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Public Service
Hams assist public organizations by providing emergency and backup communications.
— Throughout our history, amateurs have established a reputation for public service communications
— When all else fails!!
— When called upon we fulfill one of the most important purposes of amateur radio
— Local, State and Federal Governments
recognize our abilities to assist when needed
Each year we serve many
grateful agencies with well over a dozen events. You can sign-up for events below and at any RaRa
or ARES meeting. Additional events are listed on the Club Calendar.
Check the RaRa Public
Service Page for more information on participating or contact our Public Service Coordinator at PublicService@RochesterHam.org.
Stay in good operating condition: Participate in a public service event each year!
2023 Calendar Calendar
(Page Last Revised: 04/13/23 08:52 AM)
Name |
Location |
Day(s) |
Date |
Sign Up |
Tour de Cure: Finger Lakes Region |
Xerox Campus - Webster |
Saturday |
June 10 |
Click |
Our first event of the year is the Tour de Cure which benefits the American Diabetes Association. The Upstate New York tour is the premier
fundraising campaign of the American Diabetes Association, now with virtual engagement designed for anyone and everyone to participate.
The campaign has been expanded to include more members of our community and bring them together to learn about diabetes, healthy living
and to support people living with diabetes. This daylong event is made up of bike rides of various lengths. Individual and teams of riders
raise donations from friends and family for completion of the rides. RaRa provides communications on the ride course in support of the
riders using mobile radios, repeaters, APRS, and cell phones where needed. We operate the communications command center, coordinating
the delivery of services, and updating the event managers. Tour de Cure is a big operation and involves hams from Monroe, Ontario, and
Wayne counties. There are 100, 65, 40, and 12-mile bike rides. The courses all start at the Xerox campus in Webster and extend east as
far as Wolcott in Wayne County. Please consider volunteering to help with this event using the "Click Here" link to the right. |
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MS ROC Great Lakes Experience |
Lakeside Beach State Park Waterport, NY |
Saturday |
August 12 |
Click |
Because this event is held in Orleans County we will work with OCARC leading this activity. This public service event benefits the Multiple Sclerosis Society. Bike MS is the largest fundraising cycling series in the world. Each year, nearly 75,000 cyclists and more than 6,000 teams ride together to change the world for people with MS. RARA are asked to provide communications for the Support and Gear (SAG) and rider sweep functions. Rides of 62.5, 25, and 15 miles will begin and end at Lakeside Beach State Park extending west toward Olcott. We plan to gather a team at 7:00 am with vehicles leaving then from the park. There are 3 rest stops on the ride courses. Please consider volunteering to help with this event using the "Click Here" link to the right. |
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Fairport Lift Bridge Regatta |
NYS Barge Canal Fairport |
Saturday |
September 23 |
TBA |
The Fairport Lift Bridge Regatta is held on the Erie Canal in Fairport. RaRa
provides communications support for rowing shell races and this operation stations hams at various locations along the course
to report race progress and provide information relative to safety on the course. Most of the communications use handheld radios
on simplex frequencies. The regatta participants are mostly high school aged and they are there with their families. It provides
an opportunity to showcase Amateur Radio to the public. Please consider volunteering to help with this event using the "Click
Here" link to the right. |
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Pumpkin Patrol |
Bridges of the NYS Thruway |
Monday, Tuesday |
October 30 & 31 |
Click |
Pumpkin Patrol is our longest running public service event. It is a state-wide event and RaRa in Monroe County is just one part of something which spans the entire NYS Thruway. Each pair of riders in a vehicle equipped with mobile Amateur Radio is assigned watch on one of the 16 Thruway bridges in Monroe County. A net is run between sundown and midnight with status reports provided every half hour to report any untoward activity on the bridges. This operation is done in service of the NYS Troopers where we become their “eyes and ears†on Halloween night and the night before. Our presence prevents acts of vandalism and frees up law enforcement resources for more valuable use. Please consider volunteering to help with this event using the "Click Here" link to the right. |
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Last revised: 04/13/23 08:52 AM
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