Hamsa around the world regularly volunteer on weekends and bring their expensive equipment for radio amateurs to races, such as fundraising, walking, marathons, etc. D. I recently helped MS Walk in Appleton, Wisconsin, as a trained radio operator, and I I was happy to do this for several reasons. Here is the story:
The MS Walk in Appleton, Wisconsin, has hundreds of race / walkers and a limited number of volunteers who serve and control the race / walk. Communication from a trained team is great for this race. For example, if a rider needs medical help along the way, then amateurs can quickly get help along the way. How? Through the use of amateur radio network, known as the "network".
In a typical communication network event, there is no network operator, which is usually located in a central location. This central place, as a rule, is either staffed or connected in some way with race organizers, medical aid, police, etc. The methods of connecting to these resources can be made through other radio amateurs, including base stations, mobile phones (in cars) or pocket radio stations that we call “HT” for “soft” conversations.
One of the nice advantages of using the amateur radio network in such cases is that it is an instant many-to-many connection. If something appears, about which ALWAYS should know - they will - and instantly. When using cell phones or other small networks (the police use their own frequencies, fire uses their frequencies, etc.), Everyone may not receive the message at the same time. The disadvantage of the many-to-many network is that it can be disorganized. This is where there is a win-win situation with the amateur radio community.
Ham radio broadcasters also use their networks for other, sometimes more serious purposes. For example, during the harsh weather networks (I am a trained attack aircraft). In such a network it is very important for the safety of all participants to maintain good clean discipline. Nets can be friendly and even informal, but hams need to know when and how to talk. It is here that volunteering for race competitions and the like creates a win-win situation. The Hamsa have the opportunity to practice their pure discipline and at the same time help good deeds. They also get to ensure their equipment works, etc. They can also make new friends and meet with other resources in the community.
Ham radio operators can also be, like me, trained spotters who can and can interact directly with the offices of the National Weather Service and the 9-1-1 call centers. This can be an invaluable resource when everyone in the race is too busy to watch the weather.
Are there enough stocks at rest stops? We provide instant transmission of such information. If necessary, I can use my APRS (Automatic Packet Reporting System) system to track in real time using Google maps for any competition. Some people like to track the rider in the first place. Others like to track the last runner to determine when the race will be over. Some like to keep track of several events that are possible with several hams, each of which is equipped with an APRS (Automatic Batch Reporting System) system. These devices take the data of latitude and longitude from a small GPS sensor and send this data via Ham to radio broadcasts. Any listening radio can receive APRS data and send it to the Internet, where Google instantly displays it on their maps. For example, when I do it at work, I see through the satellite map within 50 feet, where my car is parked at the company!
It is also always interesting to interact with other amateurs. During the race competitions, we have the opportunity to become familiar with what other amateurs use for radio communications. We can discuss the possibilities and success of the equipment, get ideas and avoid too expensive and bad equipment.
