Rideau Lakes Cycle Tour (RLCT)

June 10 and 11, 2017

Support of the Rideau Lakes Cycle Tour (RLCT) will again require many talented, volunteer radio operators to help out on the first weekend of June. If you can volunteer for one or both days, or lend equipment to another licensed amateur, please contact us. If you know another ham who would be interested in volunteering for this event, please consider relaying this message to them.

The cycle tour is organized by the Ottawa Bicycle Club (OBC) and runs from Ottawa to Kingston on the Saturday, returning to Ottawa on the Sunday. The RLCT originally began in 1972 and, today, typically involves over 2000 cyclists. Fixed and mobile amateur radio communications assist the event to efficiently coordinate repair and relief vehicles across the entire 177 km course to help keep the cyclists safe and happy (and to remind the public about how magical radio can be when used correctly).

Communication support for this event is provided collaboratively via three neighbouring Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) groups, namely: Frontenac County ARES, Lanark-North Leeds ARES and Ottawa ARES/Emergency Measures Radio Group (EMRG). Essential repeater and equipment support is also graciously provided by several other local amateur radio clubs and radio volunteers come from all over to help out.

The time commitment for radio operators working on the Ottawa leg of the course is expected to be about 5 to 7 hours on Saturday (normally 0700h to 1300h) and again on Sunday (normally 1000h to 1800h); If you can only volunteer for one of those days, we would still appreciate your help. The Ottawa section of the course is to be comprised of 10 checkpoints, provided there are enough radio volunteers. There is also a need to place a radio operator in each of the 6 mobile rental vehicles and provide them free overnight accommodation in Kingston.

Basic recommended equipment for this event is: a 50 Watt 2-metre transceiver with CTCSS and instruction manual and a 5/8-lambda magnetic-mount omni-directional mobile antenna (or equivalent). For some checkpoints, a small 15-foot mast is desirable to reach some Ottawa-based VHF repeaters. Newcomers to the event are also most welcome and mentoring will be available. Don't own your own radio yet? If you are a licensed amateur, keen to help, we will strive to make sure that you won't miss out on the fun due to a lack of radio equipment.

Please contact Jeffrey Arcand VA3PEW or Richard Hagemeyer to lend your support to the team and help make this event a success.

"The Rideau Lakes Cycle Tour is THE Spring cycling event in the area with about 2000 riders going from Ottawa and Perth to Kingston on Saturday and back on Sunday. Four routes of varying difficulty are offered. The Tour is wholly organized and supported by Ottawa Bicycle Club volunteers. The majority of riders come from Ontario and Quebec but we also have entrants from many of the other provinces, the United States and occasionally, even from abroad." (from OBC RLCT page)

"Every year, the Ottawa Bicycle Club (OBC) organizes and runs the Rideau Lakes Cycle Tour (RLCT). This is a one-weekend event in early June that has bicycle riders cycle from Carleton University in Ottawa to Queen's University in Kingston, and back, a round-trip distance of over 350 km. The outbound trip starts early on the Saturday morning departing from Carleton, and finishing at Queen's University later in the day. Riders stay overnight at Queen's, and return along the same route on the Sunday. There are four specified routes, of which two are supported by repair vehicles, communication and designated rest and refreshment stops. There can be as many as 2000 riders taking part in the RLCT, coming from across Canada and many other countries, with over 1000 on the supported routes. This event takes place rain or shine." (from the RLCT radio volunteer information booklet)

"Given the large number of riders, the range in departure time and variation in speed, the tour can be spread out over a great distance. Providing communication spanning the full distance of the tour enables the support team to co-ordinate, and to render assistance, to riders in need. With such a large number of riders and bicycles involved, it is inevitable that breakdowns and accidents will occur, and both do every year. Communication along the route enables accident location for emergency support, and the most effective deployment of the two repair vehicles to get bicycles repaired, and back on the road, as soon as possible. In addition, identification and tracking of the last rider enables the organizers to ensure that no rider is left behind. There may be other requests for communication related to riders dropping out, lost items, etc., as well. Persons participating in communication support are not there to provide any form of traffic control, or to enforce rules and regulation of the Ottawa Bicycle Club." (from the RLCT radio volunteer information booklet)