‰  NOW 40 WPM  ‰  TEXT IS FROM DECEMBER 2008 QST  PAGES 55, 56 AND 73  ‰

LATEST UPDATE CAN BE VERY REWARDING.  THIS SERVICE PROVIDES SUPPORT
PERSONNEL AN ACCURATE WINDOW IN WHICH TO READY THEMSELVES TO GREET THEIR
RUNNER WHO IS JUST COMPLETING THE STAGE.  IT ALSO ASSISTS THEM TO WARM UP
AND OTHERWISE PREPARE THEIR NEXT RUNNER 
‰  FROM PAGE 73  ‰
21 800 OH Pike Co. ARC W9UL 134 2 24 796 IN Southern Piedmont ARC WD4NHW

VEGAS COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR JOY MATLACK, KD6FJV, IT HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS
THE LONGEST FOOT PURSUIT IN THE HISTORY OF LAW ENFORCEMENT.  THIS YEAR THE
RACE BEGAN WITH 243 TEAMS AND WELL OVER 5000 RUNNERS.  THE COURSE CROSSES
THE DESERT AND RUNNERS TYPICALLY ENCOUNTER SWELTERING HEAT DURING THE DAY
AND ALMOST CERTAINLY FREEZING COLD DURING THE NIGHT.  TEMPERATURE AND
WEATHER VARY FROM STAGE TO STAGE AND ARE NOT ALWAYS CONSISTENT YEAR TO YEAR
AND IN SOME CASES HOUR TO HOUR.  MANY RUNNERS RUN THE RISK OF HEAT
EXHAUSTION AS RUNNING IN THE BLISTERING HEAT OF THE DESERT SUN CAN FEEL
LIKE ONE IS RUNNING INSIDE A FURNACE.  EARLY MORNING RUNNERS WILL FEEL THE
BITE OF EXTREME COLD AS THEY MAKE THEIR WAY THROUGH THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS
THAT WILL SOMETIMES HAVE SNOW AND BLIZZARD CONDITIONS.  THESE MEN AND WOMEN
ARE FOCUSED, DETERMINED AND PERSISTENT.  THEY EACH GIVE THEIR ALL TO THIS
ENDEAVOR AS EVIDENCED BY HAVING TO LIFE FLIGHT RUNNERS TO HOSPITALS EVERY
YEAR.  THE WEB SITE WWW. B2V. ORG PROVIDES A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE EVENT.
‰  FROM PAGE 73  ‰
13 868 GA Top of Michigan ARC WD8DX 204 2 8 858 MI Manhattan Area ARS AC0CY
KS0MAN 225 2 12 850 KS ARC at UCF K4UCF KI4ORG 46 2 14 848 NFL Garden City

BAKER TO VEGAS EUGENE D. HUMPHERYS, KG6SLC SPRINGTIME FOR HUNDREDS OF
AMATEUR RADIO OPERATORS MEANS IT IS BAKER TO VEGAS TIME.  SEVEN HUNDRED
FIFTY OF VOLUNTEER AMATEUR RADIO OPERATORS AND OTHERS GATHER EACH YEAR TO
PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR THE BAKER TO VEGAS EVENT AN ARDUOUS 120 MILE RELAY
RACE.  AS FOR HAM OPERATORS, MANY OF US TRAVEL UP TO HUNDREDS OF MILES USE
OUR OWN RADIOS, ANTENNAS, EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES TO PROVIDE OUR UNIQUE
SERVICE FOR A VARIETY OF FUNCTIONS.  EACH SEGMENT OF THE RACE INVOLVES HAMS
THAT PROVIDE COMMUNICATION TO RUNNER TEAMS, RACE COORDINATORS, AS WELL AS
OTHER HAMS INVOLVED IN ADDITIONAL DUTIES.  MANY AMATEUR RADIO OPERATORS
PERFORM BACKGROUND FUNCTIONS AND ARE NOT VISIBLE TO PARTICIPANTS OR THE
GENERAL PUBLIC.  SINCE 1984, THIS EVENT BEGINS CLOSE TO BAKER, CALIFORNIA,
HEADS NORTHBOUND ON HIGHWAY 127 THROUGH SHOSONE, TURNS ONTO HIGHWAY 178,
TRAVELS TO PAHRUMP AND THEN PROCEEDS EASTBOUND ON THE 160 FREEWAY FINALLY
ENDING IN LAS VEGAS, NEVADA.  IT IS A GRUELING 120 MILE RELAY RACE
SPECIFICALLY FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES AND VIRTUALLY ALL ASPECTS OF LAW
ENFORCEMENT ACROSS THE BOARD ARE REPRESENTED.  IN THE WORDS OF BAKER TO
‰  FROM PAGE 73  ‰
12 932 AB Presque Isle Co ARC WB8TQZ 186 2 11 922 MI SC4 ARC W6SCF 236 2 20
922 SCV Murray State University ARC K4MSU W4GZ 169 2 20 898 KY KC0WJB 190 2
7 880 NE Clinton Co. ARC W9AH 195 2 11 878 IN West Georgia ARS W4FWD 79 2
‰  END OF 40 WPM TEXT  ‰  QST DE W1AW  ƒ