Category Archives: Public Service

This year we have worked hard to build up our volunteer numbers so that the mission may be accomplished.  Unfortunately we’ve been met with lower than hoped for volunteer applications.  So here’s our urgent appeal for help.

Please spread the word, personally, that comms volunteers are needed at the Marathon.  In particular, we are seeking Amateur Radio communications for Course Medical tents, Hydration stations, Transportation medical Sweep and Express buses, and operators in the Course Net Control Operations Center.

Please tell your local Amateur Radio clubs and your licensed friends about the need.

To volunteer, send the following information immediately to contact@hamradioboston.org:

• Full Name
• Address
• Amateur Radio Call Sign
• Do you have a current Red Cross or other CPR certification
• What is your jacket size (Male/Female)
• What is your assignment area preference (Start, Course, Finish)

THANK YOU for stepping up as a volunteer.  You are a vital part of a highly-trained, able team of Amateur Radio communications specialists who are making a huge, and very positive impact on this complex and expansive event.  We cannot possibly thank you enough and simply cannot do the job without everyone’s enthusiasm, energy, and super volunteer spirit!

See you at the training!

Yours sincerely,
Boston Marathon Communications Committee
contact@HamRadioBoston.org

The Franklin County Amateur Radio Club is looking for amateur radio volunteers for the Greenfield Winter Carnival Sleigh Bell Race.

The race will be held Saturday, February 1, 2020. This is a very short race, only 4 miles.  We will meet around 9am – 9:15ish at Hope & Olive – coffee and donuts are available – and then be at positions by about 9:45am.  The FCARC Leyden repeater will likely be used. The race starts promptly at 10am and we should be done by 11am (the fastest runners are done in about 20 minutes).

To sign up or if you have any questions, contact Erika KC1IJJ.

The Worcester Emergency Communications Team is looking for about a dozen hams to provide communications assistance for the Title 9 Women’s Only Triathlon in Hopkinton on Sunday, September 8th.

This event is sold out, so it will be busy. It occurs from about 7am to Noon (some assignments should secure as early as 9:30am, and most by 11am). It will be held in Hopkinton State Park and includes a swim, bike and run that travels through Hopkinton, Southboro and Ashland.

If you are interested in participating, please send an email to events@wect.org and let them know if you have UHF equipment with DCS / DPL.

Ralph Swick, KD1SM writes the following in the March, 2019 issue of NVARC “Signal”. Although Groton is actually in the EMA ARRL section, many individuals from the eastern part of the WMA ARRL section have historically helped with this event:

Sunday, April 28 will be the 28th running of the Groton Road race. The Groton Police Department and the Race Committee are again formally requesting support from the Amateur Radio community for logistics and safety communications for this high-profile event. The Groton Road Race has been a major event for Amateur Radio in North Central Massachusetts. [The Nashoba Valley Amateur Radio Club] has been coordinating the ham participation since the second year of the event. Many NVARC members are 26-year (soon to be 27-year) veterans. Those of you who have joined us in past years know that the runners sincerely appreciate our presence. Many say so as they run past. This event is so large that Police Departments from several other communities come to assist the Groton PD. Part of our role is to provide the communications from the Groton Police to these out-of-town officers who come to help with the event. 

Contributing to the public good is one of the reasons Amateur Radio exists. Our public service events are a key opportunity for us to show our colors, volunteer our skills and equipment, and demonstrate why it is in the public’s interest to continue to allocate precious RF spectrum to our the Amateur Radio service. The Groton Road Race is a low-stress event and a great way to gain more experience with the public service aspect of Amateur Radio. Please consider joining us on the 28th. If you are interested in helping at events like this but are unsure of what is expected of you or what equipment you may need, please do not hesitate to ask Ralph KD1SM, Stan KD1LE, or John KK1X. You can also find detailed information about the operations in previous years at <https://www.n1nc.org>.

On behalf of the BAA Amateur Radio Communications Committee, we want to wish you a Happy New Year. It’s hard to believe that 2018 has come to a close and we are heading into 2019, and with the new year also comes the 123rd running of the Boston Marathon. 

Today, January 3rd, 2019, volunteer registration will open for the marathon which is taking place this year on Monday, April 15, 2019. The sign-up process will be the same as last year and will provide you with a direct link once registration is open. Please be on the lookout for an email from the BAA, and we will also be asking for everybody’s assistance in getting the word out about volunteering to help with recruitment.

Click here to register as a volunteer for the 2019 Boston Marathon. The registration deadline is Wednesday, February 6, 2019.

If you have any questions about the upcoming volunteer registration period, or the 2019 Marathon generally, please get in touch anytime. Volunteering at the Marathon is a big job, and we appreciate the time and effort everyone puts into it. We’re happy to do what we can to make your work more comfortable or effective.

We look forward to seeing everyone again soon.

Thank you, and 73,
Matthew Forman, K6MCF
for the Boston Marathon Communications Committee
contact@hamradioboston.org