[aprssig] Race Across America

[Bob Bruninga]

In the next parking row over from our FD site was the FINISH line for the Race Across America!  This is the end of the 3000 mile bike race across the USA.  Solo riders coming in in just over a week, and teams in only a several days...  An AMAZING feat.

Of course we are in the middle of CITY DOCK, the most touristy point in Annapolis, Maryland.  And everyone headed to the finish line happened to pass our FD Comm setup in the last 50 yards... EVERYONE thought we were the COMM system for this fantastic nationwide event.

But alas, they had no amateur comm support, they had no APRS trackers, they had cell phones and the management complained about how poor CELL PHONE coverage was across the USA (they do NOT take the interstates, and take many routes off the beaten cellular path.

When I tried to show them APRS and its NATIONAL coverage, of course, it was embarassing because on this Saturday Field Day there was only one other APRS FD site in my whole state (2 others in adjacent states).  And only 12 contacts across the whole usa...

ANYWAY, there are many dozens of teams, and so there is potential for APRS support (at the individual team level depending on whether people know any hams or not).  ANyway, like Baker-to-Vegas, there is an opportunty here ....  FOR TRACKERS even!

Here is their web site:
http://www.raceacrossamerica.org

And if they would just pan the camera about 45 degrees to the left, most of their finish line pictues would have our FD site antennas in them!  

Here is our site:
www.aprs.org/field-day2009.html

P.S., actually, I did finally get the right VIP later and he was excited... so we will see if he gets back to me...

Bob, WB4APR