Hams help another successful MS-150 Bicycle Ride

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Saturday and Sunday, July 21 and 22, amateur radio operators from Centre and surrounding counties again coordinated communications for the event we call the MS-150.  The Multiple Sclerosis Society named this year’s ride the Glimcher Keystone Country Ride 2018 to honor one of their significant donors.  The ride starts in Hollidaysburg, Blair County and ends in State College, Centre County on Saturday then returning on Sunday for a total of 150 miles.

More than 250 riders participated this year to raise funds for the Multiple Sclerosis Society.  This is the 23d year for the event and our best recollection is that amateur radio operators have helped out for most if not all of those rides.  The course goes through many areas that are remote and have little or no cell phone coverage.  Adding to that the single communications circuit of cell phones makes amateur radio network coverage a much more efficient way to handle traffic and keep units advised or what is going on.

The Centre Region Council of Governments Command Van was utilized as the Incident Communications Center (ICC) stationed at the Penn Stater Hotel in State College.  ICC oerators used three dual band mobile units to coordinate over three repeaters in Blair, Huntingdon, and Centre Counties.

Support and Gear (SAG), and Quick Response System (QRS Medical) units were staffed with amateurs using APRS and VHF/UHF FM communications in the field.  The APRS system has made for easier tracking and positioning of these units when they are needed.  Voice communications were handled as regular network traffic over the repeaters.

APRS tracking was enhanced by KML files developed by Drew McGhee, KA3EJV, the Blair County EC.  Opening the files in Google Earth provided the ICC with the route, mile markers, rest stops, and the real time APRS position of the field units.  The files include an overlay for real time weather radar. Kudos to Drew, the development of the KML files has taken a couple years, a lot of work.  Again, thanks to Drew, the entire event is planned using Incident Command System (ICS) standards and forms and the PEMA Tier 2 Standards and Definitions for Amateur Radio.

The National Weather Service (NWS) State College was included in the planning.  The ICC was authorized to call NWS for updates if bad weather threatened.  If the weather event became more serious one of the ICC operators, Greg, K3HOT was detailed to go the the NWS office and activate the VHF amateur station there providing a direct radio link to the ICC.

The 2018 ride was blessed with relatively good weather and only a couple ‘incidents’ requiring significant response.  In one case a bike with a flat tire was SAGed to repair and the jelly for the lunch stop PB&J sandwiches was misplaced.  We were able to find the jelly and lunch was rescued.

Centre County hams participating this year were:

  • Carmine, K3CWP
  • Elaine, K3ERP
  • Greg, K3HOT
  • Ryan, KB3VDG
  • Craig, K3OOL
  • Rory, KR3ORY
  • Chuck, N3CRM
  • Gordon, KC0JX
  • Rick, K3ROG
  • Joyce, AA3SQ, and daughter Becky
  • Rod, WA3ENK
  • Scott, KC3EHQ
  • Ken, KB1BH

Thanks to the MS Society for asking us to participate again this year and a special thank you to the Centre Region Council of Governments for the loan of the Mobile Command Van.

Carmine, K3CWP