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Access to the Race Course will be restricted. You will need a wrist band, parking pass (see parking later), and the MCM orginization will also be providing vests for the ham radio operators. I will be picking up the vests and wristbands from the MCM Monday, May 8th. You will need both the day of the event. All runners and volunteers have been told to look for these vests if there are issues that need to be communicated. If you are not wearing the wristband, you will not be allowed on the course. Below are the pick-up dates & time, locations, and talk-in repeater I have set up. If none of these work for you please contact me immediately so we can try to work something out. IT WILL NOT BE POSSIBLE TO DISTRIBUTE VEST AND WRISTBANDS ON RACE DAY! King George folks, please let me know if you plan on picking up during the time I have scheduled in KG. If I haven't heard from you I may not stay the entire hour and may head back to work. I'm normally on base Tues-Thur if you have base access and want to schedule another time with me.
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Some roads start to close as early as 0200. All course roads will be closed by 0500. Your parking pass, wristband, and vest should get you through. We expect all operators to be on station and setup at least 15 minutes prior to net check-in. Net check in is at 0515. Please leave yourself plenty of time to get on station.
Due to the large number of road closures starting at 0300 and large area covered by the race, there will be no central rally and briefing in person. The briefing will take place on the air at check-in.
The race starts at 0600
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Our primary mission is eyes on the course to provide safety and back up the Marine Corps Marathon personnel. In the event of a downed runner, contact Net Control immediately. There will be an ambulance and medical personnel on site for the duration of the event under the command of Top Doc. When calling for medical assistance please use the RVARC Medical Dispatch (right click "Save As") form for the initial information to provide.
If you are at an Aid Station, Water Point, or Food Stop please relay any information requested through Net Control. Net Control may have information from the MCM Staff for you to relay to the staff at you location.
If you are at a Mile Marker, please relay the bib number of the first male and first female runner past your location for each race and the time they past your location.
The order of the races will be Semper 5ive, Historic Half, and the Devil Dog Double. The Devil Dog Double will be tacked onto the end of the Historic Half.
The race is normally completed around lunch time.
All stations please report when the last runner and Tail End Charlie passes your location. Please asked to be relieved and receive confirmation from Net Control before leaving your station.
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We have permission to access the course. You will need your parking pass, wrist band, and vest to be distributed later. DO NOT argue with police or MCM staff if they will not let you through. Radio Net Control. We are co-located with law enforcement and MCM staff. It is much more difficult to help you if you are in handcuff or the officer has already started to put pen to paper for a ticket. When parking do no park on the actual road the runners will be running on (ie. the race course). Please park on a near by street or lot.
There is a local towing company that will begin towing vehicles off the course around 0200. Please make sure you have your parking pass visibly displayed. Any issues with the towing company please radio net control. DO NOT ARGUE WITH THE TOW TRUCK OPERATORS. THEY ARE UNDER DIRECTION OF THE POLICE TO CLEAR ALL VEHICLES FROM THE COURSE - NO EXCEPTIONS. YOU WILL BE TOWED. (My son is one of those operators. All of the operators on duty that day know me and have a direct line to me at Net Control.)
You will receive a personalized parking pass via email from the Marine Corps Marathon Program Office the week before the Half Marathon. You must display this on your dash. THIS DOES NOT GIVE YOU PERMISSION TO PARK ON THE COURSE. This will help you get past MOST street closures to get to your location.
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This course can easily be worked with an HT on 5 watts with a reasonably good antenna (no rubber ducks).
Set the timeout timer on you radio to no more than 2 minutes. 1 minute is preferred and will work for most stations.
In the past I've used 1 HT battery and been about half way through my 2nd by the end of the race. I was in a position where I was transmitting a good deal though. Hopefully, this helps.
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Our primary frequency will be the AE4ML UHF repeater 442.850(+) PL79.7. It has good coverage over the entire race course. Our backup alternate repeater is the K4TS VHF repeater 147.015(+) PL79.7. Please have both programmed into your radio in advance. If your radio allows you to monitor both frequencies at the same time, please do that. We had a situation where our primary comms failed and it took longer than we liked for everyone to switch over.
APRS tracking of Tail End Charlie can be done from your phone at https://aprs.fi/#!mt=roadmap&z=10&call=a%2FN1BED-9&timerange=86400&tail=86400
If all else fails I have everyone's cell phone number. Please have the cell phone number for the ECIC (Scott Larimer, KN4RPA ECIC (540--604--3196)) with your in in your phone on race day
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The bib designs are as follows for this year. You will be asked for the first male and first female runner with bib number for each race.
Any questions asked by the public or the media, are to be directed to the Race Officials. If people ask you about amateur radio, do what we all do best and share our love and knowledge of our hobby. As long as it doesn't interfere with you primary duty of supporting the race.
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COMING SOON:(what is linked is last years) Below is a Google Earth KMZ file of the whole course (Half Marathon, Semper 5ive, and Devil Dog) with the ham locations on it. This file can be used with Google Earth on you computer or phone. It is a good reference on race day. Right click and "Save Link As" to download.
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