The race may be over but the lessons we learned will help us next year as we provide a valuable community service for this event. From requesting more supplies, tacking down missing drop bags to providing health/welfare traffic we did it all.

The course map below shows approximate times as we work on the after action report.

The No Business Hundred is an ultramarathon consisting of a 102-mile loop course with roughly 14,500 feet of ascent that traverses through the heart of the Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area. The course begins in Tennessee at the Pickett State Park group camp crosses the state line into Kentucky and loops back around through the Blue Heron mining community on some of the most scenic & picturesque trails in the southeast. There are 15 aid-stations along the course which covers two states and multiple counties. The total race cutoff time is 33 hours and will have approximately 300 runners. A combination of amateur radio operators and EMA (Emergency Management Agency) supplied radios will provide the necessary communications for the race as cell phones will not have service for most of the course and aid stations. 

For the latest course map please visit https://nobusiness100.com/course/ . There you will find the race map and a current spreadsheet of assignments. Parking at some of aid stations is limited so we will ask that you arrange carpooling with any other radio operators at your location. Good Times Event Services has provided chipped electronic race timing for the event for the past couple of years. They will also be setting up a tracking web page for crews and spectators to monitor check in times at certain aid stations along the course where they will set up timing mats. This is not the same as live GPS tracking, but runner check-in times will be posted in regular intervals at each of these aid stations where they will have timing mats. The aid stations where check-ins will be recorded and posted to the site are Pickett, Bandy Creek, Duncan Hollow, Ledbetter, Blue Heron, Bald Knob, and Peters Mountain. Crews can monitor the tracking page to see when their runner has checked in to one of the listed aid stations. As a radio operator we are not responsible for tracking the times in or out of the aid station. It is suggested that the radio operator attempt to log the runners if at all possible, with a time window of +/- 15 minutes which could be useful in a search/rescue situation.

Pickett State Park: Use caution entering the Pickett State Park as runners will be crossing Hwy 154 as they come into the park and use the road to the aid station. The Pickett aid station is located in the Recreation Lodge building next to the swinging bridge. This location will require a good external antenna and a higher-powered mobile radio due to the location. Electrical power should not be expected. WiFi has been available at this location in the past but there is NO cell service at or near the aid-station. Cell service may be obtained near the ranger station at the park’s entrance. 

• Coordinates: 36.550071, -84.800661
• Directions from Sawmill: https://goo.gl/maps/q7Kc24QHtL7ADX4S6
• Drive Time: 9 min (3.7 miles)

Sawmill: While aid-station volunteers may drive to this location parking is somewhat limited. Being early in the course there should not be a lot of ‘crew’ support as they will need to hike the ½ mile from the Middle Creek Equestrian lot.

• Coordinates: 36.526732, -84.779481
• Directions from Bandy Creek: https://goo.gl/maps/7TdFErAf7nWFKv5D9
• Drive Time from Group Camp: 25 min (15.8 miles)

Charit Creek: There is limited access to this aid-station which requires a hike in of approximately 1-mile. Since vehicle traffic is restricted the radio operators will have to carry in all their gear and operate as a portable station. In the past an HT with an external J-Pole has worked very well.

Drive Time from Group Camp: 28 min to parking lot then hike to aid-station

Bandy Creek: In previous years the aid-station was in the picnic pavilion adjacent to the pool area. Permanent picnic tables were present along with multiple 110-volt outlets and Wi-Fi. Lightning within the pavilion was minimal and a desk lamp may be helpful. The parking lot adjacent to the pool was not lighted making it more difficult to navigate. Restrooms were up the hill in loop A which was about a 5-minute walk. The fence around the pool provided a nice barrier and a place to locate antennas/cables as not to create a trip hazard. For 2022/2023 the permit for the event did not include parking on the grass which was done anyways and upset the national park staff. While each NCS provided their own 2-meter station a radio set to the EMA frequency was provided by Greg Wagner KI4LCH in 2022 and by Austin Cates K5QF in 2023. Extension cords, power supplies, power strips were all required for proper operation. A handheld radio could be used for 2-meter communications if required.

For 2024 the aid station has been moved across the street to a picnic pavilion with a circle driveway. The racer’s crew are expected to park by the restroom (unsure if they will be open and an outdoor water source may be available) and by the horse staging area. The picnic pavilion does not have electricity but is covered. Since there is no electricity the aid-station may not have WiFi unless it’s located at the restroom.

• Coordinates: 36.490403, -84.698557

Drive Time:

Grand Gap:

Drive Time from Bandy Creek: 20 min

Duncan Hollow: Parking at the aid-station is very limited and there are no restrooms.

Drive Time from Bandy Creek: 22 min

Peters Mountain:

Drive Time from Stearns KY: 40 min

Great Meadows:

Drive Time from Group Camp: 48 min

Pickett State Park will require a J-pole style antenna with a 25 watt or higher mobile radio plus a battery source.

The NCS location is generally Bandy Creek. It is suggested that a 25 watt or higher mobile radio plus a battery source be utilized for 2-meter operation. This could be a mobile radio within a vehicle, but care should be taken as not to run down the vehicle’s battery. For the EMA portion of the communication, it is possible to use an HT but was a bit noisy. It is suggested that a broadband antenna such as the Comet CA-2x4SRNMO be used if vehicle mounted. The Comet will have an SWR of 2:1 from 140-160 mhz which covers both the amateur bands and the EMA frequency as well. Larsen makes a base antenna that we borrowed from Austin KQ5F for past events. The model BSA150C covers 144-174 Mhz and provides 3dB of gain. We were successful in using this with a painters pole at another location. The antenna is about $139.00 plus coax which the shorter the better. Either a 2-meter amateur radio with the MARS modification (wideband) or an older Baofeng radio may be used on the EMA frequency.

Charrit Creek is a remote location. In the past we have had good luck with a J-pole antenna such as the Arrow open stub J-Pole and an HT. A roll up version such as the N9TAX antenna ‘should’ also work. The antenna may be hoisted or tossed into a tree but it should be at least 10’ from the operator so as not to impede the signal.

The radio operator if using a mobile radio from a vehicle should start their vehicle at least once an hour to keep the battery charged. The mobile radio would also be useful in communicating when commuting through the park area. For those locations where an HT is used the operator is encouraged to have a spare battery and a means of charging the radio.  

The radio operators should plan on bringing their own provisions such as water and food sufficient for their entire shift. Toiletry items are also highly suggested along with hand sanitizer in addition to any medications that are normally taken. Depending on the location of the aid-station the use of bug repellant may be helpful along with appropriate outerwear which will be weather dependent. Items like a watch (set to central time), clipboard, paper and multiple pencils/pens are highly suggested.  A comfortable chair and a small table may also be useful for extended periods of operation. Other items such as a flashlight may also be required depending on the length and time of the assignment. Make sure you fuel up before heading into the park. The aid-station will be equipped with items that are focused on the participants such as water, food and first-aid supplies.