Five amateur radio operators provided communications assistance for the Pennsylvania Environmental Council Public Lands Ride on October 2, 2021.  The course covered sixty five miles of mixed surface roads and paths in the Black Moshannon State Forest.  About eighty-eight bicyclists rode the courses.

Participating amateur radio operators were:

• Jason, KB3KPP
• Greg, K3GEM
• Chad, KC3SEQ
• Joe, KC3RHR
• Carmine, K3CWP

Jason and Greg split Net Control duties over two shifts.  Carmine provided fixed station backup from home and Chad and Joe handled communications at the the aid stations along the course.  Chad handled two stations over the course of the day.

Even though there are three amateur repeaters in the Black Moshannon State Forest coverage between Headquarters and the Aid Stations was troublesome.  The mountain topography that makes for an interesting bicycle ride makes RF paths difficult.  During the first half of the ride both the W3YA and W3PHB repeaters were used.  Later the W3PHB repeater covered the necessary traffic.

As soon as operations started they were troubled by stray inputs on the W3YA repeater from another bicycle event in New York.  Apparently atmospherics were providing a path.  Use of the CTCSS tones for most of the morning eliminated the stray inputs.

This is the first time the organizers had communications with the aid stations from headquarters.  They were most appreciative of our support.

Fortunately there were no incidents requiring urgent or emergency action.  Most of the radio traffic was about supplies and when riders passed the aid stations.  The weather cooperated, it was a beautiful day to be in a Pennsylvania forest.

Thanks to the Pennsylvania Environmental Council for inviting us to participate and to the operators of W3YA and W3PHB for allowing the use of the repeaters.