Amateur Radio Operators From NARC/Centre County and other counties successfully aid 2012 Multiple Sclerosis Keystone Country Ride

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The annual Multiple Sclerosis Society (MSS) Keystone Country Ride was conducted this weekend, July 28 and 29.  The event is a fundraiser for the Keystone Chapter of the MS Society.  Bicyclists raise money for MSS by riding from Hollidaysburg to State College on the first day, then the reverse on the second day, a total of 150 miles.  Amateur radio operators have provided communications support for this event for many years. It is one of the largest public service events Amateur Radio Operators participate in in Central Pennsylvania.  The week before the event started out with concerns that we would be unable to field enough amateur radio operators to cover all the positions. However, during the week, including Thursday and Friday a number of operators volunteered.  Enough responded to fill all the necessary position, save one on Sunday.  Amateurs from Centre, Blair, Huntingdon, and Bedford Counties participated.  Read more to see the details.

Amateur Radio Operators from the Nittany Amateur Radio Club of Centre County were:

  • K3BIE, Dick Thompson
  • K3CWP, Carmine Prestia
  • WA3ENK, Rod Kreuter
  • W3EDP, Eric Prescott
  • K3ERP, Elaine Prestia
  • KA3GBC, Joe Pelick
  • K3GEM, Greg Miller
  • KB3TBX, Jim Alles
  • W3JIM, Jim Rayburn
  • K3JWH, John Hawkins
  • KR3ORY, Rory Stennerson
  • KC0QJX, Gordon VanAuken
  • KB3VDG, Ryan VanAuken
Several of these operators volunteered both days and Rory, Greg, Carmine, and Elaine had to start out from the Penn Stater at 05:30 to take their positions in SAG vehicles in Hollidaysburg on SaturdayThanks to all for the donation of their time and talent.

The Centre Region Council of Governments and Centre County loaned out their mobile command vehicle (MCV) and some EMA/ACS radios.  The MCV was used as Net Control for both days.  The MCV is equipped with one VHF/UHF radio and another was installed for the MS-150.  In addition, three antennas on tripods were placed on the roof of MCV to improve coverage.  The antennas were two J-poles on Saturday and a J-pole and 2 meter Yagi (loaned by Ryan, KB3VDG) on Sunday.  Repeater systems in Altoona and State College were used to cover the entire course of the ride.  KB3VDG, Ryan’s participation allowed him to clock off community service hours required of all High School students in Pennsylvania before graduation

As usual operators staffed a number of fixed positions and some rode with SAG wagons, the Race Director, and the Quick Response Unit (QRS) providing emergency medical care.

This year’s race went off quite well, over 400 bicyclists participated.  Over the two days Amateur Radio Operators coordinated several responses to broken bicycles including routing SAG wagons to incidents, two bee stings, a serious rain storm on Saturday, a bicycle crash on Sunday, assistance at an unrelated car crash, warnings about hazardous conditions, and transport of supplies.

One interesting dilemma developed when the generator for the MCV would not start on Sunday morning.  A standby starter battery provided by Carmine got the generator running and saved the day.  As it turned out Carmine had left a small light on the night before.

Officials of the MSS and riders themselves offered their thanks for the assistance provided.  They all recognize that the ride would be much more difficult to conduct and less safe without Amateur Radio.  Again this year MS Officials from the Pittsburgh area were observing the entire operation and got to see first hand what Amateur Radio can do for these events.  One SAG operator opined that he did not see how the SAG operations could be conducted without amateur radio participation.

Special thanks to all the Amateur Radio Operators who participated, to the MS Society for asking us, Centre County EMA for loaning us radios, and CR COG and Centre County for loaning us the MCV  It was a long weekend but a lot of fun in between the hard work and training for such events.