The ACT Endurance Riders Association Inc. (ACTERA) will once again be hosting an Horse Endurance Ride consisting of 80km, 40km, 22km and 13km rides on Sunday 6 October 2024, at 'Brookvale' on the outskirts of Canberra.

WICEN ACT provides radio communications for the Safety and Tracking of riders whilst they are participating in the various rides. WICEN have people at five (5) checkpoints in the Uriarra / Blue Range forest area's and a Headquarters co-located with the Ride base officials.

This year many of our long-time volunteers for this event have indicated they are not available and so to support the ride we are seeking assistance from the general Amateur Fraternity in the ACT and surrounds.

The 5 checkpoints this year are all EAST of Ride base, the area out west of Ride base along Doctors Flat Road towards Wee Jasper is not being used, and the majority of locations are accessible by 2 Wheel Drive vehicles.

Many of the checkpoints are open for many many hours and so we would like to run 'shifts' if possible so individuals are not out in the forest for too many hours.

CP 1 is within the Sherwood Homestead area (behind locked gates) with the commencement time to be 'on-site' being 5.00 AM and an anticipated close time of around 12.30 PM, access to this location is from Mountain Road and in via Sherwood Road.

CP2 is on the Corner of East West Road & West Knob Road not far off Brindabella Road and has an open time of 5.30 AM and anticipated close of around 1.45 PM, Access via 2WD.

CP3 is on Blue Range Road approx. 1.9KM from Brindabella Road and has an open time of 5.45 AM and anticipated close of around 3.00 PM, Access via 2WD.

CP4 is on the intersection of Blue Range Road and Two Sticks Road and has an open time of 6.30 AM and anticipated close of around 12.00 Noon, Access via 2WD.

CP5 is presently listed as being on the Intersection of One Stick and Two Sticks road, however the organisers are contemplating moving it back down the course due to the poor condition of the roads in that location, CP5 has an open time of 7.00 AM and anticipated close of 3.30 PM and a 4WD would be preferred.

Then we have HQ which is located at the Brookvale property along Doctors Flat Road some 1.5 KM from Mountain Creek Road. HQ needs to be open around 4.15 AM to handle Travellers Net as the Field Point persons move into place, HQ would then remain open until around 4.00 PM in the afternoon and ideally we need 4 persons across the day for that.

The tasking is not onerous, basically the people at the field stations note the arrival time of each rider noting their Bib Number and time of arrival (within a few minutes), though when a large number of riders arrive at the same time it can be confusing as some riders may yell their number and keep riding and some will stop and chat. About every 15 Minutes you'd then call into to HQ and pass the information across. Of course anyone who has urgent messages to pass would call in ASAP.

We normally try to notate the Arrival time AND the Departure time of any rider who remains at a checkpoint for more than 10 minutes, though it is understood this may not occur due to other people arriving and departing. It is normally the younger riders and horses in training that will linger.

WICEN Operations will be on 2 Metres using a Portable Repeater erected on "Pig Hill" as in past years with VK1RAC on Bulls Head being an alternate. The ride officials will also have their own radio communications using some of the WICEN 80 MHz radio and commercial licenced frequencies.

So, now the "Begging" part of the email (and apologies to people who may get this email numerous times via different lists)..

Please, Please, Please, if you can assist on Sunday 6th October (Yes, it is the Sunday of the 'long weekend') then please jump onto the registration form at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfx9jrYqVh3tCAuXswsy_vqD-8LjhxdSmAZ Eshlx6gX8G30Ww/viewform and register your interest and availability.

Cheers for now,

Phil Longworth VK1PL Deputy State Coordinator, WICEN ACT Life Member, Canberra Region Amateur Radio Club