| Publisher: Information Station Specialists |
| Annual Hamvention Event Uses Radio Broadcasts to Counter Congestion |
| Amateur Radio Convention uses (of all things) radio to inform inbound event attendees. |
| XENIA, OH: Like a match made in – well, Ohio – Amateur Radio and Information Radio were on display at the same venue in 2018. Last year’s Amateur Radio “Hamvention,” that happened near Dayton, Ohio, utilized an Information Radio Station on AM 1620 as a new tool to push out traffic, parking and event details to attendees, as they approached the Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center. The service is planned again for this May at the national event. |
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| Perhaps it’s good that Xenia’s name means “hospitality,” because the town braced to host an influx of nearly 30,000 “HAM” radio operators – roughly doubling its population for the weekend. Due to the web of two-lane roads that serves the venue, a shuttle-bus operation was set up to alleviate traffic congestion. Helping people understand the need to park at the special shuttle lots and how to find them was a key goal of the new radio service. |
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| Coverage of Hamvention's Info Station on AM 1620 in Southern Ohio - click image to view |
| The Information Radio signal blanketed Xenia and 3-5 miles into surrounding Greene County, Ohio, directing approaching motorists to the five special park-and-ride facilities. |
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| Portola Valley, CA's, Amateur Radio Operator Mark Bercow (W6MSB) at Work |
| 2017 was Xenia’s
first experience with the event, and while largely
positive, traffic and parking operations were not
without hiccups. It is hoped that adding the radio
service will help congestion and give event organizers
an additional way to reach attendees as they arrive to
park. The 2019 Hamvention will wrap in the annual meeting of the national association for Amateur Radio (ARRL), which could add a new wrinkle – or wave. |
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| Long Beach Grand Prix Participant |
| "Just-in-Time" Info Stations Add Event Efficiency & Security |
| Special events and destinations using radio broadcasts to relay details and updates to visitors just as they arrive. |
| WEST PALM BEACH, FL: What did they say on their website? It’s hard to recall. What does it cost to park? Can I bring in my cooler? Will the weather affect the show time? Many special events and special places are answering those last-minute questions using patrons’ car radios rather than on their smart phones. |
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The reasons are many:
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| Changeable Message Signs invite inbound attendees to tune in. |
| The South Florida
Fair near West Palm Beach experienced record crowds
again last year and is about to begin its 2018 run.
Director of Safety and Security Randy Hoffer states,
“The ability to communicate safety and schedule
information, along with traffic directions, makes the
radio medium a perfect match for our venue.” The premier
winter event draws more than 400,000 visitors annually
and has utilized a rental radio system (EventCAST)
for the past three seasons. “We’re so happy with the
results that we’ve purchased a permanent antenna system
and a 10-year FCC license. Guiding our patrons to the
proper parking areas throughout the day is vital. Nobody
likes to wait in a line of cars. Our radio solution is
central to our strategy on traffic control and flow
patterns for our patrons.” The 1690 kHz signal covers 5
miles in all directions – more than sufficient to talk
to inbound patrons as they exit Florida’s Turnpike and
I-95, both of which run just to the east of the
Fairgrounds. In April, the Grand Prix of Long Beach, California, revved up their annual road race. It will be the fourth year running in which the Grand Prix has utilized a similar radio broadcasting system for public information during the event. The city invested in RadioSTAT technology in 2015 to provide the coverage. “The system was an excellent investment,” states Communication Manager John Black. “The coverage is phenomenal and it’s absolutely unbelievable that a 10-watt signal can be heard nearly 6 miles away in an urban environment with many tall buildings.” The broadcast informs visitors and locals of the event schedule and the numerous detours that go into effect when city streets are repurposed as part of the race course. The technology employed falls under the FCC’s “Travelers Information Service” (TIS) rules and is generally licensed to the community where the event takes place. Some venues continue to operate their systems in association with their host community for general visitor and local event information all year. |
| Safety: A Fair Question |
| The Texas State Fair expands its Info Radio Service to protect guests. |
 DALLAS,
TX: On
October
19,
2012,
visitors
to the
Texas
State
Fair
watched
in
disbelief
as their
historic
5-story
talking
mascot
caught
fire
before
their
eyes.
“Big
Tex,”
the
Fair’s
gargantuan
greeter
and
personified
public
address
system,
had
experienced
an
electrical
fire
that
forced
him into
early
retirement
at age
60.
The same year, the State Fair launched an Information Radio Service whose parallel job it is to welcome and inform patrons – though over a much larger area. The 1650 kHz signal is heard all around downtown Dallas each summer and fall. The “howdy pardner” style broadcast directs motorists to available parking lots and suggests efficient travel routes in a distinctly urban environment. The next summer the Fair made their broadcast antenna and their FCC license permanent, expanding the operation dates to coincide with "Summer Adventures at Fair Park," which runs through August. The Texas event joins the South Carolina and Kentucky State Fairs, which have employed Information Radio Stations in the recent past, to prepare patrons with event parking and traffic info, as they approach the state fairgrounds. Should visitors be required to exit parking lots due to an emergency, the service can become a critical conduit for public safety information for motorists in harm’s way who might be required to take alternate routes or who could become gridlocked.  Large
gatherings,
including
major
golf
tournaments
and
music
festivals,
have
provided
this
service
to
visitors
in the
past,
and so
have
smaller
ones. In
June
2013,
the
Douglas
County
(Nebraska)
Department
of
Emergency
Management
employed
a
portable
Information
Radio
Station
to
inform
and
advise
30,000
visitors
at the
College
World
Series
games in
Omaha.
Allegan
County,
Michigan’s
Department
of
Emergency
Management
provides
a
similar
service
to
alleviate
traffic
congestion
at an
annual
music
festival
"Birthday
Bash,"
which
draws
70,000
people.
The Farm
Progress
Show in
Decatur,
Illinois,
reaches
out to
its
150,000
attendees
using
the
EventCAST
Radio
Station
(rental)
provided
by
Information
Station
Specialists.Meanwhile, the Texas State Fair continues to upgrade and enlarge their Information Radio Service for patrons. And Big Tex has returned too – with all new wiring – to keep guests informed and safe and providing them an occasional "howdy" along the way. |
PO Box 51, Zeeland, Michigan, USA, 49464-0051, Phone 616.772.2300, Fax 616.772.2966, Email the Editor: info at theRADIOsource.com
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