Radio Operations at Rallysport Events '101'

I think we had some success with this approach at the Cochrane Winter Rally in March, so we're going to do it again!

In the past, our pre-op briefings tended to go longer than we wanted. Additionally, we found that people who were new to rally radio operations often felt a little overwhelmed with all the rally terminology. To address these issues, we now have our '101' document.

This '101' document is intended to provide rally radio operators with a foundational understanding of what happens at a rally, who is involved, and where to find more information. Key terms are explained, roles are described, other references are listed, and some important practices are presented. Much of this material has been extracted from the pre-op briefing slides, so this helps to make our briefings briefer!

Please take the time to download a copy (link below) and read it prior to the pre-op briefing on Friday 24 May. While this guide is oriented at people who have had little exposure to rally events, experienced operators may also benefit from a refresher. In any case, the briefing will assume that everyone is fully familiar with the contents of this guide. While specific questions about the '101' material will be addressed, we will no longer be presenting these basics during the pre-op briefings.

Thanks go out to Vince d'Eon (VE6LK) and Keith Morison (VA6PIX) for their help in conceptualizing and developing this guide.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jhDy6JWkm_0guv4WhagDXcd7K0nozRkR/view?usp=sharing

73,
Garry, VE6GDS

Highway and Radio Traffic Caution

This is an important note regarding highway traffic in the area of Radium for the weekend of the Rocky Mountain Rally. Please be aware that the Golden Triangle cycling event will be using the following roads on the Friday / Saturday (24 / 25 May):

1) Highway #93 (Kootenay Highway) between Castle Junction and Radium;

and

2) Highway #95, in and North of Radium.

Please be watchful for the cyclists and their escort vehicles when you are in the area.

Additionally, the Golden Triangle radio operators typically use 146.520Mhz (simplex) for communication. While you are free to listen in on their event, please do your best to keep this frequency clear for their use.

73,
Garry, VE6GDS

Off Road Exploring

All right everyone - there we have it!

If you're looking to get some off road experience while in Invermere, you may want to get in touch with Harry and see what you can arrange!

Please note that such activities are outside the purview of the rally. By all means have fun, but take appropriate safety precautions of your own.

73,
Garry, VE6GDS

MAP!

Below is a link to a preliminary version of the map for RMR 2019!

Please note three things:

1) This is a preliminary version. It is intended to give you an idea of what the course will look like. However, there may be (likely will be) updates to this map before the rally, so check back here to get the latest version before you go.

2) This map is in .kml format, which is a common standard for exchanging map data. If you have trouble opening .kml files, please check with Google to obtain appropriate instructions or software. There are plenty of options, depending on your hardware and operating system.

3) This map shows some routes in BLUE. These are alternate routes and may not be appropriate for all drivers or circumstances. These routes may take longer to traverse than other options, may be less accessible than other roads, or may be unsafe to travel without a 4x4 and off-road driving experience. They are shown here as they may be used by some aspects of the rally. If you are planning to use a BLUE route, then you are advised to make an informed choice before doing so (i.e. check with someone who has used that route before to determine if it is appropriate for you, your vehicle, and your requirements).

Here is the link:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qscAi2NZ4Oew514NAbw2HAD3rrQ2bmyV/view?usp=sharing

73
Garry, VE6GDS

Need more operators!

We're into the month of May now, and the rally is less than three weeks away!

Thanks to those who have signed up to do radio operations at RMR - we're going to have a great time! If you have friends who may be interested, please give them a call to see if they can come to join us.

For those of you who may be on the fence, we definitely need more operators if we're going to fulfill the needs of the event! This is always a fun time and a great way to get field operations experience.

Let's see what we can do to get more hams involved in this great event!

73,
Garry, VE6GDS