[K3PZN-List] ALA Chesapeake Bay Bike Tour

[Lawrence Solarczyk]

American Lung Association Chesapeake Bay Bike Tour.

We had a great time both providing communication support and socially.  Happy hour at Mulligan’s was a hopping place to be Friday night, and the Crab Feast dinner Saturday was – bushels of crabs with pitchers of beer!

N3TOT arrived on station around noon Friday. WX3F and KC2JPI arrived 2000 and 2100 Friday evening.  After check in, we had a short discussion about what was happening.  Up at 0600 Saturday, we went over to the all-you-can-eat breakfast.  Since there were only the three of us, we took up positions at the end, middle, and beginning.  Chuck N3TOT went to rest stop 4 at the Assateaque Crab house.  This location was the end of the line for the Metric Century riders and the turn around for the Century riders.  This position was critical since there was no cell phone coverage here.  Angela KC2JPI set up at rest stop 2 where all the Century rides converged, and I operated as net control at the start/finish area in Salisbury University.  Primary communications was through the Delmarva Amateur Radio Club’s 146.820 repeater.  That lasted until 1030.  When, a representative of the American Lung Association approached me to SAG on the course since one of their volunteers was unable to make it to the event.  So I went mobile as NCS using my cell phone to report back to start/finish any requirements that came over the radio.  There were a few times that, with one hand, I would put the microphone down and pick up the cell phone, dial, and report back to start/finish.  At noon, Angela KC2JPI had to leave to attend to personal business back home.  So now we are two.  About the time I arrived at rest stop 3 in Berlin, I noticed that the cell phone signal strength was becoming weak.  When I arrived at rest stop 4, my cell phone was searching for a signal.  Fortunately, this part of my journey was uneventful and I did not need to make any call back to start/finish.  The event ended at 1700.  Chuck helped the rest stop 4 clean up and I helped the rest stop 2 crew.

The day was a great day for the riders.  Saturday morning was cool with a slight mist.  After mid-morning, the mist disappeared, warming slightly, but the overcast sky stayed until 4 PM.

THE Crab Feast and Awards Dinner.  Entering into this large hall where a couple hundred people can sit, the first thing to touch your hands is a tray with three good sized steamed crabs.  Two steps to the side a polite man hands you a cold cup of brew.  Find a seat and start cracking.  When either tray or cup is empty, up to get replenished, as many times as needed.  But, with hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken, and salad available, one had to leave room.  Then there was the dessert - sweet watermelon and strawberry upside down cake.  Of course, there was plenty other beverages available for those not visiting the beer table.  After the feast, the presentations, awards and honorable mentions occurred, and we were mentioned.  Then it was time to waddle up to our rooms.

Since the routes were short and within cell phone coverage, we were not needed Sunday.  This gave us an opportunity to sleep in.  At 0800 it was time to face the all-you-can-eat breakfast and pour down life jolting coffee.  With breakfast taken care of, it was time to check out, bid our adieu and head for home.

What worked well – The 146.820 repeater.  This repeater covered the area well for mobile to mobile communications.  An HT worked well in Salisbury, but out toward the Assateague area a high powered mobile was necessary.
It was fun being around the American Lung Association volunteers.

What was not well – The local amateur radio population did not want to participate.
Angela was unable to stay the whole day Saturday.

What would make the event better – More personnel and packet.  This event can be worked with a minimum of three people using the repeater minimizing the need for cell phones.  However, to really make an impression on the event staff, this event should have eight people and packet.  With two people at the three major locations with packet radio and one person at each of the minor rest stops, we would have complete voice communications eliminating the need for cell phones.  With packet, we could have recorded the riders’ number sending them back to the start/finish area giving the event organizers near real time locations of the riders.  

We had a great time (except for the drive down there on a rainy Friday evening).  This was a real good training event since we were unfamiliar with the area, had a large area to cover (well out of HT range), and had to adapt at the moment.


73,
Larry WX3F
EC Carroll County