MAPLE RIDGE RUN 2010
DOUG LEE KC5ZQM

Memorial Day 2010 started early for me.  I got out of bed a little after 0530, got dressed, loaded up my HT's and gear, headed out to the historic and scenic  Maple Ridge Neighborhood in Tulsa.  This neighborhood sits between Riverside Drive, Peoria Avenue, 21st and 31st streets.  Every year year the neighborhood association holds the Maple Ridge Run on Memorial Day.  Since the late 1990's, the Tulsa Repeater Organization has provided comm support for this event.

I was late signing up this year, but I was early arriving at "Owasso Island," 26th and Owasso.  Tom Stroud KD5OPH, Stan Callahan KE5HPB, Tom Hance KD5CNY and Ray Young KE5WGA were already there.

Most of the other hams that volunteered went directly to their assigned positions along the course.  Brian Gnad KB5TSI swung by to drop off the portable radio setup used for the Net Control Station. Paul Young KE5EHM and William St. John KE5SAW also showed up at the island, for they were assigned to shadow the Race and Safety/Medical directors.

Rain was an uninvited guest, but we were prepared.  Tom KE5OPH had brought a new canopy and set it up to cover the NCS on the tailgate of his pickup.

When Paul KE5EHM and William KE5SAW went to find the people they were to shadow, we found out William had no one to follow.  Fortunately, he brought his camera, and I suggested he go around the course and get a photo of each operator at his station.  I'd had this idea for several years, but no way to carry it out.  He was willing to do it, and I really appreciate his efforts.

Somewhere in this time frame, Tom KE5OPH surprised me by asking me to take Net Control.  I hadn't done that since 2005, so I briefly wondered if I could still do it.  But like the cliche goes, "it's just like riding a bike; it'll come back to you."  I managed to run the net without any major hiccups.  I'm still not sure about that cliche, for I never learned to ride a bike.

After everyone was on station, Mark Conklin N7XYO asked about moving the net from the 146.880 repeater to simplex.  I said as long as .88 was working, we'd stay there.  However, after some behind the scenes discussion involving the use of an alternative mobile communications system, we decided to move to 146.550 simplex.

The transition to simplex involved some manipulation of radio settings, and making sure everyone got the word to move.  The net went fairly smooth after that, except that one operator had an HT battery drop out on him, we had someone with an open mic for a short period, and there was some confusion about the Tulsa Police Special Events Officer following the last runner or rider in the races.

The only other major issue we dealt with was a fire truck.  We were told it would be on the course for the first leg, and then peel off.  Then the question arose about moving vehicles to allow it to leave the course, but TPD handled that issue.  Then we found out that the truck would lead the runners on the 5K!  When that race started, Ben Joplin WB5VST mentioned the truck was doing its best to stay out of the runners' way.  I think we can safely say the fire truck won't be back next year.

Despite the presence of the fire truck and a challenge from another runner towards the end, the winner took an early lead, averaged about a minute between stations, and finished the race in less than 18 minutes!

I secured the net at 1000 hours, and every one gathered together back at the island for a group photo, to collect t-shirts, and some good fellowship. My thanks, and congratulations on a great job, to everyone who took part!

Here's a complete list of volunteers and their assignments:

NCO COM DR KD5OPH STROUD,TOM
NCO KC5ZQM LEE, DOUGLAS
SHADOW 1 RACE DR. KD5EHM YOUNG,PAUL
START LINE WB5VST JOPLIN,BEN
TURN 1 KD5CNY HANCE,TOM
TURN 2 KE5HPB CALLAHAHAN, STAN
TURN 3 K5CRQ COMPOS,ED
TURN 4 KE5OKT DANFORTH,CARROLTON
FRONT TRETCH N7XYO CONKLIN, MARK
BACK STRETCH 1 KB5TSI GAND, BRIAN
BACK STRETCH 2 KD5VSB GRACE,JOHN
FINISH LINE KD5GUA EVERETT, DOUG
SPARE KE5WGA YOUNG,RAYMOND
ROVER/PHOTOGRAPHER KD5SAW WILLIAM,ST JOHN