1. Tri-State Rally November 3rd & 4th, 2017 Ham Radio Event Report
Mesquite, NV and the
Desert west of St. George, Utah
Ham Radio Event Report
Brad Denham – KF6PSL
Wednesday, November 8th, 2017

2. Tri-State Rally 2017 - Ham Radio Event Report
Event Background:
Tri-State Rally 2017
2nd Annual
“Off-road Performance Rally”
ARA Regional Rally…not a national event
Location:
Rally HQ: Holiday Inn Express
Parc Exposé/Fermé: Eureka Casino and Rising Star Sports Ranch Hotel
Performance stages located in desert west of St. George, UT
Located on Shivwits Paiute Indian Reservation
11 Individual ‘Special Stages’:
100% dirt roads
98 Special Stage Miles
Transit miles unknown
Altitudes of 4200’-5700’ ASL
November 8th, 2017
Tri-State Rally Ham Radio Event Report

3. Tri-State Rally 2017 - Ham Radio Event Report
Event Map:
November 8th, 2017
Tri-State Rally Ham Radio Event Report

4. Tri-State Rally 2017 - Ham Radio Event Report
Performance Rally?:
What is it, exactly?
Flat-out competition
Over closed sections of rural roads
By modified production automobiles, ATVs, and Motorcycles
It is different than most car races in that:
Competitors race one car at a time against the clock, usually at one-minute intervals
Competition is done on limited access dirt roads, blocked off from "civilian" traffic
Events can be several hundred miles long, often lasting for several days
Racing often happens at night!
Each car has a driver and a co-driver (or navigator)
In-between competition stages, the cars travel over public roads and are required to obey all traffic laws
November 8th, 2017
Tri-State Rally Ham Radio Event Report

5. Tri-State Rally 2017 - Ham Radio Event Report
More Rally Details…
How is different than Baja?
The special stage is closed to traffic and there and no alternate routes
All side roads are blocked
Amateur radio operators or licensed GMRS only.
Crews often do not have radios and rely on the ham radio net to relay messages to crew and service
Service areas are usually in a central location
A two day rally has an overnight break and will usually only be 100 – 160 stage miles (around 300 total miles)
Rally is held all over the world on many different road surfaces: dirt/gravel, ice, snow, and tarmac
Rally Cars:
Production based…must be 1000 units
Most classes restrict to original engine configuration
Street legal…car is fully registered and insured
Suspension upgraded
Rally tires on upgraded wheels
November 8th, 2017
Tri-State Rally Ham Radio Event Report

6. Tri-State Rally 2017 - Ham Radio Event Report
2017 Rally Stage Schedule
Friday: st Car Starts Stage Miles
MTC1 – Eureka 1800
SS1 – Mine Valley East: Block 7
SS2 – Mine Valley West: Block 7
SS3 – Joshua Tree FINISH
MTC2 – Eureka: 2142
Saturday:
MTC3 – Eureka: 0800
SS4 – Bulldog Pass North: START
SS5 – Bulldog Pass South: FINISH
Service 1147
SS6 – Mesquite Heights North:
SS7 – Mesquite Heights South:
Service 1413
SS8 – Gunlock West: START
SS9 – Jackson Wash West:
SS10 – Jackson Wash East:
SS11 – Gunlock East: FINISH
MTC8 – Eureka (Finish)
November 8th, 2017
Tri-State Rally Ham Radio Event Report

7. TrI-State Rally 2017 COMMS RADIO FREQUENCY ASSIGNMENTS
MAIN: (-) PL: Hz – Located on Utah Hill
Can be used on ALL stages
SECONDARY: (-) PL: Hz – Located on Utah Hill
Can be used on all stages as BACKUP & stages 9-10 (Sat.)
SIMPLEX: Rally Back-up Frequency
Note: Use on Friday Mesquite Stage!
Note: Friday Night Stages can use (-) PL: Hz (which is linked to the MAIN frequency
November 8th, 2017
Tri-State Rally Ham Radio Event Report

8. Tri-State Rally 2017 - Ham Radio Event Report
November 8th, 2017
Tri-State Rally Ham Radio Event Report

9. Tri-State Rally 2017 - Ham Radio Event Report
November 8th, 2017
Tri-State Rally Ham Radio Event Report

10. Tri-State Rally 2017 - Ham Radio Event Report
November 8th, 2017
Tri-State Rally Ham Radio Event Report

11. Main & Secondary Repeaters “Utah Hill”
November 8th, 2017
Tri-State Rally Ham Radio Event Report

12. Overall Ham Support Contingent:
Details:
Max of 1 Special Stages being run at any one time
10-15 Ham Radio Operators Supporting each Special Stage
Upwards of 20 Hams for the entire event
VHF & UHF Simplex & Repeaters in play
Most all organizers, rally officials, stewards, primary staff are all licensed ham radio operators!
Duties of Ham Radio Operators:
Support general radio communications
Stay Alert!
Physically block side access roads with your vehicle
Respond in the event of an emergency
Document cars that pass your location
Advise non-rally traffic
Relay messages to: Net Control, Rally Staff/Officials, Race Crews, Service, Police
Keep in contact with your Stage Communications Captain
Help keep the rally on time
Have fun!
November 8th, 2017
Tri-State Rally Ham Radio Event Report

15. Tri-State Rally 2017 - Ham Radio Event Report
Cost of Rally Support…
Catastrophic failure of serpentine belt idler pulley somewhere north of Beaver, UT – $240
Tow from pulley failure site to Cedar City Ford – $190
Room not ready at Virgin River Hotel & Casino – $54 (cancellation fee and relocation to Rally HQ)
New room reservations at Rally HQ hotel - $400
Working a cool (albeit small) rally in the picturesque desert of Utah in an awesome 4x4 with good working radios and some great people…Priceless!
November 8th, 2017
Tri-State Rally Ham Radio Event Report

16. Rally Event Information:
Organizing/Sanctioning Bodies:
2018 Rally Events Close to Utah:
Rally Colorado, Rangely, CO – July:
Rally Wyoming, Lusk, WY – August:
Idaho Rally, Boise, ID – September:
Prescott Rally, Prescott, AZ – October:
Tri-State Rally, Mesquite, NV – November:
November 8th, 2017
Tri-State Rally Ham Radio Event Report

17. Rally Volunteer Information:
Rally-America Events:
registration
NASA Rally Sport and California Rally Series Events:
November 8th, 2017
Tri-State Rally Ham Radio Event Report

18. Thanks! Brad Denham KF6PSL
November 8th, 2017
Tri-State Rally Ham Radio Event Report