Having recovered 2 RS92 probes by now, the recovery of a newer model, the RS41 moved into my focus. The prediction suggested a landing site of a RS41 launched in Stuttgart near Nürnberg. Being in the vicinity of Nürnberg to visit my parents, I gave it go.
Starting a little bit late, I kept a close eye on the actual altitude of the probe via internet (www.wetterson.de/karte) — a hint that I had received from the fellow probe hunter in Schwarzenberg. As the probe would have come down to 3600, I had only made it to the service area Wölfshöhe next to Autobahn A9. It was about time to get the last telemetry package for a good lead on where to look for the probe. I received the last telemetry package from Grieshof:
[ 8658] (N1620306) Sa 2018-01-06 12:43:52.000 lat: 49.55686 lon: 10.78211 alt: 1295.30 vH: 4.8 D: 2.5° vV: -10.2 # [00000]
[ 8659] (N1620306) # [01010]
About 45 minutes later I arrived in Grieshof. Grieshof is situated in a valley, so I drove to an height overlooking it and tried to acquire the signal. Nothing but static. Using the last fixed, I ran the landing predictor. It put the landing site on the opposite hill. Since neither the landing predictor nor the GPS tend to be fully accurate, I decided to first continue along the valley. I stopped couple of times trying to acquire the signal. Nothing. I saw something white in a meadow — maybe the parachute of the probe? Well, maybe. Maybe a plastic bag. I continued, and drove up to the hill to Borbath for another scan over the valley. Nothing. I returned and went up the hill along a gravel road to a sandpit next to the predicted landing zone. Nothing. In an act of desperation, I decided to go back to where I had seen the white spot in a meadow. Only the persistent one prevails.
Armed with an antenna and a radio, I went up the hill. The white thing turned out to be a plastic bag.
I enjoyed the scenery from above. On the other side of the other valley next to Grieshof, I saw a small red car moving funny along the dirt roads — starting and stopping abruptly, then reversing, Also a small transport car was going erratically in what could be search patterns. Maybe other probe hunters? And there it was — I shortly heard the metallic pulsing noise of the probe. Then it was gone.
I went back to the car to get the high gain antenna. Once I came down the hill, I found the red car near to my car. The number plate (city of Fürth) as well as the dialect of the guys in it told me that there were from the region. And they were indeed looking for the probe as well. We chatted a little bit — they last had received the probe in 700m height over Grieshof. Their search also had not yielded anything but white plastic bags and bottles. They suggested the probe might have landed in creek as the reception of no signal at all is rather unusual. I told them about the pulse signal, I had just received. They then decided to continue to Borbath, while I went back up the hill with the high gain antenna. Nothing. I went fully up the hill and walked along the edge of the plateau. Nothing. I then passed a little forest and found a raised stand. I climbed up the ladder for another scan from an elevated position. The stand was squealing and cracking under my weight and jiggling with every of my movements. Not really reassuring.
The scan turned up nothing but static. I decided it was time to give up, returned to car and drove back. So what might have happened to the probe? Maybe somebody else had found it? Possible, but unless this someone was trying to trick his fellow hunters (or better: fellow garbage collectors) this is not likely as I shortly heard the probe. This signal might however have been emitted a different probe sending on the same frequency as in Sechselberg. Also not likely as I would have received it longer than a second. Maybe the probe hit the ground too hard or indeed landed in a puddle of water disabling it. Well, potentially a hiker stumbling over it or hitting is head on the probe dangling from a tree will eventually find out…