[CTSARA] SARA and GNARC Support the 2014 Bloomin Metric

[Jon Perelstein]

On June 1, the Stamford Amateur Radio Association (SARA) and Greater
Norwalk Amateur Radio Club (GNARC) joined forces to provide communications
coverage for the 2014 Bloomin Metric, a 2500+ rider charity bicycle ride in
southwestern Fairfield County Connecticut.  We fielded 23 radio operators
to provide communications for net control, rest areas/food stops, SAG
(support and gear) wagons, and "scout" cars, as well as staffing the
telephone help lines set up for riders to call in case of problems.  Net
control had full dispatch authority over the vehicles, and the vehicles
handled over 50 response calls ranging from assistance with flat tires to
taking possession of a rider's bicycle and gear after he was injured in a
crash.  In addition, the vehicles provided information to event management
and local police as to location and density of riders along the routes.

In order to provide communications over all routes (25 mile, 75 km, 100
km), we set up a temporary cross-band repeater to relay comms from the
northern end of the course back to the main repeater located close to the
southern end of the course.

In addition to SARA and GNARC hams, we also had hams from the Fairfield
Amateur Radio Association and the Greater Bridgeport Amateur Radio Club,
plus licensed hams from Stamford CERT, Weston CERT, and Fairfield CERT.  We
were especially pleased with the participation of the CERT members because
we have been making an effort to reach out to them to train them in radio
communications and to get them interested in ham radio as a hobby.

This was the 38th annual Bloomin Metric, and ham radio has been associated
with it for close to 20 years.  This year marked a major change as the
Bloomin Metric absorbed another local charity ride - something that event
leadership felt was made possible in part by the assistance they've
received from ham radio.

Participants:

Jon, WB2RYV (SARA President)
Sam, NV1P (GNARC President)
Adam, K9WAR
Andrew, KB3CZA
Bill, WG1HM
Brian, KC1BAT
Bruce, KC2WGX
Chris, KB1QXR
Doug, KB1UKC
Frank, KB1QZH
Fred, K1FC
Joe, KC1AUH
Larry, W1LAG
Marilyn, KB1YYO
Marty, KA1WBN
Mike, KA1EOU
Jonathan, W3EIC
Paul, WB2JVB
Steve, KB1YLQ
Terry, W1TSM
Terry, WA1JBO
Tom, KD1UL
Toy, K1WYQ

THANK YOU ALL