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Peacock Stole my Mag Lite

Started by Starlock, April 26, 2011, 01:07:07 AM

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Starlock

My group was holding a Search and Rescue exercise a few weeks ago around Cape Girardeau. We were basically told "Somewhere in this 20 mile grid is an ELT on 121.775. Your ground team will be dispatched to perform a ramp check with the L-Per; if the target isn't there, begin a search from the airport into your grid. Good luck!"
Good luck my boot. I mean really. We had to go 15 miles by Comm van to the edge of our grid before we got a good signal about a hundred yards behind a truck stop. A wild goose chase ensued. The van pulled off onto a residential road and into a cul-de-sac. There was a man outside painting his house, and we asked him if we could take a reading from his driveway; it positively read an azimuth of about 180. We go toward our azimuth a mile or two, stop, take a reading. Reading about 160. Go toward azimuth, take a reading on the top of a hill near a church. One reading is 240, needle lost it, another reading in the same spot with a different cadet (same L-Per) read 30, and I took another try. The azimuth shot toward a power substation of all things! A combine going down the road nearly kills us all and we decide to take a reading. At that moment, mission base radios us, snickering, to tell us "Try in the vicinity of 3rd and Mulberry." and so we did. We take the longer 121.775 antennae off and we find that the ELT was apparently behind [what turned out to be our deputy commander's house.] As we pull down the road, we see a peacock of all things chasing several chickens.
Wait, what? a peacock, chasing chickens.
After a quick quadruple take, we take a left, and the peacock has moved closer to the garage the ELT turned out to be by. We stop, and take a reading, the needle going absolutely nuts. We then "nose goes" (the mature and professional way of deciding everything) to see who gets the honor of turning off the ELT. Myself, being the one listening to MB brief GT4 by radio, got the short end of the stick. I mosy around to the crate the ELT was under and flip it over. The peacock comes around the corner with the scent of death on it and murder in its eyes. It then proceeds to try and run me down. Promptly after falling on my back, I grasp for the mag-lite that has fallen off of my 24 hour gear. The stupid bird squawks at me as I reach for it, snatches it up when I recoil my hand back, and runs off behind a shed. I made no effort to pursue my mag-lite considering the situation and now I need a new flashlight... Stupid birds...

SarDragon

Nice story.

Comment - make it a policy of referring to 121.5 units as ELTs, and the 121.775 units as practice beacons. This will save confusion when it really counts, and you never know when that will happen.
Dave Bowles
Maj, CAP
AT1, USN Retired
50 Year Member
Mitchell Award (unnumbered)
C/WO, CAP, Ret

Starlock

Yes, it was practice, granted. I thought after I mentioned 121.775 people would get the gyst that it was a practice mission  :D

SarDragon

Quote from: Starlock on April 26, 2011, 01:21:09 AM
Yes, it was practice, granted. I thought after I mentioned 121.775 people would get the gyst that it was a practice mission  :D

Yes, we figured that out very quickly. Now how about when you're out in the field, and start talking about an ELT on the radio? Some folks might think there's a real mission going on, or that there's a real ELT going off, in addition to the practice beacon, and the excitement level escalates quickly. BTDT. Always make the distinction. Always.
Dave Bowles
Maj, CAP
AT1, USN Retired
50 Year Member
Mitchell Award (unnumbered)
C/WO, CAP, Ret

Starlock

I'll take mental note of that, sir. That would clear possible confusion.