Where: Hill Country State Natural Area – Bandera County Texas
When: January 8 and 9th, 2011
What: Tejas Trails – Bandera 100k Ultra Marathon
Start: 0700 hrs Saturday, the 8th
Finish: 0700 hrs Sunday, the 9th (radio operations typically stand down at 0430 hrs, when the last aid station closes down)
The event is three races in one, a 25k, 50k and 100k that incorporates nearly every trail on the 5400 acres of Hill Country State Natural Area. This is a unique situation to train and test EmComm abilities in a remote environment, provide a service, as well as enjoy the Texas Hill Country!
Duties: This is a 24 hour all weather event! Amateur operators man the Aid Stations and duties are basically like any other bike or running event (BP150, MS150, River Safari, etc), relaying supply needs, runner counts and times, and coordinating the Horse Patrol with Safety and SAR operations! Operators support Race Control, Aid Stations and the HCSNAP Coordinated Horse Patrol! Operators will stay in constant contact with the Aid Station Captain and/or Race Recorder, in order to keep the Database up-to-date.
Needed: We need 10 or so licensed Amateurs to assist with this event. The more the merrier! Minimum 50 watt dual band portable/mobile EmComm type set-ups required in case we need to go simplex, if the repeater fails to produce. Most communications will be done with 5 watts or so through the hilltop repeater, but just in case of a catastrophic failure of the repeater, we can go to simplex. All the Aid stations allow close proximity of your vehicle, so proper crossbanding can be utilized!
Even if you can only help out for a part of the event, we can still use you!
We will be utilizing the Packet Program again this year at each Aid station. There is a test and tune session planned for November 13th, 0800 hrs to 1200 hrs. Location to be determined (it will probably be in somewhere between SA, New Braunfels and Seguin). Note: you are not required to have packet to assist with the event. Those without packet will be teamed with those that have it!
Individuals and Teams(Organizations ) encouraged to participate! The scenario presented by this event creates some unique training and testing opportunities! Several of our operators have worked some great HF DX in the less busy times of the event.
Additional Volunteers:We are also in need of several more riders for the Horse Patrol. Sorry, I cannot supply horses, you must have your own. Also, do to the increase of participants, there will be a need for additional support staff at each of the Aid Stations. If we can get firm commitment from enough individuals, the Amateur Radio community can adopt and aid station. The race coordinator will provide an experienced person to assist in set-up and operation.
Other details:
Camping: yes, at all the Aid Stations – no charge to our volunteers! Generators will be allowed in most areas, for this event only! <Questions – call or e-mail K5STX
Food: Meals are provided to the Volunteers by the event management! We do suggest you bring your own personal snacks and specail needs items. Rumor has it, that there will be a big pot of something Friday and Saturday night! No telling what Charlie-KC5NKK will come up with this year! Thanks Charlie
Weather/Environment : From wild to mild! Anything that Texas can dish out is possible! Hill Country State Natural Area is just that, a natural environment, not changed much since it’s donation to the state by Louise Merrick.
The 2010 event experienced what was a rare and unusual occurrence with the extreme low temperatures. Normally the lows are in the high 40’s and low 50’s, highs in the 70’s. But, it is Texas winter, so anything can happen! Again, this is a 24 hour, all weather event! It has never been cancelled. Extended forecast is calling for milder temperatures and dry for that time of year!
Looking forward to working with those that have supported this event in past years, and the new operators coming on board. Thank you from myself and the Tejas Trails event management!
Links of Interest:
Hill Country Trail Runners: www.tejastrails.com/Bandera.html
To volunteer or if you have other questions, please contact K5STX at trlrider@gvec.net cell phone – 830-305-2889.
Louis Upton – K5STX
Bandera 100k Communications Coordinator (coordination provided through Hill Country REACT)
Cactus Rose 100 and Bandera 100k Horse Safety Patrol Coordinator
