(by Richard Tidd, KE6HNY)

Well it is over, and I am finally recovering. I am of course referring to the Tour de Peninsula 2000 Bike ride.

Nancy Nobriga from RhodyCo was again quite impressed with us and very much thanks all of you. She was thrilled with the dispatching of the Med and Strike Teams.

Riders at Crystal Springs & Skyline outside South Gate to Sawyer Camp Trail

We both agreed though, the dispatching of the Vans and Sag Teams did not go as smoothly as we would have liked. We have been invited back next year so mark your calendar.

This event is sponsored by the San Francisco Chronicle and benefited the San Mateo County Parks and Recreation Foundation. TDP is a 33 mile Bike Ride that started at Sequoia High School in Redwood City, goes up Brewster to northbound Alameda de las Pulgas, continues past San Carlos Ave, to Ralston Ave. It then goes west (up) Ralston, over SR 92, through to Polhemus to west on Crystal Springs, enters the South Gate of the Sawyer Camp Trail, goes north to the North Gate in Millbrae, winds its way on city streets to Skyline south bound, then west under I280 to Skyline, south at Golf Course Drive. It continues south on Skyline, over the dam to SR 92, then south onto Canada Rd, passing the Pulgas Water Temple to east bound Edgewood and back to Sequoia High School. There are two short cuts, one at Ralston/SR 92 and the other at the South Gate.

Peter, KD6BXY at Rest Stop 1 inside South Gate to Sawyer Camp Trail

Bill, KC6UNY (in back seat) as Nancy Shadow outside South Gate to Sawyer Camp Trail

Riders inside South Gate to Sawyer Camp Trail

Working for RhodyCo Productions event Chair-Nancy Nobriga, we provided most of the communications for the event and staff in the form of shadows, fixed posts around the course, bike mobiles, Motorcycle mobiles, Med Teams, Van & Sag?s, Strike Teams and Net Control. This is a multi-net event, namely, 2 meter, 440 and GMRS. Amateur radio was the primary dispatch for all medical needs as well as the Vans and SAG vehicles for participant pickup. GMRS was used for the Strike Teams. Our role as communicator was to improve the safety of the event.

Here are some interesting figures:

• We fielded nearly 60 personnel covering 13 field positions, 6 mobile Med Teams, 5 Van's, 3 SAG's, 5 Strike Teams, 3 bikes, 2 motorcycles, the event Director and Net Control.
• We coordinated personnel representing 4 counties, at least 6 Amateur Radio Emergency Service groups and approx. 12 non-ham support personnel.
• We are the largest single group of volunteers for TDP. We make up about 25% of the total volunteer work force.
• TDP averages a 20% no-show. We average 3-4% no show.
• We utilized 3 main radio nets, 2 ham, 1 non-ham (GMRS).
• This was the first coordinated use of non-ham radio support personnel.—Thanks to Frank?s group.
• This was the first use of a non-ham radio asset (GMRS)
• This was first use of 6 meter for an event here in a long time.
• This was the first year we dispatched the Van's, Sag's and Strike Teams
• This was the first year we were supported by Amateurs from San Francisco ACS.---Thank you
• This was the second year we were supported by Amateurs from Mountain View.---Thank you
• This was another year we were supported by Millbrae, Burlingame, Half Moon Bay and SCARES.--- Thank you

Well, prior to Aug. 6th, George Berry, Bill Smith, Bill Brinkley, and I met with Nancy to plan this event. In planning our part, we took into account last year and other factors. I then had several conversations with Nancy and Frank to work out all the final details. An event of this size has a lot of details, some of wish you can never plan for, but you have to try.

We spent most of Saturday Aug. 5th, setting up net control at a high location. As Net Control Supervisor, Bill Smith spent many hours on his end planning for this set up. Assisting with set up were: Bill Smith, KE6CHQ, Andy Forbes, KF6VWD, Loren Archer, KG6LRN and Seth Mallory, KF6UZX. We set up the 50-foot military mast we borrowed from Kim Robinson-KO6MX. Joining us for NC duty on Sunday were Ken Mallory (a Scout), KF6VSC, and Tony Halog, KR6EG. Doug Mecham, KC6UKJ, had to back out at the last minute due to another commitment. Andy, Loren and Bill arrived at net control at 0300 on Sunday to complete the set up. This was one full hour earlier than needed. What dedication.

New this year was the dispatching of the Van, Sag and Strike Teams. The Van and Sag pickup pooped out riders and their bikes as needed. The Strike Teams acted as course fix-it crews. The Strike Teams were coordinated by Frank Alimonda who has worked this event in the past but this was the first year we worked as a coordinated body. Since many of Frank?s team are non-hams, we used a local GMRS repeater for their net. This was the first time that Frank and his team worked under as ICS platform and according to Frank, we did an outstanding job at dispatching his resources. He was particularly impressed at the professionalism and knowledge we possessed. To put credit where it is due—Andy Forbes deserves most of this credit.

