Good afternoon all,
Apologies to those people who may see this email numerous times, I have sent it out to a few different emails groups so as to capture the most people I can.
Time is marching on and the 2016 National Capital Rally ("NatCap") is fast approaching with the event being conducted on Friday 27th, Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th May 2016.
This years event has a special spectators stage being conducted on the Friday Night at the Westside Container Village in conjunction with the ceremonial start. It is only a short 1.5 km stage starting and finishing near the Captain Cook fountain but it is well worth going to have a look at as the cars do a run under Commonwealth Avenue bridge and along Barrine Drive at the edge of the lake, around the carpark near Parkes Way and back again.
This year we have the single stage on Friday evening, 3 Forest stages at Kowen on Saturday (each run twice) with another run at Westside Saturday night and then 3 Stages at Uriarra / Tidbinbilla on Sunday (each run twice), 14 stages in all.
Stages are as follows
Friday
Lakeside 1 Start & Stop + HQ
Saturday
Settlement Start & Stop
Wamboin River Start, SOS A, B, C, D, E & Stop
Hibernian Start, SOS A, B, C, D & Stop
Lakeside 2 Start & Stop
Sunday
Hyles Block Start, SOS A & Stop
East West Start, SOS A, B & Stop
Cottage 5 Ways Start, SOS A, B, C, D, E & Stop
Meet and proposed close down times have not yet been determined, my "Guestimates" are as follows however (based on the proposed itinerary dated 12 March)
Friday
Lakeside 16:30 - 18:30
Saturday
Settlement 06:45 - 17:15
Wamboin River 06:00 - 17:30
Hibernian 07:00 - 18:45
Lakeside 2 13:30 - 20:00
Sunday
Hyles Block 07:00 - 16:00
East West 06:30 - 17:00
Cottage 5 Ways 07:30 - 18:00
We will need 6 to 9 people in HQ each day as well. HQ this year is at The Hotel Realm in Barton.
So as a wrap up, we need 4 people for the Friday, 17 Fields stations for Saturday plus 6-9 HQ staff, and 14 field stations for Sunday plus 6-9 HQ staff.
Looking at using standard FM VHF & UHF for most of the rally, though we may consider using the new DMR capability for one or two stages as well as a means to test the technology, etc.
If you have never done a car rally before, don't let that hold you back as we can assign you into an introductory role where you just need to note the passing of a car and radioing that in to HQ when requested.
No comes the standard "Plead" for assistance. Please hit the REPLY (not REPLY ALL) button on your email client and let us know if you can assist along with what you preference would be as to placements, etc. Note that some locations of SOS points will mandate the use of people who can operate away from their vehicle so please provide info if you have that facility available (noting the length of times above that you would need to be able to operate).
Please feel free to email questions you may have to us, but also please understand that it make take a while to respond.
Cheers,
Phil Longworth VK1PL
Deputy State Coordinator, WICEN ACT.
