Amateur radio network to support Ride for Sight

The emergency communications division of the South Africa Radio League (SARL), Hamnet, is setting up a massive communications network to provide critical radio communications at the Ride for Sight cycle race on February 16, to ensure the safe and efficient running of the event.

SARL Hamnet is part of the organising committee of the Retina South Africa Dis-Chem Ride for Sight event to be held at Boksburg Stadium.

Hamnet’s dedicated team of communications specialists will be responsible for establishing a venue operations centre (VOC) with three radio networks to manage communications for the event.

All resources on the road assisting the cyclists are tracked with a tracking system so that at all times the VOC personnel comprising of fire, medical, traffic, Road Angels and other organisations know exactly where everyone is and which resources are the closest to where an incident has taken place and where help is needed.

Hamnet also has their members monitoring the five water points along the route, ready to assist if supplies are getting low and are supporting ten sweep vehicles which are manned by qualified and licensed radio amateurs and basic life support (BLS) first aiders who patrol the route, ready to assist any cyclist in need. All are tracked and in radio contact with the VOC.

It will also provide an emergency phone system making MySoS available to cyclists to call for assistance. When a cyclist pushes the help button on the MySoS app on their smartphone, a marker immediately appears on a large map at the VOC showing where the cyclist is and all the resources available closest to the cyclist.

Ride for Sight is only one of the public service events supported by Hamnet. The organisation also assists disaster management and is the designated communications service provider to South African Search and Rescue (SASAR), an agency of the Department of Transport responsible for Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue.

Hamnet is staffed by ICASA-licensed radio amateurs who offer their time and services free of charge in support of their community.

To learn more about amateur radio visit www.sarl.org.za

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