[NCham] A Fun Public Service Opportunity!

[Charles E. Scharlau]

The Scholastic Orienteering Championships (SOC), to be held the weekend of
March 23-24, needs some volunteer communicators.

This should be a laid-back fun time spent in beautiful Raven Rock State Park
(near Sanford, NC). If you haven't helped provide public service
communications before, this is a fun way to start!

The 2002 SOC event is expecting over 400 kids from across NC and neighboring
states. These kids will be using maps and compasses to navigate to flags
placed out in the woods. (For those of you who have read the March QST cover
story on Amateur Radio Direction Finding, Orienteering is a lot like ARDF
only without the radios and transmitters.)

Volunteer communicators will man the finish line, and a waypoint flag out in
the woods. The communicator at the waypoint flag will record the bib number
and time-of-arrival of the kids as they reach the flag, and radio that
information back to the finish line.

The minimum number of volunteer communicators needed for this event is two.
But three or four volunteers on each day would help ensure coverage for the
whole event. The times that communicators are needed are Saturday 10:30 am -
4:00 pm and Sunday 8:30 am - 2:00 pm.

Volunteers will need a 2-meter handy-talky, some spare batteries, and attire
appropriate for the weather. (If you are licensed but don't have 2-meter
equipment, I can arrange for some to be available!)

If you can help for just a few hours an either day, please contact me.

73,
Charles E. Scharlau, NZ0I
mailto:cscharlau@intrex.net
Phone: 919-932-5464