The Columbia Amateur Radio Association (aka CARA – web here: https://www.columbiaara.org) has been requested to provide communications support for the Northeast Endurance Team Challenge 2024 equestrian endurance event on the weekend of June 22-23, 2024 at the Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area located in Elkton, MD. This is a 24 hour event (7:00 A.M. – 07:00 A.M.) that includes 100 mile, 75 mile, 65 mile, 50 mile and 25 mile courses.
All support locations will require use of transportable VHF/UHF radios, antennas, power and HTs. All stations are at remote locations that do not have power (quiet generator use permitted). Some locations are near restrooms or portable toilets. While most locations are accessible via paved or unfinished roads some locations are best accessed via vehicles with 4WD.
Yes, this is Field Day weekend! We are going to do our best to provide volunteers who support this event with the opportunity to camp out and work Field Day from event support locations (i.e. during slow times).
Though several event support positions will require 18-24-hour support there are many positions that require less than 12 hours support, and a few positions that require less than 6 hours support. Depending upon the number of volunteers who sign up and their availability – we will create support shifts for the positions that require more than 6 hours support so folks do not have to commit their entire Field Day weekend to this event unless they would like to do so.
We are working with the event organizers and Fair Hill staff to permit volunteers who support this event to arrive on Friday (June 21st) to camp out and set up stations, as appropriate, prior to the event. Likewise, we are working to permit volunteers to remain at camp and/or support locations through 4:00 P.M. on Sunday (June 23) so they can work Field Day from their camp locations. Additional information will be passed along as it becomes available.
We are currently expecting 175-225 participants along with their support crews.
Communication support will include:
Recording and conveying rider numbers to net control for general tracking purposes
Providing information regarding the general pace of activities
Advising when assistance (medical, horse transport, etc.) is needed
Conveying information to riders – as they pass, when necessary
In many ways, this is similar to a 24-hour ARES drill!
There will be pre-event information and coordination meetings (Zoom) on Tuesday evenings in June beginning at 7:30 P.M. Zoom information will be passed to volunteers when they sign up. Please plan to attend at least one of these meetings.
Please refer to the following Google Form to sign up -> https://forms.gle/B63ffTgJt85r45UF8
The CARA Lead for event is Andy Protigal (N3AWP) – see qrz.com for email address.
Best
Andy (N3AWP)
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