risk. No smoking in the forest. Whistles must be carried (the emergency signal is 6 blasts repeated at 1 minute intervals).
Loan Equipment
Receivers for both 144 MHz and 3.5MHz adnd SI cards are available on loan (£1 to hire the latter and £30 if not returned. E-Mail the organiser (number below) to reserve one.
Enquiries
ardf.chairman@rsgb.org.uk
