Oakland County ARPSC Meeting 

Meeting Minutes: 6 November 2002 

On 6 November 2002 at 7 pm, Joel Goldberg, W8HIU, EC for the
Oakland County ARPSC called the meeting to order in the county E.O.C.  The
order of business included:

1.  Comments from Joel Goldberg, W8HIU, EC:  

Independent Study Programs from FEMA are available at the website, 
http://www.fema.gov.   These courses can be
ordered over the internet, and if members state they are associated with
Oakland County ARPSC, the course will be sent without charge.  Final exams
can be downloaded by computer.

The Michigan State Police also have courses on emergency management
training. The curriculum is found at http://www.mspemd.org.  The courses
are free, but the individual must  pay transportation to Lansing, 
and other expenses.

The Salvation Army has an emergency group called SATERN, and their regional
headquarters in Southfield has now put up radio communications tower there.
Oakland ARPSC thinks it would be worthwhile to meet with this group.

The two-meter repeater is now back on the Bald Mountain site.  Voice numbers
identifying input site will be eliminated.  A universal power supply has
been added to the main site, eliminating dependence on local electrical
power. An input site near Milford is being sought, and a site in Troy has
been found, with the help of Troy Fire Chief, William Nelson.  Future
activity will be to (i) survey frequency interference, (ii) begin a
propagation study on the repeater.  

The ARPSC members and officers give their greatest appreciation to the
county for all their support and assistance on making all this possible,
including backing for training, equipment, and the transmitter. 

2.  Comments from Emergency Response and Preparedness Staff (ERP):  Mike
Loper, PEM, for Steve Iannucci, thanked all those who took part in siren
testing last Saturday, November 2 and for other months.  In September 2003,
Oakland County plans to participate in a full-scale emergency exercise in
Farmington Hills with different groups, which will include the ARPSC.

3.  Jim Walden, N8DHZ, Dep.EC:  A subnet siren net control operator is
needed for Farmington Hills.  (A net control and alternate volunteered
after the meeting.)

4.  Murray Scott, KE8UM, Logistics:  The High Frequency Radio was moved to the
middle console and an alternate coax to high frequency antenna is being
planned.  Basic instruction sheets for each radio are being worked on.  

5.  John Moore, K1DE, Packet/APRS:  National Weather Service has purchased
an ICOM transceiver to hook up with a permanent antenna, with a power supply
to be supplied soon.  A portable transceiver ICOM 20350 was displayed to the
members for grab-and-go emergency use.

6.  Gary Sklar, K8IKW, Newsletter, requests useful information from each
amateur radio club meeting be e-mailed to Gary. 

7.  SET 2002 - Jim Thompson, N8USP, Dep. EC:  The 2002 Simulated Emergency
Test (SET) is this Saturday, November 9, and staff will assemble 8:30-9:00
a.m.  Twenty-nine volunteers have signed up to assist the test from 10:00
a.m. to 12.00 noon, with much work already done, in particular by OCARS
Club.  Mike Sterm, Steve Iannucci, and Joel Goldberg will critique the
training exercise. 

9.  Public Service Events:  

a.  Gail Novak, Oakland County Emergency Management, has
announced a Class on "Winter Weather Awareness."  The Southfield Emergency
Management will host this at 7 p.m. on Thursday, 12 December 2002.
Confirmation of final date and location will be announced at the next
meeting.

b.  The January 2003 ARPSC Meeting has been changed from
Wednesday evening to 7 p.m. on Thursday Evening, 2 January 2003.   This
meeting may be cancelled, so check beforehand.

c.  Boy Scouts of West Bloomfield are looking for amateur radio
help for a Ham Radio presentation on 15 January 2003.  Morry, K8SJD, is in
charge.   

10.  Other Items of interest:

a.  ARPSC newsletter:  Upon approval of members present, the newsletter will
now be sent via e-mail instead of regular mail.

b.  Joel Goldberg, EOC, has obtained copies for members of
"Pocket Checklist for Emergency Communications Personnel," by the Michigan
Net, QMN, Inc. and revised by James Wade, WB8SIW.   Suggestions were
requested on what useful items could be added the blank back pages, which
included:  (i) Primary and secondary repeater frequencies, a simplex
frequency alternate, packet frequency, (ii) skywarn color information; (iii)
phone numbers for desk and office; etc. 

Jim Murphy, N8SML
Secretary, ARPSC
9 November 2002