“Net Control, Rover 9,” Ray Lischka cocked his head to hear the voice crackling from the speaker of the tiny radio in his hand. “We have reports of a downed rider along Rice Ranch Road.” Lischka glanced at his watch and jotted down a notation on a pad.

Though the emergency-in-progress was a big deal to the injured rider, it was a familiar part of the job for Lischka and the other amateur radio operators who provide communications for the Solvang Century bike ride each year. They operate with portable battery-powered radio equipment, quickly creating an ad hoc communications network for bike ride officials.

“We coordinate the rover supply vehicles, getting ride and handling emergencies,” Lischka said. “There's always someone falling, getting injured. We make (at least) a few 9-1-1 calls every year.”

Lischka, the West Santa Barbara County Amateur Radio Emergency Services (ARES) coordinator, sees the services his group provides as a vital communication tool for public service events as well as disasters.

“We use affordable battery-powered gear,” Lischka said, adding that in an emergency, his communicators can stay on the air even if power outages knock out cell towers.

But, he said, there's an added advantage to using radios instead of cell phones.

“They can't tie all the cell phones together to get instant communications,” he said. “With the radios, the whole group knows what everyone's doing.”

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Lischka and the other ARES members, all of whom have amateur radio licenses issued by the Federal Communications Commission, practice their communication techniques on a regular basis, holding weekly drills through a “repeater” transmitter located at Vandenberg AFB.

During today's ride, the result of that training was readily apparent. Lischka said messages were flowing smoothly and ride officials were able to coordinate staffing and services smoothly.

“There haven't been any communication problems supporting this ride,” Lischka said. “Overall, things are working very well.”

To learn more about becoming a licensed amateur radio operator, contact Ray Lischka, 733-3251, or visit www.arrl.org.

Times correspondent Tammy Cravit can be reached at tammy

@tammycravit.com

March 9, 2008