Tomorrow I'll be spending my day at the Marine Corps Marathon in DC. With several tens of thousands of people actually running the race (which in case anyone wasn't aware, is over 26 miles long), a lot of support is necessary.
Keeping the information flowing is very important. To that end, over 100 Amateur Radio operators will be providing communications support. We'll have operators at every mile marker, at all eight aid stations, supporting the coordination at the "head tent" near the Iwo Jima memorial, and some of us will be on our bicycles, patrolling the course for runners who need help. We'll be communicating with each other on a wide variety of frequencies, divided into about a dozen main and backup networks.
The forecast for DC tomorrow is beautiful, so I hope to have a great time. On the one hand, we always hope that nothing will happen that will require our services, beyond the routine. But on the other hand, if something happens that requires rapid, efficient communications, we'll be glad we were there.
