Below is an article from the National Pony Express Associationps newletter.  Ron Norton, AKA KJ6XI, sent me a link the newletter. 

From Summer 2008 Pony Express News
National Pony Express Association
Page 3
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2008 Re-Ride Amateur Radio Coverage
Starting with S.I.E.R.A. who has been watching the Pony Riders in Nevada since 1989, coverage has now expanded to R.A.M.S. in California and D.C.A.R.C. in Utah. This year coverage was expanded to include Nebraska and Kansas. This has proven to be a valuable service to the Pony Express Riders and we look forward to expanded and improved coverage next year.

The communications in California went really well. We were able to use a repeater (a communication machine that is usually placed in high places that picks up your transmitted signal and pumps it out over a broad area) that was located in Pollock Pines and had excellent coverage over the whole area of the California Re-Ride. We had about 16 hams working throughout the Re-Ride in California. In addition to RAMS we also had people from the El Dorado Amateur Radio Club and others from the Search and Rescue Volunteers of the El Dorado County Sheriff's Department.

Nevada had an uneventful crossing of the state. They did not have all of the operators that they usually have primarily thanks to the high cost of fuel to go several hundreds of miles. They had their usual relay point on Austin Summit and in the Dry Creek Ranch area with both VHF and HF capabilities. They had 24-hour coverage with the base stations who were in touch with the operators in the field and who maintained the "Hot line" for the benefit of the Pony Express Riders and anyone else who was interested.

This year there were twenty DCARC hams that helped with the communications during the Re-Ride. Five acted shadows for the pony and the rest worked shifts on net control from Clearfield City ECC. Nebraska had a special event station working at Ft. Kearny. This station made contacts with other hams throughout the United States promoting the Pony Express 2008 Re-Ride and sending out certificates of contact.

The following of the rider in Nemaha and Brown Counties, Kansas, went very well. The radio operators had cell numbers of State and local supervisors and communicated often over weather (severe forecast was out for the area) and law enforcement coverage of crossings. A "weather radio" was installed in a motor home and it proved very useful. The County sheriffs had been provided the maps and schedule and were very responsive this year. Each sent officers out and guarded crossings and congestion. No emergencies occurred, and exchanges of the Mail went well. Hams from the Hiawatha ARC did an excellent job covering Kansas and into St. Joseph.

Many thanks to Ron Norton, California NPEA, for not only providing this summary of radio coverage, but for his efforts in coordinating the overall coverage for the 2008 Re-Ride.

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Link to full newsletter
http://www.xphomestation.com/Newsletter-Summer-2008.pdf

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So what kind of a commitment is required?

This year we are shadowing the pony. If someone wants to set up a fixed location at or near a pony express station, we appreciate the particapation. However, it has become evident from past experience that the needs of the pony express folks is served better by having a shadow present at all times. Please check in with the net and let us know when the pony passes your location. The shadows will be passing on location information every half hour.

There are opportunities to act as net control operator. Net control is operated from the Clearfield City ECC. We would appreciate 3 hour commitments for net control operators. However, even an hour or two is always helpful. We need to have two operators at the ECC at all times. The sign-up sheet reflects that. There will be a talk-in frequency for the ECC announced later on dcarc.net. Also the handbook will be there too. It will have detailed info on frequencies and the route of the pony. That will be posted around the first of June. We recommend that you at least copy the pages revelent to the area you will be covering along the trail. A complete copy will be available in the ECC for the net control operators.

If you’re into camping there are plenty of desert dry camp opportunities. Riding ATVs, rock hounding, shooting, geocaching, etc. are recreational activities available on the west desert. Check at http://www.publiclands.org/explore/index.php?plicstate=UT for details. Simpson Spring has a campground listed there and a phone number to call. Also the pony will be passing East Canyon Reservoir State Park on State Road 65 if desert camping in not your family’s preference.

What kind of equipment is needed?

From the Wyoming state line to “This Is The Place” a mobile with 50 Watts or better is recommended. From “This Is The Place” to Fairfield a 5 Watt handie talkie is sufficient but a mobile antenna on your car is preferred. From Fairfield to the Nevada state line a 50 Watt or better mobile is needed. There are places both on the west desert and in the mountains east of Salt Lake City that may require some moving around to fine a clean signal to the repeater.

This is a great opportunity to get some field experience or net control experience. Some of the operators set up fixed locations and run on battery power just to give their emergency equipment an annual check out. Whatever the motivation, we appreciate your participation.

Frequency	Offset, Tone	Name	Repeater Location	Trail Location at change²
145.390	-, PL 100.0	Vernon	Black Crook Mtn	Ibapah
147.200	+, PL 100.0*	Wendover	Wendover Peak
146.98	-, no pl tone**	Tooele	Delle Peak
147.280	+, PL 141.3	Lake Mountain	Lake Mountain	Lookout Pass
145.390	-, PL 100.0*	Vernon	Black Crook Mtn
146.98	-, no pl tone*	Tooele	Delle Peak
147.120	+, PL 100.0	Salt Lake	Farnsworth Peak	Point of the Mountain
146.940	-. pl 88.5*	Salt Lake	Farnsworth Peak
147.280	+, PL 141.3*	Lake Mountain	Lake Mountain
147.360	+, PL 100.0	Lewis Peak	Lewis Peak	Little Mountain
146.960	-, PL 100.0**	Francis Peak	Francis Peak
145.270	-.PL 100.0**	Brighton	Scotts Hill

* - Backup repeater.  Will be monitored by net control.  In case of a communications breakdown, try calling net control on backup frequencies.

²* - These three repeaters are spotty and may require moving around to establish solid communications.  If you have a directional/gain antenna available, it would be advisable to have it with you in case of emergency.

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY

HAVE AS MUCH OF THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE AT HAND WHEN YOU CALL IN AN EMERGENCY

1.  Chief Complaint and incident type?

    a. Is there more than one person indured?

2.  Approximate age?

3.  Conscious:  Yes/No . . . or alert?

4.  Breathing:  Yes/No . . . or difficulty?

5. (Illness case - age 35 or over):

    Is there chest pain?

6.  (Accident or injury case):

    Is there severe bleeding (spurting/pouring)?

7.  (Response mode):

    Do you need a lights-and -siren response?

 

Field operators:  Please have a copy the repeater information and the "IN CASE OF EMERGENCY" with you on the trail.

 

Estimated Arrival Time	Station	Estimated Departure Time

	Location	Operator/Team Captain	Call