The FCC says that this change will allow patients the freedom to move about in the limited area while being continually monitored. This says the agency should help speed up patient recovery times. And once again, ham radio was there to guide it along. This years event was held on Saturday, September 6th and drew over 160 schools along with thousands of spectators and participants. Providing the communications for the event was the W8ID Amateur Group along with the Seneca County Amateurs, as they have done they have done in the previous five years.
Amateurs play an integral part of the running of the race.
Each Amateur receives a map of the entire race course with their assigned area marked off. With Amateurs flanking the areas they are able to communicate with the medical tent, providing the location and type of injury of the runner. Medical personnel are then dispatched to the area in specially equipped golf carts. Thanks to the efforts of many hams, this years cross country event was the safest yet. According to an FCC release the document is available on the world wide web.