Nov 21
KE5HDL Curtis

KE5HDL Curtis

Hello all, this is Curtis Briley, KE5HDL.

I had volunteered to supply Radio Communications for the Rock ‘n’ Roll San Antonio Marathon & ½ Marathon and to set-up reference clocks for runners to see the time as they ran the race.

I was initially assigned the 24 MILE marker time clock. Then I was assigned this additional email assignment of a second clock. And I figured it was no problem and accepted the additional assignment.  
KE5HDL Curtis using his cross-band radio

KE5HDL Curtis using his cross-band radio

I got tied up with other things on my mind and forgot to attend the Friday night pass out of  info and clocks. I got with Teri (our coordinator) the next day and got the clocks and other materials that were passed out.
I drove to my 24 Mile marker the next morning and turned off my engine.    I setup my car based cross-band repeat capable radio as a repeater and setup my HT (Handheld Transceiver) in simplex mode to use the cross-band repeater in my car.
When net control got to my check-in point, I checked in with my HT.   After a bit there seemed to be no activity on my HT and I thought nothing of it.
Next thing I knew, the start time was past and still no “Start the clock message.”  
I then found my car battery had run down (and the cross-band repeater did not work) in the first hour of use and I did not catch it until after we were supposed to start the clocks.

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Nov 17
MM 20.5 runners

MM 20.5 runners

My day started really early because I needed to escore the XYL, Pat AD5BR, to her timer clock location at Mile Marker 1 on Broadway near Jones, and then deliver a 2nd clock down in front of the Alamo at Mile Marker 2 for Don W5DK.

Having that amber light bar running on a large white van, labeled clearly as a SAG Van, with all the appropriate “All Access” passes in the windshield, plus a friendly smile and a good story, made it much easier for the wife and I to get our two vehicles past the barricades which were up prior to 6am that morning.  Remember this was the starting end of the race course, so they started barricading earlier.

I set up Pat’s timer clock on the tripod at MM1, then zipped down Broadway and drove the wrong way down Alamo until I reached the Alamo.   (Police officer said to go that way.)  I set up the MM2 Timer on the tripod, with no Don W5DK in sight, but there was a cross walk alert that kept reminding me I had 15 seconds to cross, over and over and over again while I was there.   Hope Don didn’t go deaf from listening to it all morning.

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Nov 17

5:30 AM Sunday we leave home bound for our assignment at mile 20.  We were on location by 6:10 AM erecting tents, tables, chairs and setting up for check in. Pre Scouted the day before and dutifully GPS marked, we were spot on for the visual location on the provided diagram.

One problem: no timer stand or mile marker. We unload the solar panel and the battery remote case (Wall-E) for the laptop and we’re set! Hit the 6:30 check in for net control. Only one small problem: 5 minutes after we checked in with the police officer manning cross streets, the race guys set the timer tripod and mile maker in front of him ¾ mile behind us. Luke and I grabbed the HT and jumped into the SUV with the clock. Backed into the new location and 5 minutes to spare started the clock on time.

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