World Cup in Holmenkollen
In the second weekend in March it was time for festival featuring World Cup in Holmenkollen. Among the thousands of volunteers were 13 radio amateurs from Oslo Group. The radio amateurs were responsible for tracking medical resources, communication network for the jumping competition and operation of the healthcare communications center with a radio operator and a logger.
World Cup in Holmenkollen
During the World Cup weekend 100,000 visitors, 350 athletes, support staff, 300 journalists and 1,000 volunteers gathers in Holmenkollen. With so many people in one place, it is important with good first-aid offers. When the Ski Festival invites the public to “Holmenkollen” nothing left to chance.
Tracking
The First Aid during the World Cup in Holmenkollen is a professional gang. Most of the team works daily in health care. You will find a doctor, nurses and ambulance workers among the volunteers. With several ambulances, scooters, doctors car and first aid teams it is important to at any time to keep track of where they are located. The organizers had therefore a desire that all medical resources should be equipped with trackers. First aid teams were equipped with Polaric Tracker, while the vehicles used Kenwood D7 built into Pelicase. “Pelitrackerne” is bigger and has an external antenna. They can also be equipped with external batteries. Because of the size and robustness suitable these well to placement on snowmobiles and ambulances.
To get good APRS coverage a digipeater were set up in the area. The Igate was placed so it extended coverage in the festival area and towards the Igate. For the jumping competition, we delivered a separate communication network to be used as extra security if a ski jumper would fall. For this we used Motorola GP320. This is simple radios with few possibilites to do mistakes.Since the radios to be used by non-amateurs commercial frequencies were used. The first aid communication center were manned by a radio operator and a logger as well as medical personnel from the organizer. Polaric Server was used to show the location of the resources.
Logging
All events were logged in an electronic log. The system is developed by FORF and The Scout Association Emergency Unit (RBG). The systems allow separate logs for events to be created in the main log. It provides a good overview, but also a more detailed history of a specific event. A good log is it an excellent tool when it storms at its worst.
Tetra
The main communication was by Tetra radios. Communications Operators in the operations center received good training in the use of this, which comes in handy when NRRL Sambandstjenesten gets their own Nødnett terminals (Public Safety Radio Netowrk). The TETRA technology requires a different way of operating. With Tetra you have to wait on to get connected before starting to speaking.
Back again next year
The two busiest periods for our part was in the morning and evening when trackers and radios should be handed out and deliverd back. The rest of the day we had the opportunity to walk around and see competitions. With the nice weather and the good Kollen atmosphere this was a great weekend for both volunteers and visitors. Now we look forward to next year where it once again 13th-15. March will be Ski festival in Holmenkollen.
External links:
- World Cup i Holmenkollen
- Oslogruppen av NRRL
- NRRL Sambandstjenesten Oslo og Akershus
