Monday, September 12, 2011

Back to the channel…..

This weekend Tim & I will be heading to the Lost Channel area. What makes this trip different than others is the fact that we will be trying to maintain a stealth-like existence whereas in the past, we were using ATV's to cover a large amount of ground in a very short period of time. Having a better understanding of the area from past trips, we know what to expect in the way of terrain and wildlife. The idea is to draw in whatever might be out there, to a decoy camp that is setup to monitor the surrounding area. As you may recall, we have a fantastic audio recording of "the breather" which has sparked much interest in this area and it will remain a prime candidate for future investigation until the origin of that sound is discovered, and even then, it will remain a major area of interest.

The drive to this place will be somewhat different this time around (at least for me). I will be coming in from the east, above the top of Algonquin Park, along Hwy 17. If things go as planned, Tim will already be at the site (of which we have yet to determine the exact location), and he will relay the coordinates to me via text messaging or voice call. There are several trails in the area and without a proper recon, we are unsure of the condition of some of them based on the data that we have, some of which is out of date. One other dilemma we have to deal with is the ability for us to even get a cell signal in this area. In the past we have had to use a repeater to get an adequate signal. Probably have to do the same again. For this, we use a Wilson Dual band amplifier with an external antenna. This is a full power 3 watt booster with a cradle that has a built-in stripline antenna, used to send & receive to the phone and to rebroadcast within the general area (so that passengers in the vehicle can also take advantage). The actual circumference of the coverage or "mini" cell system is about 20 feet or so. 

Wilson "Signal Boost" System

Having been in this area before, we know that the weather can act up quite quickly, rolling off of Georgian Bay with some tenacity. Since we will be slightly further inland, we don't expect any issues but will be keeping our ears open for the weather alert system, in case of any unforeseen events.

Our camp setup has already been somewhat planned out, for our own benefit and for the sake of sourcing out wildlife that might get a little curious - in particular, fox, raccoons and bears. For this trip, we have planned our camp setup in such a way that we have sheltered ourselves not only from the elements but also from potential invaders. By using portable PIR alarms strategically located around the camp, we will be warned of approaching visitors and react accordingly. It might seem like a drastic measure but what it really boils down to is the ability for us to be alerted should we have the visitor that we really want to visit, hopefully it will do so and we can catch that infamous breathing sound again. Highly doubtful, but one can wish, right?

Here is the proposed camp setup

Camp Setup

We intend to do a broadcast of SS radio from the field, providing we have a signal, should be a good time.

J