This page is reserved for telling about some of the ongoing activities the club is participating in. You can find photos of some of these events on the Photos Page.
PCARA again contributed to the safety of a difficult sporting event! The first ever triathalon in Panama held in Portebello on May 22 was another chance for members of PCARA to show the community the benefits of Ham Radio.
This event was created and organized by one of our own, Mr. John Collins. He and his wife Judy, both members of PCARA, asked the club to help provide communications for the event. The area where the three parts of the triathalon were to be held would not support any other form of communications. There are no phones, cellphones, or any other commercial form of communciation.
As it turned out, six of our members were able to arise to the challenge. The folks from the Pacific side, Barry (HP1XZE), Bill (HP3XBH), and Mack (HP1XBG) spent the night over at Scuba Portebello (life is so rough..) so we would be close to where we needed to be in the morning. Saturday morning about about 5, we all got up and started getting ready to do our job.
The Atlantic folks, Ricardo (HP2CTM), Armando (HP2DVT), and George (HP2CQZ) met us on the repeater around six o'clock (yes, we could actually hit the Gatun repeater from Portebello) and we began to set up stations along the route. This is what was supposed to happen: Ricardo (HP2CTM) was going to take his HF and VHF rigs up a mountain via horseback to run as net control for the entire event. I was going to set up and HF and VHF rig at the beginning of the route. We were primarily going to use simplex throughout the event. I would relay in the stations on simplex that Ricardo could not hear via 40 meters.
Well....the horse didn't like Ricardo and seeing as how the horse did not have a brake or a clutch, the feeling was mutual! So, what actually happened is that Ricardo set up in Portebello. I set up at the beginning of the route and operated as net control.
There were three events. The first was a 2.1 mile swim. The second was an 11K bike ride through some pretty nasty terrain! And the last even was a LONG run through some muddy, hilly terrain. This would have been a challenging event anywhere in the world, but it was even worse in the Jungle.
I set up at the landing for the swim. Armando, HP2DVT, was setup about halfway through the bike ride at Jose Pobre. Bill (HP3XBH) and Barry (HP1XZE) were both running mobile rigs and leapfrogged throughout the event monitoring traffic as necessary. Ricardo (HP2CTM), George (HP2CQZ), and Manuel (HP2ECP) were to monitor the second part of the bike ride and the running event at the Portebello end. About halfway through the event, I handed the net over to Ricardo and he finished it.
From the communications standpoint, PCARA did a fantastic job! We did have some injuries during the triathalon, and ham radio was the first to respond. I personally was suprised that there were not more injuries! This was a difficult event over very difficult terrain. We had several bikes that gave up the ghost along the route as well. In all cases, we were able to get help to the folks who needed it.
As the Club President, I would like to thank everyone who participated for their support. We have provided support for 2 major sporting events this year, both demanding, both challenging, and each time you have met the challenge. John also conveys his deep gratitude for PCARA's help. It never ceases to amaze me that how all the folks that spend so much time joking and horsing around on the repeaters can arise to the occasion and provide a service that would rival most professional organizations.
I hope that PCARA will continue to support events like this and other community activities in Panama.
73
Mack, HP1XBG
PCARA helped sponsor the annual cross ismthian bicycle event on March 14! There were over 150 bikers of all ages that participated in the event!
PCARA was able to help maintain safety and provide communications throughout the event. Our members were posted at various points along the route and through the linking of all three repeaters were able to stay in contact with the net control. We only had a couple of instances where we needed help for the riders, and each time, there was a ham there to assist.
The route started from the Atlapa Convention Center in downtown Panama, went down to Balbao Avenue, to the Fourth of July, to Galiard Highway in front of Clayton, and went through the Madden Forrest where the Transmithmian Highway took them to Colon. In case you are not familiar with Panama, that is a very demanding route, especially when you figure in terrain and traffic.
The sponsors of the bike race, Liga Provincial de Ciclismo, wish to extend their thanks to PCARA for providing communications for the event. I also want to thank the following members for their help in making the event a success: (I certainly hope that I did not leave anyone out)
Thanks for a Job Well Done! Mack, HP1XBG.