getontheairPublic-service events
Marathons, charity bike rides, parades, walks and festivals often ask local hams to handle course communications: where the lead runner is, which aid station needs water, where the sweep vehicle is, and — when it matters — getting medical help to the right mile marker fast.
It is the best low-pressure practice for emergency work, and it is fun: you get a front-row seat and a reason to use the radio all day.
Independent guide. Not affiliated with ARRL or any event organizer. Your event's communications coordinator sets the plan.
Public service v1.0 · written 2026-10-08 · rules checked as of Oct 2026
Typical roles
| Role | What you do | Good first assignment? |
|---|---|---|
| Aid station / checkpoint | Report supply needs, injuries, drop-outs and course issues from a fixed point. | Yes — the classic first job |
| Sweep / SAG vehicle | Ride or drive behind the last participant; report position and pickups. | Yes, with a mobile radio |
| Shadow | Stay with an official (race director, medical lead) and pass their messages. | After one event |
| Lead / follow vehicle | Report the leaders' position and timing. | Yes |
| Net control | Run the net: take check-ins, prioritize traffic, log everything. | After several events |
| Logger / scribe | Write down every message at net control so nothing is lost. | Yes — great way to learn net control |
The rules that matter
- Volunteer only. No pay or material compensation for operating (§97.113(a)(2)). Ask your coordinator if you are unsure about any reimbursement.
- No pecuniary interest. You cannot operate on behalf of your employer or for your own business (§97.113(a)(3)).
- Identify every 10 minutes and at the end of a communication (§97.119). Tactical calls ("Aid 3", "Sweep") are fine between IDs.
- Everything is public. Do not broadcast participant names with medical details. Use bib numbers and "medical needed at mile 9"; pass details by phone or in person if the medical team asks for privacy.
- Non-hams at the mic (for example, a race official) are third-party communications — the licensed operator must be present and supervising (§97.115).
Net discipline (how a good event net sounds)
- Listen before you transmit; let net control run the frequency.
- Call net control with your tactical call: "Net, Aid 4." Wait to be acknowledged.
- Short, factual messages: who, what, where, when. "Runner 1432 down at mile 11, conscious, needs medical."
- Priority words: "Emergency" or "Priority" for life-safety traffic; everyone else stands by.
- Write down what you sent and received, with times.
- Check out before you leave your post.
Logging the net: Net Scribe on this site keeps a confirm-before-save log with UTC times in the browser.
What to bring
Many items overlap with an emergency go-kit — see Emcomm.
Finding events
- Ask your local club or ARES group — most events recruit through them (Clubs and Elmers).
- Watch your ARRL section's public-service postings (ARRL Public Service).
- Listen to local nets; coordinators announce volunteer calls there.
Organizers: asking for ham support
Contact a local club or ARES group months ahead. Share the course map, timeline, number of aid stations and medical plan. Ham volunteers cannot be paid for operating, and no operator may transmit on behalf of their own employer. Many organizers keep vendor and ticket logistics on business-band or other licensed radios so the ham net can focus on course safety and medical traffic.
Related
Sources (checked Oct 2026)
- 47 CFR §97.113, §97.115, §97.119.
- ARRL: Public Service, ARES (public-service events as training).
v1.0, 2026-10-08.
Notes & edits
Comments and proposed markdown sit in a queue. Nothing is public until it is reviewed. How this works.