PUblic service
NSRC provides public service communications for local organizations like the MACC Fund’s TREK100 Bicycle Ride. We have served the Bank of America Chicago Marathon for more than 15 years, providing communication support for the medical volunteers. Many NSRC members participated in this world-class event.
We are currently in the need of a public service director for 2025. This does not have to be a one-man job. If you want to take a part in this exciting opportunity and lead a team for public service, please contact Brian AB9ZI.
Join the Ham Radio Team working the Bank of America Chicago Marathon 2025 (Flyer ->)
Time to begin organizing our roster for the 2025 Bank of America Chicago Marathon, October 12, 2025. This will be our 17th year supporting the Marathon and we are proud to be part of this world-class running event. The organizers are expecting 55,000 runners, which begins to put a strain on all aspects of the event. We are hoping to recruit 160 hams (and non-hams).
We support the volunteer medical team in multiple ways and locations. Each is a specialty, requiring a certain set of skills:
Forward Command. The people who work in this environment must be excellent at handling radio traffic and balancing a hectic workflow with a calm demeanor. We have loggers, trackers, radio net controllers and liaisons.
Course Medical Tent. Typically, this is a small team of radio folks who support each of the 20 medical tents on course throughout Chicago and the Rest Station Captain. For the most part, each tent is their own independent unit and is often organized by a club. Laflin is a medical dispatch hub and has its own unique personality. This group represents our largest block of volunteers.
Pre-Finish. This is a unique group who works with the medical team to develop a response for the last mile of the course. Hams are staged in between medical people. This can be the most challenging part of the medical response. Last year, we had 22 ham radio people who worked along side the 50 medical volunteers.
Triage. This is a special team that roams around after the finish line with a small medical team looking for distressed runners in Grant Park. Our job is to call for help if the situation requires more support. This group runs a great deal and needs to be prepared to work a couple of long hours without a break.
We are also looking for a few people to help set up and take down
Finally, we will be staging a few people in the post-race are to help the medical teams assigned to that part of the event.
Registrations starts here. Fill out this Google form. Feel free to pass this along to friends or colleagues who might have an interest.
https://forms.gle/mCnVjbyrg4x4pSkz7
2025 Bank of America Chicago Marathon Ham Radio Medical Com Team
Event Date: Sunday, October 12, 2025
Thank you for your service to this event in the past and we look forward to working with you in 2025.
Rob Orr on behalf of Ham Radio Chicago Team
Jeff Van Buren
Jerry Watts
Neil Zimmerman
Tim Wheeler
Mike Wilson
Brad Nicholson
Kirk Timmerman
Tour de Cure 2025
Tour de Cure is sponsored by the American Diabetes Association®. The NSRC provides vital public service communications. The event will take place August 9th, 2025 in Pottawatomie Park, St. Charles. Please check back here for updates.
TRAK 100 2025
Here are pictures from Rest Stop 2/4 manned by Elliot K9EHG and Don KK9H.
The Lend Your Hands, Save a Life Award
We are excited to announce Robert Orr and Ham Radio Chicago as the 2024 recipients of the Lend Your Hands, Save a Life Award. After severe heat stopped the Bank of America Chicago Marathon in 2007, Chicago Event Management began looking for a way to improve race day communication. It was through this initiative that CEM connected with Robert Orr and Ham Radio Chicago. Ham radio operators are trained communicators who provide their own equipment to support emergencies and other events. What began in 2008 as a 64-person volunteer operation has since grown to encompass 160 operators from five states, spread throughout on-course medical tents, triage teams in Grant Park and the pre-finish teams in the final mile. Their operation allows medical teams in the field to communicate with Forward Command, assisting with critical medical calls, requests for medical logistics support and situational awareness during the event.
The Lend Your Hands, Save a Life Award was established by Medical Director George Chiampas, D.O. to recognize a member of the medical program who demonstrates extraordinary commitment to participant safety, contributes innovative medical processes that enhance participant safety and experience, or who goes above and beyond the call of duty to have a positive impact on participants.