Field Day / Pony Express Recap
The Sweetwater Amateur Radio Club (SARC) had a thrilling weekend as we partnered with the National Pony Express Association to provide communication support for their annual re-ride event. This year’s event saw riders embark on a 2000-mile journey from St. Joseph, Missouri to Sacramento, California, recreating the historic Pony Express route.
The Pony Express Association is dedicated to preserving the legacy of this iconic mail delivery service, which once connected this large area in America in just 10 days. Their re-ride event is an incredible feat of endurance and skill, requiring riders to navigate treacherous terrain on horseback while carrying heavy saddlebags filled with mail.
As SARC operators, our role was twofold. First, we provided real-time updates on the riders’ progress, reporting back to HQ whether they were on schedule, ahead of schedule or behind schedule. This allowed the next rider to plan their route accordingly and ensure a smooth handoff. We also kept a safe distance from the riders as they galloped across Sweetwater County, always ready to respond in case of an emergency.
Our team worked tirelessly throughout the day, leapfrogging from one checkpoint to the next to relay vital information along the route. We were joined by a roving EMS volunteer who was not only equipped to respond in case of medical emergencies but also happened to be an Amateur Radio Operator himself.
The second critical role we played was as a communication lifeline for riders who may have faced medical emergencies or needed to send messages along the route. With cell phone coverage scarce along most of the route, our Amateur Radio equipment was essential for keeping riders connected with HQ and receiving critical updates on any issues that might impact their journey.
It was an honor for SARC to be part of this historic event, providing vital communication support while helping these brave riders complete their epic journey.
Want to know more about the Pony Express, please visit https://nationalponyexpress.org/. Another good article on the Pony Express & Radio Operators can be found https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8888172
The ARRL Field Day Event is one of the most iconic Amateur Radio events in the world, with a rich history dating back to 1933. This annual event brings together Amateur Operators from all over the globe to test their skills and knowledge in less-than-ideal conditions.
This year, Sweetwater Armature Radio Club (SARC) decided to set up our station in Granger, Wyoming, where we would be hosting both the Pony Express Re-Ride event and our own ARRL Field Day celebration. We reached out to the Mayor of Granger, who kindly granted us permission to set up our station in a vacant lot within the township. In return, we offered to provide updates on the Pony Express riders’ progress as they passed through town.
We ran our station from noon on Saturday until 9am on Sunday Mountain Time, during which time we made contacts with operators from all over the world. While we were operating on just 30 watts of power, we were able to reach stations as far away as Argentina and Panama!
Despite some challenges along the way, including sleep fatigue setting in towards the end of the event, we were thrilled with our score of 1,342 points. There were some lessons learned from this event that we’ll carry forward to future Field Days, and we’re already looking forward to next year’s competition
More information about ARRL’s Field Day can be found at https://www.arrl.org/field-day
