[WIham] 2nd Annual Two Day, Two State Communication Exercise

[Jerry Martin]

The information and sign-up page for the Second Annual "Great Midwest Relay"
is again operational at: http://www.races.org/gmrinfo.htm . We are the
communication support for this team (running) relay race, which starts in
Madison Wisconsin, and ends in Chicago, Illinois.
 
This event, scheduled for Friday, June 9th, through Saturday, June 10th,
provides all of us with a "first of its kind" communication exercise. We
will be passing voice and data traffic between Wisconsin and Illinois, for
the entire event (approximately 30 hours). We will need many, many "ham", as
well as, several "non- ham" volunteers for this large scale exercise. 
 
We welcome hams with all skill levels to participate. A few hours of your
time will greatly benefit this fund raising event for the Wisconsin and
Illinois Special Olympics. We would like to exceed the goal from last year.
 
This is a great opportunity to deploy with fellow hams for this major
communication exercise, and quite possibly learn some new tricks in the
process.
 
It gave us a chance to test our radios and our operating skills at all hours
of the day/night. We are looking for you to join us again this year on June
9tth & 10th for the second running of the Great Midwest Relay (GMR).
 
This is a rare opportunity for everyone to benefit. We get a chance to test
our skills and equipment, the relay participants get first class
communication support, and the Wisconsin and Illinois Special Olympics get a
significant contribution to further their goals.
 
When it comes to practicing our long duration emergency communication
skills, we don’t get an opportunity like this but once a year. We want to
continue to try new methods, and equipment. We also want to begin
reformatting this and future events to conform to the Incident Command
structure, so this will become more familiar to all of us if, and when we
must deploy locally and work with any served agencies. The same is true for
any of us who perhaps might again volunteer during the upcoming 2006
hurricane season, predicted to impact the eastern seaboard states this year,
with the possibility of affecting Florida and the gulf coast again. Help
prepare for a long deployment by working a Transfer Area and test your gear
under these long term deployment conditions, work a Winlink station, or Net
Control in Milwaukee or Libertyville, IL. There really is something here for
everyone.
 
Go to http://www.races.org/gmrinfo.htm  sign up, and request to work a
location near you or ask for a net control position in several locations.
Training and supervision is provided. It will be a great experience to work
this "communication event of the year" and learn some new skills. Each
sign-up will be acknowledged promptly.
 
Join the GMR Comm Team, and enjoy the experience of the year!
 
Jerry Martin - KC9BDA
GMR Comm Team Coordinator