[FoxHunt] SFL! DF 27 MHz.

[KD7JYK]

Since last november I have been trying to find the origin of a digital
signal on 27.255 MHz that transmits for 2.5 seconds every eight seconds.  In
my searching, I found a total of six transmissions at different locations
across three counties.  I've managed to get within a few hundred feet, but
have been unable to find the antenna the signal is coming from.

The first signal I tried to track down was in Fallon, NV.  I managed to
narrow down the location, but there were five buildings in the area covered
in antennas, the court, the police department, the fire department and the
telephone company.  I talked with radio technicians, supervisors, radio
operators, you name it.  I managed to identify all but two of nearly fourty
antennas in Fallon.  One was very unlikely, it is a 3" whip.  The other was
more likely, it is made of 3\4" PVC with a cap on top and is roughly four
feet high.  It is on the telephone company tower.  I spoke with several
people there and we even identified equipment they hadn't had operational
since the 1960's, no-one was aware of an HF signal or antenna.

The second signal I found was in Mound House, NV.  Coincidentally, there was
a fire department there too...  In my talking with people at the fire
department, it seemed unlikely that the FD was the source of the signal,
despite theis FD having a CB antenna on the roof that no-one knows the real
purpose of.

About two weeks ago I found two more signals in Carson City, NV.  One near
Baskin Robbins Ice Cream on South Carson Street, another near the corner of
College Parkway and Carson Street.

There have been many suggestions of what the source of the signal may be.
The primary cause makes identifying signals on the frequency difficult is
that it has been set aside for unlicensed operation up to 25W for several
decades.

Tonight I had some spare time alone and decided to try and locate the source
of the signal near Carson Street and College Parkway.  For about twenty
minutes I drove spirals around blocks and buildings looking at my S-Meter.
I switched in 30dB of attenuation and found the signal stronger north-east
of where I had been searching.  I was driving around a contruction area
without luck and decided the head into the golf course to the west.  The
signal grew stronger as I got nearer to the main building. As I got closer,
I could see a 3\4" white PVC antenna with a cap on top, roughly 48" tall
secured to the side of the building, the same type of antenna that I could
not positively identify at the phone company!  As I got closer, the signal
grew stronger, I parked next to it and despite the attenuation, the signal
was around S9!

Unfortunately, the building was closed so I was unable to go inside and try
to find anything that looked likely to be the source. The antenna is on the
side of the "Pro Shop".  I walked all over the course looking for something
that would receive such a signal, I found nothing on the grounds, nothing
near irrigation equipment, but I did find a nice little weather station, no
antenna though.  Has anyone else noticed such an antenna at other golf
courses?  Is anyone aware of some sort of electronics that would be used
around a course that needs to hear a signal every eight seconds?  I was
wondering if the carts had some sort of kill circuit that would shut them
down if they got out of range to help prevent theft.

Any ideas?

Kurt