From the October 2009 ARRL “ARES Newsletter”:
Vermont ARES Supports JDRF Bike Tour
On August 29, ARES members of the Central Vermont Amateur Radio Club, Inc (CVARC) provided health and welfare communications for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) Bike Tour. The tour covered one hundred miles over difficult terrain on a cold rainy day. It was hard on the riders and VHF communications were difficult. Many of the riders either have diabetes, or have family members that suffer from it. However, the majority of the riders persevered, riding the entire 100 miles. The youngest operator (16) Chris Craig, K1MHZ, ran a professional net as alternate NCS.
The route took riders up the Rt. 100 valley from Killington to Waitsfield, and back, with the event organizers trying to use their ten Motorola Satellite phones (SAT’s), local ambulance service radio systems, and cell phones of every variety and provider available. None were of any use for the majority of the route! The only consistently reliable communications for the entire route was provided by Amateur Radio. There was not one quarter mile that the Medical Supervisor was not able to communicate with the various rest stops and overall tour supervisor.
Over $1.3 M was raised by the tour for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (over $4,000 each participant, on average), the most raised for any of their numerous events throughout the country. There were no serious medical incidents. All of the most necessary information for the event was passed via Amateur Radio. Many thanks to all who helped make communications for the event a success. — Tom Long, KB1NGQ, Waterbury Center, Vermont
