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  • Copyright © 2025
  • by Neil Herber
  • VE3PUE

CSM 2018 Radio Operator's Home Page (Archived)

Thanks to everyone who volunteered!!

LINKS: Home Page | FAQs | Maps | CP Diagrams | Downloads | Official CSM website

Volunteer Radio Operators Came Out and Contributed to the Success of the Event

The Canadian Ski Marathon for 2018 was run on February 10th and 11th. This year, the CSM used commercial radios for health, safety, and logistics traffic. Because safety/first aid services were being provided by a commercial entity, they could not use ham radio. However, the CSM needed the skills and knowledge required to run a controlled net which is why they asked hams to volunteer to operate the commercial rigs.

Here is the Thank-you message from Harrie:

The marathon is over once again and once again your skills helped to keep it safe for everyone. The volunteer banquet is Feb 20th but Admin 2 has one last task, to provide everyone with the information.
I had fun, learned a few things and will be looking to put together some thoughts about what worked and what didn’t. If you have any comments that you would like to include please send them to me.
Thank you very much for giving your time and in Austin’s case I gather it was pretty much sunny beach to snow bank. That’s a transition!
73
Harrie

To comment, please send an email to Harrie Jones, VE3HYS harriej59_at_gmail.com or to Neil Herber, VE3PUE ve3pue@hambone.ca.

If you worked on previous marathons, this year counts towards your years of service to the CSM.

Volunteer Banquet Feb 20, 2018 at 6:30 PM - PLEASE RSVP ASAP!

The Volunteer Banquet is in the "usual" spot, Buffet des Continents, 4 Impasse de la Gare Talon, Gatineau, QC https://goo.gl/maps/Fj7sSuKbkC12 .

  • You MUST RSVP to Neil Herber, VE3PUE ve3pue@hambone.ca prior to noon on Feb 15, Thursday.
  • You can bring a guest, so please indicate 1 or 2 diners. If we don't hear from you by noon Thu, we will assume you are NOT coming.
  • If you are owed any service pins (3 years first then every 5 years starting at year 5) please indicate which one(s).
  • Food is free, but you must pay for your drinks.
  • Come out and enjoy yourself! (And get to see who had those Darth Vader voices ...)

But This Isn't Ham Radio! (you say to yourself...)

The commercial radios must be used for all "official" CSM traffic, but you are free to use your own ham equipment for other traffic. For example, you might use handy-talkies to talk with others at your checkpoint. Or you could use local repeaters when mobile. Just remember that there is no formal net or agreement for the CSM to use ham bands or repeaters.

The important point is that the CSM needs people who are skilled at operating on a controlled net. Those are ham skills.

But I am Not a Ham

Because the CSM is using commercial radios, you do not need to be a licensed ham to operate them. However, it would be best if you were experienced in working on a controlled net (military, police, etc.)

But I am Busy That Weekend!

Well, maybe next year? Would you be willing to pass this info on to other operators you know? Perhaps your local club ... ? Thanks!

New Trail Routing

This year the marathon runs in reverse CP order from Mont Tremblant (CP11) to Montebello (CP6) on Saturday and from Montebello (CP6) to Lachute (CP1) on Sunday. The Saturday route is entirely new, starting near Mont Tremblant and travelling south to Montebello. That means that CP11 to CP7 are in completely different locations from CSM 2017. For routing details, look at the Maps page.

Comments

Clarence Barnes? — 18 February 2018, 23:43

Gold medals to the crew who organized this and made it easy to use. Thank you Harrie and Neil because without all these available downloads I would have been lost not only on the roads but on the air net. I have to state this was a very well organized system of information and particularly up-to-date changes that made it work for me.

As for the commercial radio system used it worked for the entire day Saturday at CP10. However sometime after the deluge of skiers had lingered and passed through CP5 the communication system began to falter. Some messages got through after 12:30 and received but began to falter thereafter and effectively reduced radio contact around 14:00. Incoming was sporadic and outgoing was nil. No changes in positioning of the mast antenna nor movement of the cube van helped broadcast any radio outside the perimeter beyond WP4.

After shutdown of CP5 I spent time at New Control and it gave me an appreciation of the work involved in coordinating and communicating. The four of you Harrie, Frank, Jean-Marc and Alex were impressive and calm in your responses during difficult matters and kept a levity between both organizations. Thank you for allowing me to be a voyeur for a new hours on Sunday afternoon. p.s. After chopping the ice off the vehicle in the parking lot at the city hall the roads back to Montreal were too hazardous to continue past Avoca Road on HWY 50 so I turned back towards Montebello on the 148 and stayed in a small hotel on main street and watched the Olympics as if I hadn't had enough winter sports to look at.

Page last modified on January 26, 2020, at 06:36 PM