Reston Century 2004 Bike Ride Across Loudoun
Sunday, August 29, 2004

 

Amateur Radio Support To
The Loudoun County Chapter, American Red Cross


LARG Operations Plan
Loudoun Amateur Radio Group
Loudoun County, Virginia

 

Loudoun ARES - LARG OPLAN 2004-1 Amateur Radio Support To The Loudoun Chapter, American Red Cross
Dated: August 26, 2004 2143 hours EDST
From: WB3AKD Tom Dawson
Time Zone: Eastern Daylight Saving Time
WITH CHANGE #1 Dated 2200 hours, August 27, 2004

Mission: To provide radio communications support to the Loudoun County Chapter of the American Red Cross (ARC). Loudoun County Chapter, ARC is providing support to  the Reston Bicycle Club to this event on Sunday, August 29, 2004.. A portion of the Century Bike Ride proceeds benefit the American Red Cross and a portion of the proceeds are used by the Reston Bicycle Club to purchase bicycles for the disadvantaged children. 

Weather: The bike event will be held rain or shine. See Washington DC Area Radar Loop. Safety of the operators and their equipment must be respected and inclement weather can restrict or curtail LARG participation.

Concept Of Operation:

1. Radios and antennas equipment will be set up at the sites starting at about 6:00 A.M., Sunday, August 29, 2004. Operational test will be conducted following installation of all equipment. The LARG will attempt to establish two shifts to support the operation through 1800 hours, Sunday afternoon.

2. Event Registration begins at 6:30 A.M. Riders can start riding between 6:30 and 10:00 A.M. Century riders must start by 8:30 A.M. and all others by 10:00 A.M.

3. Traffic over the nets is expected to be administrative supply requests, health and safety messages.

Schedule:

LARG Info Net

8:00 PM.

Friday August 27, 2004 on the N4FSC DARG Repeater (145.31).

Site Installations

6:00 A.M. - 7:00 A.M.

Sunday, August 29, 2004

Site Operations

7:00 A.M. - 6:00 P.M.

Sunday, August 29, 2004

Post-Ride Party

12:00 P.M. - 6:00 P.M.

Sunday, August 29, 2004 at Reston Town Ctr Pavilion

ARC Post Op Debrief

TBD

TBD

ARC Contacts:
Traci Winfree, 703-433-2488, mailto:[email protected] Cell phone number is 571-237-6069.

Loudoun Amateur Radio Group Contacts:
Tom Dawson, WB3AKD and Bill Frisbie, W3EMH

[email protected] and [email protected]

 Locations: The following locations will be manned.

1) Reston Town Center and Relay Site - Start-Finish
2) Ashburn Fire Station - Rest Stop
3) Hamilton Park - Rest Stop
4) Waterford Elementary School - Rest Stop
5) Hillsboro Elementary School - Rest Stop
6) Route 287 – Lovettsville - Check Point (As Required)
7) ARC Vehicle #1
8) SAG Vehicle #1
9) SAG Vehicle #2
10) SAG Vehicle #3
11) SAG Vehicle #4
12) Route Rider #1
13) Route Rider #2
14) Route Rider #3
15) Route Rider #4
16) Mobile Rover #1
17) Mobile Rover #2

SAG Point Of Contact: The RBC SAG POC is John Shea (H) 703-264-0210.

SAG Vehicle Start Points and Start Times:  
      SAG #1 Reston Town Center - 0630 AM
      SAG #2 Loudoun County High School - 0730 AM
      SAG #3 Hamilton Rest Stop - 0800 AM
      SAG #4 Waterford Rest Stop - 0930 AM

 Electrical Power. All stations will be power from 12-volt DC batteries. (110 VAC Generator power at Hamilton). There is no on site commercial power. If vehicle is used for battery power then care should be taken on its position to avoid exhaust fumes near riders and other volunteers.

Site Support: Operators should provide sun shading if not available at site. 

