[MDC-EC] Marine Corps Marathon Sign Up

[Jim Cross]

I'm posting this section-wide email to the EC reflector list hoping that
you'll forward it through your reflectors to your groups.  Time is running
short for signing up.  Folks won't be able to just show up the day of.
It's a really huge event and provides good training, both on site and prior
with the all hands briefing.

Thanks.

73, Jim Cross WI3N
SM MDC
Chairman ARRL ECAC

=============================

Time is running out to sign up for this year's Marine Corps Marathon!
And, we are still short of the minimum number of the "few good" Amateur
Radio operators the Marine Corps Marathon needs.

You have plenty of time until race day--it's Sunday 28 October.  But
you don't have a lot of time to sign up:  sign-ups need to be done by
the beginning of September.  Fortunately, on-line sign-up takes
three-quarters of an hour or less.

Signing up to help as an Amateur Radio volunteer requires two steps.
First, you sign up at the Marine Corps Web site to be a volunteer for
the Marathon.  Go to <http://www.ncacdc.com>.  Read the list of the
major meetings and their dates.  Then click the link "Sign Up Here".
Fill out the Marine Corps form and submit it.

If successful, you will receive an email confirmation--which contains a
link to the Amateur Radio form.  That link takes you to a form where, in
this second step, you tell your Amateur Radio planning team about the
equipment and capabilities you can provide on Race Day.  This helps the
planning team match your capabilities with an assignment.

During the Marine Corps Marathon, Hams are the elite "eyes and ears" of
the Marine Corps Marathon's medical operations.  And helping with the
Marine Corps Marathon also puts Amateur Radio "Front and Center" with
participating police, fire, and rescue agencies from Washington, D.C.
and Northern Virginia jurisdictions.
This is not one of those public service events where you can just drop
in at the last minute.  You will be part of the fourth largest marathon
in the US (ninth largest worldwide) and the major Ham-organized
operating event in the region.  Teams must be organized and train
together.

If If you have never done the Marathon before and are hesitant--don't
be.  There will be training and instruction to help you understand what
you will need to do and what equipment you need to have.  If you are
equipped to do D-Star digital data or digital voice you can help fill a
critical need.  If you have net control experience and you are local to
the Washington, D.C. area, this is also a need to be filled.  Also, if
you have to leave early, there are assignments that let you secure in a
few hours.  The Amateur Radio planning team can match your skills,
abilities, and equipment to the required tasks.

Thank you for volunteering--now--for the 2012 Marine Corps Marathon,
and thank you for supporting Amateur Radio in emergency
communications.

73
Jim Cross WI3N
Section Manager, ARRL Maryland-DC Section
Chairman, ARRL Emergency Communications Advisory Committee