In past years, Frank was using a Nextel system to communicate with Nancy, We would have to call Nancy and have her dispatch Franks Team as needed. Many times the Nextel failed and we had no way to communicate. I suggested that we place Frank?s crew under our communication system to unify the services. In analyzing Frank?s services, I felt that what they fell under the job description of 'Strike Team'. Next was the determination of how to talk to the Strike Teams since not all for them were hams. We used a General Mobile Radio System (GMRS) repeater on Montara as their net. Frank's crew all have GMRS licenses as do I.

Frank's team did an outstanding job in the Strike Team role. They responded to several calls for additional traffic control issues. Two notable times were in response to the major medical incidents we responded to. Both were on Edgewood Rd, and were serious enough to transport the injured. Both were face plants with one being a head trauma case from a severe head-over-heals fall. Both required some form of road closure but one was a serious road closure , closing Edgewood from Crestview to I280 on the east and from I280 at Edgewood to the west. All traffic was either turned around, or diverted. The CHP apparently was quite impressed with the speed and effectiveness of these actions.

The Med teams responded to several calls, namely the two serious ones on Edgewood. In both these cases we called County 911 for assistance. Our Med teams are EMT?s but these situations required an ALS response. Boy, was there a response to our calls. We had several fire units as well as two ambulances on the one call that required the closure of Edgewood Rd. at I280. Our County 911 is a great system and the quality of the response is fantastic.

I would like to note new TDP team members from San Francisco ACS. The 7 members that supported TDP did an outstanding job. For example, Tony Halog, KR6EG, worked the East Net. He did a great job as a blind Net Control operator.

Bill Brinkley, KC6UNY was shadow for event director, Nancy. He not only worked Amateur Radio, but also monitored the event Nextel radios. Nancy had less talk groups on the Nextels since we were handling most of the radio traffic. Bill also helped to coordinate the Van and Sag assignments.

George Berry, KC6ULT was Joan?s shadow for Medical. Our Med Teams responded to several calls with two being serious enough for a 911 call with both being transported. George also helped with the coordination of the Med Teams shadows and checked out the Nextel radios as need.

All in all, this was a great event and all deserve a big thanks. Please send me any comment, suggestions, etc. I will include them into my notes for next year. ke6hny@arrl.net

Thanks again, you are all great a great job.

County OES Team:

George Berry KC6ULT

David Price WA6FUL

Alberto Lapresca KQ6UE

Daly City ARES:

John Grant KF6OCXF

'Bong' San Pablo KQ6VJ

Half Moon Bay ARES:

Andy Forbes KF6VWD

John Forbes KA6FVD

Millbrae ARES:

Bob Stone KD6GPJ

Helmet Bredow WA6CTV

Terry Sturmey KB6TR

Lee & Katy Savage W6AQR/ WA6QFR

Dan Bennette KF6FSH

Mountain View ARES:

Steve Whitt KQ6LX

June Welsh KF6WPQ

San Francisco ACS:

Steven Kennedy KF6CPE

Bundy Chanock KF6YXQ

Mary Critcher KF6YSL

Bob Jacklevich KF6PFV

Tony Halog KR6EG

Connie Berry KF6WEA

James Wong KG6CFC

SCARES:

David Harrison W6IBC

Bill Brinkley KC6UNY

Bill Fies K6TYO

Bill Smith KE6CHQ

Larry Nelson KC6NYG

Andrew Korsak KR6DD

James Brosamle KF6OZV

Tom Gleeman KE6YNH

John Wray KM6GE

Bert Jutras KD6BXZ

Peter Liljequist KD6BXY

Loren Archer KG6LRN

David Reneau KE6HOD

Vista Verde:

Ken Mallory (Scout) KF6VSC

Doug Mecham KC6UKJ

Seth Mallory KF6UZX

Other:

Jim Touchatone KD6WJM

Jim Liston AK6JL

Faride Khalaf KF6WHV

Paulette Leston KE6CFW

Don Ravey W6DBZ

David Clapper KH6JRC

Charles Grandjean WD6FAF

Brent Cowling KF6OCZ

Frank's Group:

Frank Alimonda KG6AYU

Paul Landefeld KG6AOZ

Brian Rolapp Non Ham

Tom O'Malley Non Ham

Mike Colander KE6MDW

Brain Vargo KE6ZOY

Mike Furman KD6OCS

Andrew Brown KD6HWU

Justin Black KF6HOX

Dennis Upp Non Ham

Sara Brown Non Ham?

RhodyCo:

Jeremy D. Nichols N6WFO