Click here to sign up to help with the Ironman Texas!

The Ironman Texas is a grueling event for competitors, consisting of a 1.2 mile swim, followed by a 112 mile bike ride, and finishes up with a full marathon run (26.3 miles).

The amateur radio community support this event primarily by supporting the bike portion of the event.  Here are the types of assignments available:

• Aid station communicators

• SAG crew (either as communicator or driver for an ironman-supplied or private vehicle)

• Net Control (voice & logging)

• (as able) additional fixed-location observer assignments

The bike portion of the event involves getting from the post-swim 'transition' area (they 'transition' onto their bikes), onto local roads that get them to the Hardy Tollway, where the competitors make 2 loops down to the end of the Hardy and back (so 4 lengths in all), then use local roads again to return to the transition for the run.

Due to the spread-out nature of the bike course, it's somewhat of a logistics exercise, with the aim being to get withdrawing competitors back to the transition area in a reasonable timeframe, and clear the Hardy Tollway of all competitors and bikes prior to the opening target time of the Hardy Tollway to normal vehicular use, and any other requests the Ironman organization make.

Note: Yes, unfortunately, this single-day event takes place on the same day as the first day of the two-day Multiple Sclerosis Society's event.  Both events are worthy of support.  If a single-day event and your proximity to the event makes supporting the Ironman Texas the preferred option, please, use the link at the bottom of this page to register to help.

Equipment requirements vary somewhat depending on what your assignment is.

If your assignment is on the Hardy Tollway, you are likely to find that a vhf/uhf dual-band mobile radio is required, with an external mag-mount antenna.

Early the morning of the event, an opportunity to gather at a local food establishment is often taken up by radio operators because it's a great way to meet the other radio operators and potentially grab some food before starting the day's activities.

The bike course is active from around 7AM until around 6PM, with people being released from assignments as opportunity allows.  Yes, it's a long day, but trust me, the competitors that finish at midnight have an even longer go of it!  With that in mind, it's still a fun and fulfilling opportunity to help be part of the crew that make this event happen.

This event has a very nice 'day after' brunch event that happens too, in appreciation of all the volunteers that help make this event be the success story it is, and you have an opportunity to be part of that!

Click here to sign up to help with the Ironman Texas!

Click here to sign up to help with the Ironman Texas!