COME TO WALLINGFORD...
For the Fishbien/YMCA Community Day and ROAD RACE... and MORE.

We NEED 12 ARES Team members to support this event.
Will you be one of them?
- Sharpen your Communications Skills
- Show your ARES TEAM spirit by joining us.
- Get to meet other ARES Team members
- Provide a visible and valuable service to the Wallingford community.

Bring your VHF/UHF "Go Box".
Past experience has shown that, due to the local topography, a plain stock vanilla 5 watt HT with its original factory antenna cannot be relied upon to get the job done at many locations on the Course.

Suggested Equipment Options:
1) An HT with an aftermarket BIGGER ANTENNA.
2) An HT with a mag mount antenna on the vehicle
3) A mobile radio and antenna on the vehicle (fixed or mag mount).
4) Other?

DRESS CODE: ARES VESTS and CAPS.
- You NEED to be able to be SEEN and FOUND by the Public quickly.

SCHEDULE of EVENTS
0730: Arrive at YMCA
(Pick up your assignment information, Stop Watch, Enjoy a coffee and donut.)

0745: Briefing (Mandatory)
0750: Deploy to your assigned location
0830: Starter's Gun
1035(+/-): Return to YMCA, Turn in your Stop Watch, and get lunch (FOOD!).

This Fishbien/YMCA Road Race is also has a "Community Day" at the town park across the street from the YMCA. It consists of FOOD, Family Games, Magic Show, Obstacle Course, Inflatables, Face Painting, and More.

THE "and MORE":
0805 - 1300 hrs: ARES Radio Tent
We also need a couple of volunteers to:
- Set-up an ARES HF Radio Tent
- Help the public to "Get On The Air" (GOTA)
- Talk to the public about Amateur Radio,
- Give out brochures.

Interested? GREAT!

CONTACT: Joe - KC1BAQ, Volunteer Coordinator
hamm"AT"mailcan.com
and
- COME OUT TO PLAY.

Talk in:
Wallingford's ".36" repeater
147.36 +/ PL 162.2 (optional)

Location : 81 SOUTH ELM ST., WALLINGFORD, CT 06492

For more information about the YMCA event, go to:
www.wallingfordymca.org/RoadRace.html

Sept. 21, 2014

YMCA Road Race 2014 (Wallingford)
- After Action Report (AAR)

Hi Everybody,
Just for the sake of accuracy, the "official" title for this annual event is:
The Fishbien/YMCA Community Day and Road Race

Yesterday was yet another super day for this annual community event, and Joe - KC1BAQ (ARES Emergency Coordinator for Wallingford) assembled a great Communications Team* to man designated Mile Marker "Stations" along the 5K and 10K routes.

At the ARES Booth, we had a special visitor... Steve Ford - WB8IMY (ARRL: QST Editor/ARRL Publications Manager).
- He came to enjoy the sunshine... and snap a few photos of the event for his ARES photo files.

The Communications Team assembled at the ARES Booth and signed-in on the Participation Sheet. This is a critical aspect to any ARES event.
- The Net Control Station needs to account for everyone at the end of the day, and "leave no man behind".
- The sheet has all the vital contact information needed to begin a search.

The Communications Team took advantage of the Coffee and Donuts provided by Joe KC1BAQ, enjoyed a quick briefing, and got their Assignments (with Map and Stop Watch).

Operating under the philosophy that "A quiet Net is a happy Net", the only transmissions we expected to hear during this event were:
- First Runner
- Last Runner / Last Walker
- Passage of the Police Car (the designated SWEEP vehicle).
- Emergency Traffic
- Requests to secure stations

The purpose of operating in this fashion is to ensure a clear frequency if, and when it is needed.
- Chatter detracts from mental alertness on the radio and delays important information getting through.

It should be noted that all ARES Nets act as a "Directed Net". In a Directed Net, the Net Control Station (NCS) is the "Traffic Cop".
- ALL CALLS go FIRST TO the Net Control Station (NCS), who then grants permission for one station to contact another station directly. This is the adult form of the "Mother, may I...?" game.

BOTTOM LINE
All went well, the YMCA folks were pleased, and ARES had a VISIBLE PRESENCE in the community with vests and the ARES Booth.

* COMMUNICATIONS TEAM
Participating at this year's event were:
Joe - KC1BAQ (Net Control Station)
Sid - N1MVM ("Start" and Sta, 7)
Jim - N1ZN (Sta. 1)
Steve - KC1AXj (Sta. 2)
Paul - K1SEZ (Sta. 3)
Mike - KC1AYL (Sta. 4)
John - K1LYP (Sta. 5)
Rich - WA1TRY (Sta. 6)
John - K1VDF (Sta."8")
Douglas - WA1SFH (ARES Booth)


Joe - KC1BAQ (ARES EC Wallingford) at ARES Booth



Can you spot the 3 Antennas? (2 vertical VHF/UHF Verticals on masts and 1 HF Vertical Dipole (Horizontal "H")



Mmmmm.... DOUGHNUTS!