Station Equipment. All Stations should have 2 meter capability for primary communications on 147.480 MHz. Since most folks these days have dual band capability, 445.975 Simplex will be used as a secondary traffic frequency.  APRS will broadcast on 144.39 MHz.  Some sort of gain antenna would help to ensure a good link. Secondary mode will be 40 meter SSB with suggested frequency of 7265 KHz plus or minus a few KHz to avoid any other activity. One HF antenna method is a simple 40M dipole installed at least 15 to 20 feet off the ground in a cleared area is recommended. This can then be extended with clip on leads to change to 80M. 

The Reston Town Center Operation, will need 2-Meter-440MHz Cross Band Equipment and 440 MHz HT's.

Safety: Care should be taken on position of antennas to eliminate and risk of adverse RF exposure. Watch for tripping hazards on coax runs. If HF operation is used power should be limited to 50w to reduce RF exposure. Avoid erecting antennas near overhead electrical power lines. Please maintain a safe distance between all antenna hardware and all personnel. 

Reston Cross Band Operation:  Due to the proximity of tall buildings to the Command Center Location, we will use a cross band repeater equipment provided by Dennis Boehler, KF4TJI. The ground station at Reston will use a frequency 445.925 MHz to communicate to a mobile rig parked on top of the near by parking garage. The Parking Garage Station will be in a 440 to 2m cross band repeat mode. It will retransmit the Reston ground station signals on a frequency of 147.48 MHz. Also 440 HT's may be used in proximity to the Reston Command Center.

Net Control:  The Net Control Station - K4LRG will be located at Hamilton Park. All stations should have logbooks.

Time: All logs and messages will be kept in local eastern daylight saving time in a 2400 hour format. For example, use 1300 hours for 1:00 PM.

Map: A is available on the K4LRG.ORG Internet Site. A larger printed version will be made available to all Operating Locations and Mobile/Rover Stations prior to start time. Red Cross support personnel will also have route maps.

Radio Interference: This on-the-air activity will be on a noninterference basis. Change operating frequencies to avoid harmful interference.

Primary Radio Frequencies: The Reston Relay/Repeater is essential. The frequencies are 445.925 MHz, 147.480 MHz, 7265 KHz, and 3918 KHz or as directed by NCS.

HF NCS: K8SYH, Bill Buchholz in Hurt, VA will act as NCS; other sites should be prepared to act as ANCS and as NCS if necessary. Communications checks will be made every 30-minutes.

On Site Refreshments: LARG operators can use the facilities and refreshments provided to the ride participants. It is recommended that you bring your own lunch. Attempts have been made to have two operators at each location to provide breaks. ARC has requested help in providing additional ice chests. Care should be taken to mark any personal property.

Tactical Callsigns: Tactical Callsigns will be used where possible. Suggested tactical callsigns are in red in the Location & Call Column of the following chart. The following additional guidance from Steve - WV1X at HQ, ARRL is provided to ensure all stations and operators understand and identify in accordance FCC rules:

"The emergency net control station would assign tactical call signs. These call signs usually provide some information about the station location or purpose. Examples: "Net" for net control; "Firebase 1" for the first fire base station established; "Mercy" for Mercy Hospital, etc."

"When on the air and communicating with tactical call signs, just be sure that each tactical call sign station ALSO attaches his/her Amateur Radio call sign at least once every 10 minutes.
Here's a quote from the ARRL Training Book: "The easiest way to be sure you fulfill FCC station identification requirements during a net is to give your FCC call sign as you complete each exchange. Most exchanges will be far shorter than ten minutes. This serves two important functions:
1) It tells the NCS that you consider the exchange complete (and saves time and extra words).
2) It fulfills all FCC identification requirements."

