{"id":3615,"date":"2009-11-21T02:35:42","date_gmt":"2009-11-21T08:35:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sanantoniohams.org\/blog\/?p=3615"},"modified":"2009-11-21T02:44:23","modified_gmt":"2009-11-21T08:44:23","slug":"rock-n-roll-marathon-mile-24-ke5hdl-report","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/sanantoniohams.org\/blog\/?p=3615","title":{"rendered":"Rock-n-Roll Marathon Mile 24 – KE5HDL Report"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"KE5HDL

KE5HDL Curtis<\/p><\/div>\n

Hello all,\u00a0this is Curtis Briley, KE5HDL.<\/p>\n

I had volunteered to supply Radio Communications for the Rock \u2018n\u2019 Roll San Antonio Marathon & \u00bd Marathon and to set-up reference clocks for runners to see the time as they ran the race.<\/p>\n

I was initially assigned the 24 MILE marker time clock. Then I was assigned this additional email assignment of a second clock.<\/strong> And I figured it was no problem and accepted the additional assignment.\u00a0\u00a0<\/div>\n
\"KE5HDL

KE5HDL Curtis using his cross-band radio<\/p><\/div>\n

I got tied up with other things on my mind and forgot to attend the Friday night pass out of\u00a0 info and clocks. I got with Teri (our coordinator) the next day and got the clocks and other materials that were passed out.<\/div>\n
I\u00a0drove to\u00a0my 24 Mile marker the next morning and turned off\u00a0my engine<\/span>.<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I setup my car\u00a0based cross-band repeat capable radio as a repeater and setup my HT (Handheld Transceiver)\u00a0in simplex mode to use the cross-band repeater in my car.<\/div>\n
When net control got to my check-in point, I checked in with my HT.<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0 After a bit there seemed to be no activity on\u00a0my HT\u00a0and I thought nothing of it.<\/div>\n
Next thing I knew, the start time was past and still no “Start the clock message.”<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0<\/div>\n
I then found my car battery had run down<\/span> (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.<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

(My 2002 Toyota Prius hybrid does not use the\u00a012v accessory battery for starting the engine\u00a0and is designed with a very small battery. Starting the engine is a function of the INVERTER\/MOTOR\/GENERATOR and 277 VOLT DC\u00a0HYBRID BATTERY PACK.\u00a0\u00a0The volunteer activity had identified a weak battery that I would not have found had it not been used as in this situation. The odd ball battery with very small odd battery terminals\u00a0could only be gotten at the Toyota dealer and cost me $123.00 to have it replaced! I hope it lasts another 7 years.)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

With the assistance of Gordon Dial, K5SUZ,\u00a0we synchronized the clocks with the start time.<\/strong><\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/div>\n
I put one clock at the 24 Mile marker on the tripod that had been set out by the preset-up crew.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong>\u00a0But when it came time to\u00a0identify the location<\/span> for the split of the 1\/2 Marathon, there was no tripod setup anywhere<\/span> in the vicinity, so I put\u00a0the clock\u00a0on top of the carrying case (of the clock) just after the runners of the 1\/2 Marathon slit off and turned the corner and on the side of the road. At least the runners could see it (even though I was not sure where the clock should have been located, as this was a last minute change.) See email description of\u00a0last minute\u00a0location below. I felt that there should have been a painted area designating the exact spot and a tripod setup by the preset-up crew where they wanted the extra clock located.<\/span>\u00a0<\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/div>\n
After putting the two clocks at their location<\/strong>, it was brought to my attention that there was very little I could do if someone had wanted to steal one of the clocks. It would be very hard to watch clocks in two different locations at the same time. Are we responsible for the security of the clocks once we put them out?<\/span> I eventually turned in my clocks without incident, but the issue still remains.<\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/div>\n
After mile marker 24 where I was stationed<\/strong>, there was an RFID\u00a0TAG reader. The course was updated this year to include 7 check points (and finish line) for purposes of anti-cheating and running time check points.<\/div>\n
\n
The times at each of the 7 check points and finish line for all runners\u00a0will be able to be viewed\u00a0at: http:\/\/results.active.com\/pages\/page.jsp?eventLinkageID=125801<\/a> when checking results of runners.<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Note that the result for any runner’s report will have<\/strong> first check point = 5 Km<\/span>, 2nd check point = 6.1 Mi<\/span>, 3rd check point = 15 Km<\/span>, 4th check point = Half<\/span>, 5th check point = Turn<\/span>, 6th check point = 20 Mile<\/span>, 7th check point = 24 Mile, and finish line = <\/span>chip time<\/span><\/span>. That means we can not forget the start line which is not given<\/span>, but is equivalent to start time = 0. I do not know if there was an actual sensor line at the start of the race.\u00a0That accounts for the total of\u00a08 sensor lines the runners eventually crossed to finish the 26.2 Mile Marathon. The\u00a0\u00bd Marathon will be different but you can figure it out.<\/div>\n
\"Cover

