Jim Creamer, KB1MAO, writes on the RI-ARES mailing list:
We have another trail run coming up that needs ham radio assistance. We would like to have 15 hams for this race due to the amount of area covered. This run, the Li’l Rhody Runaround, is in the Burlingame State Park in Charlestown RI on Sunday, November 19, 2023. There are two courses: a 4 mile and an 8 mile. Both courses start and end in the vicinity of the Burlingame Picnic Grove.
Course Description: The terrain of the course is primarily dirt trails, with some dirt and asphalt roads. In order to minimize bunching up at the trail entrance, the race will first run just under one mile on Sanctuary Road, a quiet dead-end dirt road with very little traffic.
The 8-mile course will branch to the right and follow single-track trails counter clockwise around Watchaug Pond, finishing back at the picnic area parking lot. The 4-mile course will continue straight on Sanctuary Road, before branching off to trails in the DEM-owned Kimball Preserve, making a loop through Burlingame State Park Campground, and returning to same start/finish via Sanctuary Road.
Hams will be providing safety communications along the course and will need to walk or ride a bicycle short distances carrying their equipment to their posts. The area is heavily forested and has multiple elevated areas that can disrupt radio signals. Good radios, antennas and power supplies are essential. We completed our testing of radio coms on the course and determined that simplex works well throughout the area. A minimum of a 5-watt hand held radio with an aftermarket approximately 19 inch long antenna with the appropriate connector for your radio, is required. Any set up for POTA or SOTA will work as well. Just remember what gets carried in must get carried out. The Info sheet has the current comm plan, which may change with further testing.
Please let me know if you are available or not and pass this on to your clubs, family and friends that might be interested.
Requirement:
Each participant and volunteer must wear at least 200 square inches of orange. Anyone not wearing orange will not be allowed to race per State of RI DEM mandate.
Below are the responses I have so far. If I missed you pleas let me know
| Call Sign | First Name |
Y/N/M |
| KB1MAO | Jim | N |
| AB1TT | Owen | Y |
| K1SDB | Sean | Y |
| KB1RHD | Sally | Y |
| AB1DA | David | Y |
| N1SMX | John | Y |
| K1PRA | Phil | Y |
| KC1MEW | Susan | Y |
| K1 PRA | Phil | Y |
| NOCALL | Sue | Y |
| NOCALL | Geof | Y |
Thank you,
Jim Creamer, KB1MAO
Westerly Amateur Radio Team
2 David Ave.
Westerly, RI 02891
P: 401-596-2720
C: 401-864-4510