Lower Potomac River Marathon Comm. Support 10 Mar 2019

SMCARA provided communication support for the last full running of the Lower Potomac River Marathon 26.2 mile race. Next year they plan to reduce the number of miles the runners run. SMCARA amateur radio operators started arriving around 0630 checking in at the Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship Base: Start-Finish Line with Net Control – N2OMC – Rob Hoyt and then getting to our assigned posts by 0700. N2OMC and W4VJU – Jayne McNutt with her sidekick husband had checked out repeaters on 3/3/19. Rob chose to use the 147.390 repeater and informed the volunteers the secondary and tertiary plans. Following is the list of volunteers and their locations: Steven Dagey, KA3WAP, Bridge Parking Lot; Jayne (and Rick) McNutt, W4VJU, Camp Merryland Turnaround; Kevin Detwiler, N3VSF, Piney Point Lighthouse Turnaround; Thomas Dixon, KE8EBI, Assistant Net Control; Lawrence Robinson, KC0ODK, North Turnaround , and Larry Nelson, N0PXA, Valley Lee Post Office. Operators reported when first runner and last runner and two sweepers passed their location, along with a rough tally or the total number of racers to pass location.

Net Control, N2OMC, Rob Hoyt returned the repeater to regular amateur use at 1215 once most runners had completed race and the last few were safely with a race control persons. A few highlights: Race began at 0715, First racer #50 passed Camp Merryland Camp at 0749, #50 passed Bridge at 0808, last runner #2 and sweepers passed Camp Merryland at 0814 and W4VJU relocated to Tall Timbers, #50 passed PO going Northbound at 0857, last runner #2 passed Bridge at 0859, #50 passed North Turnaround and is headed South at 0914, last runner #2 and sweepers passed Piney Point Lighthouse at 0925, #50 passed Tall Timbers going South at 0947, first racer #50 crossed the finish line at 1005, #2 and sweepers passed Tall Timbers going North at 1010, #2 and sweepers pass PO going North at 1043, #2 and sweepers passed North Turnaround going South at 1122, #2 and sweepers pass PO going South at 1202. 65 runners started race and 60 completed race.