Cover shown open with battery next to the case<\/p><\/div>\n

The equipment used was from<\/strong>: http:\/\/www.chronotrack.com\/for-event-organizers\/chronotrack-events\/<\/a>\u00a0which lists ROCK N ROLL MARATHON SAN ANTONIO as one of the races that uses their equipment and\u00a0required each runner\u00a0to\u00a0attach\u00a0an RFID\u00a0TAG to one of\u00a0their running shoes.<\/div>\n
\n
During the race, the wind had blown the cover of the equipment closed and had caused the equipment to malfunction and the alarm was going off.\u00a0\u00a0<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n
I put a call in to get somebody to come and silence the equipment.<\/strong>\u00a0The supervisor arrived and reset the equipment. He said the main battery had gotten disconnected temporarily according to the error codes. He also said the system has a backup battery for short durations of main battery power loss. He said that the system had probably never missed a runner so it was still good with all runner’s data being transmitted to the main collection server file of runners’ times.<\/div>\n
\"Lead

Lead runner (#21) as he crossed the RFID #7 check point<\/p><\/div>\n

\n
\"a

a shot of the actual RFID SENSOR as they were taking the equipment apart after the end of the race<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\u00a0If anyone wants to know more of this RFID technology, enter RFID in any search engine and read up on the technical articles of the RFID operation.<\/div>\n
I am still curious about this technology but I did not see the actual RFID TAG on any runner’s shoes.\u00a0Does anyone have\u00a0an RFID TAG\u00a0from this race?<\/span><\/div>\n
\n
{Note from webmaster – I noticed that runners had their chips attached to their\u00a0shoe, usually a paper loop connected thru the laces on their shoe. – Lee N5NTG}\u00a0<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\n
Here are some of the results of the\u00a0second annual Rock \u2018n\u2019 Roll San Antonio Marathon & \u00bd Marathon\u00a0of November 15th, 2009.<\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/div>\n
In the\u00a0men’s\u00a026.2 MILE<\/span>\u00a0RACE, 29-year-old Gilbert Koech\u00a0of Kenya won<\/span> with a finish time of 2 hours, 14 minutes and 39 seconds claiming the\u00a0men’s first place prize of $17,500.<\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/div>\n
In the women\u2019s 26.2 MILE<\/span> RACE, 24-year-old Tatiana Pushkareva of Russia won<\/span>\u00a0with a finish\u00a0time of 2 hours, 30 minutes and 30 seconds\u00a0claiming the\u00a0women’s first place prize\u00a0of\u00a0$17,500.<\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/div>\n
The\u00a0Rock \u2018n\u2019 Roll San Antonio Marathon & \u00bd Marathon had\u00a0runners from all 50 states and 23 countries. There were 7,436 men\u00a0and 12,585\u00a0women finishers of the\u00a013.1 MILE\u00a0(1\/2) Marathon. There were 3,246 men and\u00a02,567\u00a0women finishers of the 26.2\u00a0MILE Marathon. Of those runners that started, a total of 25,834 FINISHED! <\/span>That does not include the handicap\u00a0three-wheeler bike contestants that participated in their own competition.<\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/div>\n
The third annual Rock \u2018n\u2019 Roll San Antonio Marathon & \u00bd Marathon is scheduled for Sunday, November 14, 2010 so mark it on your calendars.<\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/div>\n
For more race results go to: http:\/\/san-antonio.competitor.com\/press\/san-antonio-elite\/<\/a>\u00a0<\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Until later,<\/div>\n

Curtis Briley, KE5HDL<\/p>\n

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