Post Action Report
Hey everybody!
I have finally made it to writing up my post-action report!
I want to start by thanking everyone who came out to support last week's Kananaskis Rally. Our radio operators did a fantastic job, we had good weather, and our technology (mostly) behaved itself! The event proceeded very smoothly, and I was impressed at how well our operators handled the addition of the Jumping Pound Loop and the mid-day transition to the Powderface trail. We had fifteen rally cars in this event, and as as far as I know, we didnt have any major incidents with any of them. Our operators all got into place in good time, there were no serious glitches with controlling the roads, and we got everyone out when it was all done. Nice job, all around!
If you haven't seen the results from the rally, you can find them at the link just below. As others have previously pointed out, the top two cars are only seconds apart. That makes for some exciting racing!
http://cscc.ab.ca/kananaskis/2017/results/event1/summaries/overall.html
We had some new operators and some returning folks who had not been part of a rally for a few years. This is really great to see! If you were one of those people, then I hope that we can count on you coming out for the next rally event.
With regards to radio operations, we used the VE6RYC repeater as our primary channel, as in past Kananaskis Rally events. While no one has been able to explain to me why this repeater covers that valley (It seems like an X-Files case!), it got the job done. We did have some challenges with reaching the far South locations of the event, but communications were generally adequate. We also experienced some unexpected signal fading conditions in the early to mid afternoon, with a few Powderface Trail locations seeming to lose the repeater for a time. We were able to adapt and relay necessary messages during those periods.
As in a couple of our previous rally events, we used a secondary voice channel to support Radio Operators in the field, especially during setup procedures. This channel was run on the VE6AUY repeater. While this repeater does not cover the Powderface Trail as well as the RYC machine, most operators were able to get signals through without too much difficulty. What's more, the Rally Control operators, who were physically located in Calgary, devised a clever relay capability so that they could access this repeater. As before, our operators did a good job of handling the setup net on this channel and transitioning to the primary channel once Rally Control was ready for us. I noticed that several operators also made effective use of this channel throughout the day as a way of taking traffic off the primary channel during busy periods. This was particularly appropriate when the content of the conversation(s) was not directly affecting the active stage. The prize for the most inventive use of this secondary channel goes to the Rally Control operators who used it to request a microphone check when someone inadvertently jammed the primary channel by...you guessed it...sitting on their microphone!!!
A round of thanks goes out to Ray Bourne (VE6LG) for his extra effort in setting up the VE6RNQ temporary repeater. This machine was deployed in an experimental and tertiary backup mode, to determine if a new site identified by Ray would provide effective coverage for this rally. While we found a few spots with sketchy coverage, I was generally impressed by how well this repeater did the job. It was equal to VE6AUY in most places, and better in some. I'd like to hear from other operators who tested VE6RNQ at the Kananaskis Rally. Please let me know your experience. I'd like to seriously consider using this repeater in future rally events. Thanks again, Ray.
I was pleased with the extra effort our Rally Net Control Operators put in. I want to recognize their work to configure access to the secondary voice channel; their use of APRS; the time they put in to be available early in the morning to assist with setup; and the time they put in at the end of the day to ensure that everyone got off the Powderface Trail and back onto safer, more travelled roads. Thanks Roger (VE6RAH) and Dave (VA6DK) for all your help, patience, and support.
Once again, we were a little short on Radio Operators for the event. About twenty licenced operators signed up for radio roles, leaving some posts unfilled and others covered by transitioning operators between roles during the day. My appreciation goes out to those operators who performed both morning and afternoon roles, and those who successfully navigated the switch from the Jumping Pound Loop leg to the Powderface Trail leg. While we adapt to the requirements of the day, I'd like to see more Radio Operators taking advantage of this fun opportunity to engage in real world field operations.
I've been working on some of the suggestions I received for improvements at these events, and appreciate the feedback received to date. Making improvements means making changes, and change is always a challenging process. I am grateful for the support people have shown in the implementation of these changes. Here are some of the efforts made to date:
- Training practices are becoming more standardized and repeatable. Additionally, some of the written material has been reorganized into checklists. These lists group together key material based on how operators are likely to use it. While there is much work to be done here, the material is slowly improving.
- Initial notification of the rally went out in August, almost three months before the event. Regular updates were also posted to the CARA webpage forum. I trust that this helped our operators manage scheduling better.
- The general forum on the CARA webpage was used extensively to distribute information and guidelines, along with shared links to files on a DropBox space configured by the Calgary Sports Car Club. This helps to get all of the relevant material in one spot and reduces the error prone process of emailing everything to everyone. While some of the material could have been posted sooner, I trust that having one "go to" point makes it easier for people to keep track of what is happening.
- I am pleased to see continuing improvements in handling operator checkin and checkout procedures. This is an important aspect of Radio Operator safety for these events. Knowing that everyone who went in also came back out (and didn't get left behind) is reassuring for operators and organizers.
- I keep looking for ways to make these events more fun for operators. Having our secondary voice channel gives operators more opportunities to actually talk on the radio during the day, and experimenting with the temporary repeater added another interesting dimension. However, we still want to ensure that our operators have time for socializing and being recognized for their participation and contribution. I'm open to more ideas on this!
My one regret is that I didn't get time to take many pictures. If anyone has some good photos of the event and wouldn't mind having them posted, then please let me know. I'll see what I can do to make that happen.
To wrap up, we had a fun day at the Kananaskis Rally. I am grateful to all the Radio Operators who helped make this day successful. I hope to see you at the next rally!
73,
Garry Spicer
VE6GDS
Chief Radio Marshall, Kananaskis Rally 2017
