Early in the morning April 15, thousands of volunteers and athletes began to check-in and start the race that constitutes one of the biggest days in sports: the Boston Marathon. Among them were a cadre of unseen — but vital — amateur radio operators who kept a constant loop of communications for the duration of the race.
More than 9,000 volunteers support the Boston Marathon every year “working in all areas including packet stuffing, medical … start line, finish line and everything in between,” according to the Boston Athletic Association, or BAA, website. Of those 9,000, around 300 are amateur radio volunteers, a position that requires a license from the Federal Communications Commission.
The volunteers are responsible for maintaining constant radio communications, connecting all points of the course with a main radio hub, Boston Fire, EMS and police. Fifteen members of NU Wireless, Northeastern’s amateur radio club, will be represented among the volunteers, said Garrett Compston, a third-year computer science and music combined major at Northeastern and president of NU Wireless.
Many Northeastern students run in and volunteer for the marathon every year, but it was Marty Sullaway, a fourth-year electrical and computer engineering combined major, who first recruited people from Northeastern to be amateur radio operators.
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