On Monday, April 15, 2024, ham radio operators provided communications for the 128th running of the Boston Marathon. More than 280 radio amateurs participated in the event.
The marathon is one of the largest events for which hams provide communications support.
It drew volunteers from many different places. “Operators are volunteering across Start, Course, Finish, Transportation, and various operations centers, including the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) Unified Command Center (UCC) and the Boston Athletic Association (BAA) Race Operations Center (ROC) in Boston. They are performing communications duties that include logistics support as a primary function, and backup support for medical and other public safety requests for the race as needed,” wrote District Emergency Coordinator for the ARRL Eastern Massachusetts Section Rob Macedo, KD1CY.
Amateur radio operator volunteers supported the BAA, the American Red Cross, and other agencies surrounding the event, according to Macedo.