Reston Century 2003 Bike Ride Across Loudoun County
Sunday, August 24, 2003

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


LARG Operations Plan
Loudoun Amateur Radio Group
Loudoun County, Virginia

PRELIMINARY POSTED: 0100 EDT, Friday, August 8, 2003
C-1 Posted 1530 EDT, Saturday, August 9, 2003
C-2 Posted 0047 EDT, Sunday, August 10, 2003
C-3 Posted 1200 EDT, Sunday, August 10, 2003
C-4 Posted 2200 EDT, Sunday, August 10, 2003
C-5 Posted 2200 EDT, Sunday, August 17, 2003
C-6 Posted 2200 EDT, Wednesday, August 20, 2003

LARG OPLAN 2003-1 Amateur Radio Support To The Loudoun Chapter, American Red Cross
Dated: August 4, 2003
From: KF4TJI and KF4TJJ – Denny and Carol Boehler
Time Zone: Eastern Daylight Saving Time

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 25, 2002.. 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 24, 2003. 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 Planning Meeting

 7:00 P.M. - 8:30 P.M. Wednesday, August 13, 2003 at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Leesburg

LARG Monthly Meeting

 8:30 A.M. - 10:30 A.M. Saturday, August 16, 2003.

Site Installations

 6:00 A.M. - 7:00 A.M. Sunday, August 24, 2003
Site Operations 7:00 A.M. - 6:00 P.M. Sunday, August 24, 2003
Post-Ride Party 12:00 P.M. - 6:00 P.M. Sunday, August 24, 2003 at Reston Town Ctr Pavilion
ARC Post Op Debrief

TBD

TBD

ARC Contacts:
Traci Winfree, 703-433-2488, [email protected] Cell phone number is 571-237-6069.
Jay Greeley, 703-375-2606 or Email at [email protected]

Loudoun Amateur Radio Group Contacts:
Denny and Carol Boehler, Coordinators, KF4TJI and KF4TJJ, 703-777-9427, [email protected]

Locations: The following locations will be manned.

1. Reston Town Center and Relay Site
2. Ashburn Fire Station
3. Hamilton Park
4. Waterford Elementary School
5. Route 287 - Lovettsville
6. ARC Vehicle #1
7. SAG Vehicle #1
8. SAG Vehicle #2
9. SAG Vehicle #3
10. Route Riders #1 through #4
12. Mobile Rover #1

Electrical Power. All stations will be power from 12-volt DC batteries. 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. Some sort of gain antenna would help to ensure a good link. Secondary mode will be 40 meter SSB with suggested frequency of 7285 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, ARC Vehicle #1 and ARC Vehicle #2, 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.

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 Composite Routes and Check Points Map (550 KBs file) 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, 7285 KHz, and 3918 KHz or as directed by NCS NCS will be monitoring the K4LRG repeater 442.100 with a PL of 77.0. (See above for specific applications).

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

 WF1L
Bill McCourt		 W2BHK
Joe Sheinman		 -
-		 WF1L
Bill McCourt		 W2BHK
Joe Sheinman		 -
-

Reston Relay
Reston Relay

 KF4TJI
Denny Boehler		 -
-

N/A

 KF4TJJ
Carol Boehler		 KF4TJI
Denny Boehler

N/A

Ashburn
WA9LAZ

 WA9LAZ
Chester Kmak		 W3ZI
Mark Johnson		 KG4KZZ
Dave Putmam		 WA9LAZ
Chester Kmak		 W3ZI
Mark Johnson		 KG4KZZ
Dave Putman

Hamilton
Hamilton -K4LRG - NCS

 K4AJA
Ray Houff		 NA4MA
Tom Garasic		 AI2C
Norm Styer		 K4AJA
Ray Houff		 NA4MA
Tom Garasic		 AI2C
Norm Styer
K4CJB
Buddy Brewer		 KI4BAA
Sharon Brewer		 -
-		 K4CJB
Buddy Brewer		 KI4BAA
Sharon Brewer		 -
-

Waterford
Waterford

 KC1AT
Don Nichols		 WB9RXJ
Tom Carney		 KF4KHP
Ed Krom		 KC1AT
Don Nichols		 WB9RXJ
Tom Carney		 KF4KHP
Ed Krom
KF4KHP(11-3)
Ed Krom		 KF4TNX (11-3)
Tom Martin		 KF4ZPY (11-3)
Maria Martin		 KF4KHP(11-3)
Ed Krom		 KF4TNX (11-3)
Tom Martin		 KF4ZPY (11-3)
Maria 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
 K4ARP
Dave Mullins
N/A
N/A
 K4ARP
Dave Mullins
N/A
N/A
SAG Vehicle #1
SAG 1
 N8FK
Brian Cochran
N/A
N/A
 N8FK
Brian Cochran-
N/A
N/A
SAG Vehicle #2
SAG 2
 KG4KKZ
Bruce Lunde
N/A
N/A
 K3HE
Larry Hughes
N/A
N/A
SAG Vehicle #3
SAG 3
 KE4FYL
Allon Stern
N/A
N/A
 KE4FYL
Allon Stern
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

 KG4RRN
Bob Rice
N/A
N/A
 KG4RRN
Bob Rice
N/A
N/A

Route Rider 3
Bicycle 3

 KS1G
Steve Green
N/A
N/A
 KS1G
Steve Green
N/A
N/A

Route Rider 4
Bicycle 4
N/A
N/A
N/A
 KF4KKZ
Bruce Lunde
N/A
N/A

Mobile Rover 1
Rover 1

 N4PD Nancy &
Paul Dluehosh
N/A
N/A
 N4PD Nancy &
Paul Dluehosh
N/A
N/A

Additions and Changes: Additions and changes should be brought to the attention of
Dennis Boehler, KF4TJI or Carol Boehler, KF4TJJ. Telephone (703) 777-9727 or [email protected]

LARG Amateur Radio Group Liaison:
Dennis Boehler, KF4TJI. Telephone (703) 777-9727 or [email protected]
Carol Boehler, KF4TJJ. Telephone (703) 777-9727 or [email protected]
Norm Styer, AI2C Telephone (540) 338-2584 or (610) 286-5824 [email protected]

LARG Web site: http://history.k4lrg.org/

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

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