Sled Dog Race

United We Stand

Brainerd Area Amateur Radio Club

Mid-Minnesota 150 Sled Dog Race on Saturday, February 9, 2008

The Brainerd Area Amateur Radio Club will provided communications at the annual Mid-Minnesota 150 Sled Dog Race between Aitkin and Remer going through Outing, MN.

	Here they come.
	And there they go.
	(l-r) John W3MQD, Darrell ABØVP, Steve WØTNT, Shirley KØDCW, and John's wife Vi in the BAARC Communications Trailer handling Net Control.
	More dog teams being readied.
	On the left side is Darrell ABØVP, then Race Official Al Larson of Pillager, MN. On the right side are Judy Laurence, KØJLL, and Roger Laurence, WRØG, from Eden Prairie, MN. What a Ham Radio Day!!!
The Story: Remer to Outing and back to Remer Shirley KØDCW was the Net Control Operator early in the morning operating from the club trailer located at the Village Inn in Outing. Curt NØCRM and Steve KCØYTE were mobile in-route to Outing when Shirley called out to them asking where they were. They returned the call indicating that they were in Breezy Point, MN, and on their way to Outing, MN. Upon arrival they found Al WØRC outside ensuring all things were in order in and around the trailer. John WØJGY was just finishing breakfast. Curt and Steve were dispatched to checkpoint #2, which was the corner of Highways 57 & 20 (Checkpoint #1). Their job was to indicate a right turn and have the team travel on the north side of the road. They arrived to the checkpoint just in time as two teams came down the hill from the Soo Line trail and traveled the road. Curt did not have time to move the vehicle and as both teams came careening around the corner one of the sleds was within 18 inches of hitting the car. After they passed, a better position was obtained. The next checkpoint in line was the Windy Lake Turn. Jim WØJDS and others were at this turn where the teams headed south to Windy Lake. As more teams made their way along the course, suddenly Jim indicated that a team had lost their handler and headed off without him. Net Control warned Steve WØTNT, who was positioned at south end of Windy Lake, that a team was headed his way. Roger WØWUG called Net Control and suggested that we find out the command for Steve to try and stop the team. Net Control provided that command and as the team approached Steve, he used the command and the team slowed down. He voiced the command again and they slowed enough that he was able to jump on the sled and apply the brake. As another team came along, the handler helped Steve try to secure the team. As the teams progressed past the south end of Windy Lake, the next checkpoint was the Pikus Road turn where the teams turned under the power line and started to head West from there. Roger WØWUG was stationed there. As the teams passed the checkpoints each of the Ham Operators secured their checkpoints and returned back to the communications trailer in Outing for lunch and additional assigned duties. Teams started to come in to Outing around 11:30 AM. Here are some Pro Class teams as they came across the finish line. As teams arrived and began to leave John WØJGY was stationed on Sunset Hill and was replaced by John W3MQD and Darrell ABØVP manned the starting line. There was some question regarding if the mushers were on the correct trail and a small conference in the communications trailer indicated that they were probably on the correct route. The Ham radio checkpoint was not fully accessible by vehicle and needed to be monitored Roger WØWUG by a quite a distance. Ham Operators were dispatched back out to checkpoints for the return trip to Remer, MN. Roger WØWUG stayed at the Pikus Road checkpoint, Steve KCØYTE was dressed for the cold weather and stood outside at the White Cabin at the south end of Windy Lake and helped teams enter the lake. Curt NØCRM was at the road where they came off the lake and John WØJGY was at the corner off Highways 57 and 20, pointing the mushers north. John W3MQD was at Highway 133 and the Soo Line trail. The finish line in Remer was manned by Roger and Judy. The last team crossed the finish line in Remer at 5:04 PM. Steve KCØYTE

While providing communications support for the Mid-Minnesota 150 Sled Dog Race on February 9^th, Steve WØTNT learned first hand that a HAM has to be versatile. Located at a remote check point on the race route, Steve was notified that a dog team, minus its musher who had fallen off the sled, was still in the race and headed his way. Being advised that he would have to try to stop the team until the musher could catch up, and not being well versed in the sport of dog sledding, Steve asked one very important question - “What’s the command for them to stop?” After advising him to try “WHOA!, one of the race officials wished him good luck!

Soon after this exchange, Steve assumed a position in the middle of the trail and watched the fast-moving string of dogs approach his location. As they neared him, and summoning up his most authoritative voice, he shouted “ WHOA!” – and much to his surprise, the team slowed. A second command of “WHOA” brought them to a walk. His first attempt to grab for a dog harness failed, but he jumped on the sled and after another 100 yards into the woods, he was able to apply the sled brake to stop them.

But his initiation into mushing wasn’t over yet. Steve hastily tied the team to a tree from which the dogs soon loosed themselves and become tangled in the lines and harnesses. Help was on the way as a following team and driver arrived on the scene and helped to untangle things and get the run-a-way team secured. It wasn’t long before a somewhat embarrassed, but very thankful, musher arrived on the scene to reclaim his team, and continue the race.

Steve’s comment about the incident?, “I had no idea as to what I was going to do if WHOA! didn’t work. That team might still be running down the trail." He modestly added that incidents such as this are what make working the public service events fun. John WØJGY

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