DELETED..
October 23rd, 2005, 08:40
Just got back from SMD #1 Preun. Friday night we ran across a couple of bike guys. 1 with a rear flat and 1 with no lights. Nice guys but they where in a pickle with no tools, separated from chase trucks. left behind! So I thought I would throw my 2 cents out on a few Baja / Preun Travel Basics & Communication.
Have a communication plan.
Have a USA based person who will either be at home or on a cell phone be a relay or message dispatch center. Have members of your group call in with:
1. Name
2. Where you are at (as precise as possible)
3. What you are going to do, Stay, go to ?? etc.
4. Next Call in Time.
Make sure everyone has some sense of situational awareness! Know Baja geographic names:
Ojos Negros, KM 77, 3 Hermanos, Valle T, Nuevo Jct., “the Summit” Cohabuzo Jct., Borrego, San Matais, San Telmo, Erinidira, Llano Colorado, Uruopan, Etc. I will post this years B1K map with many Baja landmarks noted on it on our web site.. www.smdmotorsports.com some time this week
Make a simple straightforward plan “we are going here next……” “we will all wait here till we are grouped back up.”
If for some reason the plan changes, and you do not have any of the communication tools described here leave notes & plan B in a Ziplock tied to the nearest tree or fence post!
NEVER, NEVER LEAVE ANYONE BEHIND in BAJA, !
We have found that even Sat phone communications are hit and miss in Baja. But this is the best comm. Tool! A Sat phone has to have a clear view of Sky to work, they can’t make or receive calls from the seat of your chase truck or in a Back Pack (nap sack for you over 40 guys like me). Set up the voice mail on your sat phones. Pre run it before you go to Baja! Label the VM process and password to the phone. Sat Phone rental and or sales are available thru my company Aadvanced Wireless, Inc.: www.awionline.net 858 650 3456 ask for Shannon, tell her you want the friends of SMD rate / RDC rate or Scott @ PCI sells also: http://pciraceradios.com/
Get a prepaid Mex cell phone. I have both Tel cell and Movistar, looks like the Movistar covers more of this years B1K than Tel Cel. You can buy these at hundreds of outlets throughout TJ, Mexicali, Ensenada, San Felipe etc. Coverage is limited they only work on major roads and city.
Get Mex Prepaid calling cards. Most of the little towns have some kind of phone sys. now but a prepaid phone card makes it easier to use.
Buy race radios from Scott @ PCI! And run Weatherman freq. During prerunnning most all teams are on this freq. and if you have a problem someone will help if you call out. Scott @ PCI sells the ICOM for less than $400 bucks. We have several of these and a great radio!
Im sure there are many other great ideas that will be added to this post..
And yes we took the bike guys in fed them and gave them a bed at our Valle T Base camp.
Have a communication plan.
Have a USA based person who will either be at home or on a cell phone be a relay or message dispatch center. Have members of your group call in with:
1. Name
2. Where you are at (as precise as possible)
3. What you are going to do, Stay, go to ?? etc.
4. Next Call in Time.
Make sure everyone has some sense of situational awareness! Know Baja geographic names:
Ojos Negros, KM 77, 3 Hermanos, Valle T, Nuevo Jct., “the Summit” Cohabuzo Jct., Borrego, San Matais, San Telmo, Erinidira, Llano Colorado, Uruopan, Etc. I will post this years B1K map with many Baja landmarks noted on it on our web site.. www.smdmotorsports.com some time this week
Make a simple straightforward plan “we are going here next……” “we will all wait here till we are grouped back up.”
If for some reason the plan changes, and you do not have any of the communication tools described here leave notes & plan B in a Ziplock tied to the nearest tree or fence post!
NEVER, NEVER LEAVE ANYONE BEHIND in BAJA, !
We have found that even Sat phone communications are hit and miss in Baja. But this is the best comm. Tool! A Sat phone has to have a clear view of Sky to work, they can’t make or receive calls from the seat of your chase truck or in a Back Pack (nap sack for you over 40 guys like me). Set up the voice mail on your sat phones. Pre run it before you go to Baja! Label the VM process and password to the phone. Sat Phone rental and or sales are available thru my company Aadvanced Wireless, Inc.: www.awionline.net 858 650 3456 ask for Shannon, tell her you want the friends of SMD rate / RDC rate or Scott @ PCI sells also: http://pciraceradios.com/
Get a prepaid Mex cell phone. I have both Tel cell and Movistar, looks like the Movistar covers more of this years B1K than Tel Cel. You can buy these at hundreds of outlets throughout TJ, Mexicali, Ensenada, San Felipe etc. Coverage is limited they only work on major roads and city.
Get Mex Prepaid calling cards. Most of the little towns have some kind of phone sys. now but a prepaid phone card makes it easier to use.
Buy race radios from Scott @ PCI! And run Weatherman freq. During prerunnning most all teams are on this freq. and if you have a problem someone will help if you call out. Scott @ PCI sells the ICOM for less than $400 bucks. We have several of these and a great radio!
Im sure there are many other great ideas that will be added to this post..
And yes we took the bike guys in fed them and gave them a bed at our Valle T Base camp.