Clay Bartholow's (W0LED) Question for the Net

Twin Cities Marathon Urgently Needs Radio Operators


The main net will be on 444.425, with back up on 145.37.

If you haven't already, please reply to this message and let us know you are interested. Let us know your Ham call, your cellphone number, verify you have a dual band HT, your T-shirt size and any preferences you may have. I can accommodate later starts, and early leaving. If you have a 2m HT only, let me know.

If you have not already, go to aresmn.org and register. Then email me and let me know if you've worked an event like this before or would like to be assigned with an experienced volunteer. Let me know of any requests you may have.
 
If you wish to volunteer for the 2016 race Amateur Radio team, please register online using the RaceSafe platform for medical volunteer registration. If you registered last year, you will just update changes in your status for this year. For those of you who are new, you will need to sign up on the RaceSafe the website and select your assignment. You don't need the RaceSafe app.

For the Amateur radio volunteers, please follow these steps:  
1. Create an account or Login to RaceSafe by going to the event specific link here:

Sunday:  https://iracesafe.com/registration/volunteer?race_id=313

2. Click the activation link sent to the email address you provided.

If you are not automatically taken to the RaceSafe event registration page, visit www.iracesafe.com, click the medical icon in the upper right hand corner, and login to finish signing up.

3. During the sign up, please specify your role as "OTHER" from the categories.

SELECT "OTHER" and in the drop down select Amateur Radio.

Your FCC license should be entered in the registration process.

4. Select assignment.  Please note that there are 5 amateur radio teams at the bottom of the pulldown. If you would like to remain in your previous post, please note where you have worked in past years and we will do our best to make this happen. Your supervisors will be setting up race day assignments as soon as possible, so please register now. We hope you will sign up for Net 1, if not, this registration will notify your supervisor.

5. Please select Amateur Radio as a group from the “are you working with a group list”:

Let us know if you have any trouble.

A gain HT antenna is the minimum choice you can make. The standard issue stubby duck that came with your radio will not work. You also will need at least 5 watts. If you can bring a mobile radio and an antenna for it, do so.  If you don't have a gain HT antenna, please get one. If you don't have a 5 watt HT, you will need more of an antenna.

The best choice is to bring a gain base antenna with a way to put it up.  All the medical locations have trees overhead. Other locations should have enough flexibility in location to find a tree. Radio City may have options for you as well.

If you don't have this sort of antenna and have a mobile radio with mounted antenna on your car, that should work too. Cross band repeat should work, but you will need to have your car close so that if the squelch opens, you can adjust it or you will jam the net! If you can't have your car close, don't use crossband repeat.

Work with your assigned partner as needed. Assignments will come out as soon as I can, starting in a week or so. T-shirt info will follow as well.

If you don't think you can get together what you need, let me know.  At least one of you need a good antenna. If you and your partner can't bring a good antenna, then I will try to reassign you.

Also, the Marathon Ham Radio manual will come out as soon as I get it.

Roads close as early as 6am. Scout out your location ahead of time, to make sure you have a place to park near by. If you can get there before the road closes, all the better. You need to be on location at 7am. We'll have check in's starting at that time. The race starts at 7:55 with the wheel chair participants, 8am for the marathon.

Your actual location may be if assigned the location of a TCM crew, medical, or fluid station. You are their communications staff. Get to know them, they are your key to a good time! Bring some snacks to get you through the day and water in case you don't have a near by source. Bring a chair. Here is a good article about a "go-kit" http://www.bay-net.org/docs/personal_go_kit.pdf

I will have information about the radio frequencies as soon as I can. If you don't have a dual band solution, let me know.
 
The wheel chair racers begin at 7:50 and the runners at 8:00 AM. We want you to report the first wheelchair and number.  The first male and female runner and their number. This is for every check point so we can plot the progress of the race.  

Please report drop outs so we can report that info to the race as well as people at your location whom will need to find the race buses. Buses only leave from certain points and not all points of the race. You need the runner's bib number to report in.
 
Emergency:
In the case of an emergency, usually a fallen runner who doesn't immediately get up, call 911 and the ambulance services are prepared for fast dispatch for the Marathon.  Then let net control know what happened. You will need your closest street address for the closest house or business for the dispatcher to find you.
 
We want to know where the tail end of the race is so let us know, also when your check point no longer has any runners being treated or waiting for SAG.  You are to stay with runners waiting for SAG.  When the tail vehicle passes, and you have no more runners with you, then you can ask for permission to secure and you are free to go.
 
Remember that you identify with your Mile number and your call.   Check in with your tactical call, "Mile 11"  We will answer as Net Control #1, K0COM!  Please do not make a report till we tell you to go ahead with your report.    It does get very busy and doubling is easy to avoid in this manner. Always end your transmission with your call.
 
Dress for the weather, it could be hot or cool and it may rain.  Please dress appropriately! Bring your rain gear.  Nothing wrong with a pair of mitts in you pocket on standby!
 
Bring an extra battery pack for your radio or extra radios.

Most important, HAVE FUN!

Dave Johnson N0KBD
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
ARES Metro District, ADEC, PIO
853 Bradford Ave
Champlin, MN 55316
612-207-9501
http://www.aresmn.org
 

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