Summary Of Operational Personnel:

Shifts

Morning Shift

Afternoon Shift

Location & Call

0600-1200

0600-1200

0600-1200

1200-1800

1200-1800

1200-1800

Reston Town Ctr
Reston

W3EMH

Bill Frisbie

KD4DEI

Elena Frisbie

K4ARP

Dave Mullins

W3EMH

Bill Frisbie

KD4DEI

Elena Frisbie

K4ARP

Dave Mullins

Reston Relay
Reston Relay

W3ZI

Mark Johnson

N/A

N/A

W3ZI

Mark Johnson

N/A

N/A

Ashburn
WA9LAZ

WA9LAZ
Chester Kmak

WF1L
Bill McCourt

KF4KKZ

Bruce Lunde

WA9LAZ
Chester Kmak

WF1L
Bill McCourt

KF4KKZ

Bruce Lunde

Hamilton
Hamilton -K4LRG - NCS

K4AJA
Ray Houff

NA4MA
Tom Garasic

WB9RXJ

Tom Carney

K4AJA
Ray Houff

-
-

WB9RXJ

Tom Carney

KG4KZZ - APRS
Dave Putman

-
-

-
-

KG4KZZ - APRS

Dave Putman

-
-

-
-

Waterford
Waterford

NC4S

Gary Quinn

KF4TJI

Dennis Boehler

-

-

NC4S

Gary Quinn

KF4TJI

Dennis Boehler

-

-

Hillsboro

Hillsboro

AI2C

Norm Styer

K8DSJ

Don Jones

K8TMJ

Tina Jones

WD4KHP

Ed Krom

KF4TNX

Tom Martin

AI2C

Norm Styer

K8DSJ

Don Jones

K8TMJ

Tina Jones

WD4KHP

Ed Krom

KF4TNX

Tom Martin

Route 287 -
Lovettsville
Lovettsville KF4TJJ
11 AM to 3 PM

KF4TJJ
Carol Boehler

N/A

N/A

KF4TJJ
Carol Boehler

N/A

N/A

ARC Vehicle #1
Red Cross Mobile

K3HE
Larry Hughes

N/A

N/A

K3HE
Larry Hughes

N/A

N/A

SAG Vehicle #1
SAG 1

KB2CEV

Steve Tedesco

N/A

N/A

KB2CEV

Steve Tedesco

N/A

N/A

SAG Vehicle #2
SAG 2

KI4DHX

Allen Evans

N/A

N/A

KI4DHX

Allen Evans

N/A

N/A

SAG Vehicle #3
SAG 3

KI4BRG

Chris Fristad

N/A

N/A

KI4BRG

Chris Fristad

N/A

N/A

SAG Vehicle #4
SAG 4

KI4FWB
Kurt Reber

N/A

N/A

KI4FWB
Kurt Reber

N/A

N/A

Route Rider 1
Bicycle 1

N5CTI
Boyd Garrett

N/A

N/A

N5CTI
Boyd Garrett

N/A

N/A

Route Rider 2
Bicycle 2

KS1G
Steve Greene

N/A

N/A

KS1G
Steve Greene

N/A

N/A

Route Rider 3
Bicycle 3

TBD

TBD

TBD

TBD

TBD

TBD

Mobile Rover 1
Rover 1

N4PD
Paul Dluehosh

KE4RTP

Nancy Dluehosh

N/A

N4PD

Paul Dluehosh

KE4RTP

Nancy Dluehosh

N/A

Mobile Rover 2
Rover 2

WB3AKD

Tom Dawson

N/A

N/A

WB3AKD

Tom Dawson

N/A

N/A

Additions and Changes: Additions and changes should be brought to the attention of
Tom Dawson, WB3AKD ( [email protected] ) or Bill Frisbie, W3EMH ( [email protected] )

Loudoun County ARES - Loudoun Amateur Radio Group Liaison:

Tom Dawson, WB3AKD ( [email protected] )

Bill Frisbie, W3EMH ( [email protected] )

Gary Quinn NC4S ( [email protected] )

Norm Styer, AI2C Telephone (540) 338-2584 or (610) 286-5824 [email protected]

LARG Internet Site: http://history.k4lrg.org/

Loudoun County Virginia ARES Internet Reflector Site: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ares_loudoun_va/

LARG Internet Reflector Site: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/l_a_r_g

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