The CVARC MTeC Communications Project
Cumberland Valley Amateur Radio Club assisted with communications
for the 2007 MTeC event. Here is a view of the Long Pine reservoir.
A few pictures of the radio operations of the event are here (26 photos, 2.9 MB), including photos of the trailer-mounted tower.
Dave KB3PCA took several pictures (6 photos, 1 MB) of the trailer-mounted tower during the dry-run the day before the event. He also has a sketch of a similar fold-up tower he recently encountered. for more pictures of the radio operations.
MTeC Information
The Michaux Team Challenge (MTeC) will be held on Sunday, 28-OCT-2007.
Official information about the MTEC event is found on their web site.
Below is information about CVARC's communications plans for this event.
Final communications plan
25-OCT-2007: Daniel KB3MUN attended the final planning meeting of the MTeC organizers, and learned that there have been several significant changes to the course. Therefore, the old maps and communications plan have been revised accordingly.
Click here for the revised plan. The plan document excludes specific course information at the request of the MTeC organizers, this information will be communicated seperately to the communications volunteers.
All communications volunteers will be given a copy of this plan on the day of the race. In addition, they will be apprised via email about these final plans.
Schedule From a communications viewpoint, there are four different phases of the race.
Pre-Dawn Setup: Be at setup points no later than 5:30am.
Morning Setup: Be at setup points no later than 8:00am.
Afternoon Setup: Meet official at HQ-East position no later than 11:00am.
Teardown: When your race official strikes his post, you may follow suit.
From the contestant's point of view, there are three different phases of the race.
- Expert Division
The MTeC planners have informed us that the road to the Lone Pine Reservoir boat launch area will allow race participants only. We will have a communicator with an updated communications plan, maps, and duty assignments at the intersection of the boat launch access road and Milesburn Road. This is where you should proceed to when you arrive at the event. Be aware that we will be sharing this intersection with everyone else, so be careful.
Preliminary communications plan
06-OCT-2007: Darrell N3QBI and Daniel KB3MUN have set forth the communication plan (a merger of the 2007 course information from the MTeC organizers and the communications plan of the prior year).
Click here for the plan. The plan document excludes specific course information at the request of the MTeC organizers, this information will be communicated seperately to the communications volunteers.
All who have volunteered have been e-mailed this communications plan.
The MTeC planners have informed us that the road to the Lone Pine Reservoir boat launch area will allow race participants only. We will have a communicator with an updated communications plan, maps, and duty assignments at the intersection of the boat launch access road and Milesburn Road. This is where you should proceed to when you arrive at the event. Be aware that we will be sharing this intersection with everyone else, so be careful.
Anyone who is offering to join us for the pre-dawn setup and coverage of that first leg of the race, please let us know.
If you are not part of the pre-dawn team, please arrive in sufficient time that communicators can be in place by 8:00 am.
If you have a preference for a type of position, or wish to avoid certain positions, also let us know.
Requests for assistance
23-SEP-2007: In addition to announcements in the club's September newsletter, and on the Sunday evening net, letters requesting assistance from individuals and clubs that have helped with CVARC with this event in the past have been mailed. In addition to individuals, the following clubs have been invited:
- Antietam Radio Association,
- Amateur Radio Club of Trinity,
- Keystone Radio Amateurs of Pa,
- Mid Atlantic DX and Repeater Association, and
- South Mountain Repeater Association.
Please consider yourself invited to particilate with CVARC in these events.
Preliminary meeting with MTeC organizers
27-AUG-2007: Daniel KB3MUN met with the Jim Nicklas (the gentlemen in charge of MTeC planning). We met at the Long Pine Dam () area of the Michaux State Forest. We discussed a number of items, including: the infamous incident with park rangers being unhappy with our antennas; the route and timing of the race; the intended locations for communication posts; and the possibility of placing a trailer with a tilt-up antenna for better coverage.
A copy of the course map was given to KB3MUN, and later color copies of this map were provided by Tony KF3BX.