Oakland County Amateur Radio Public Service Corp (ARPSC)

W8OAK Repeater – 146.900 MHz/100pl – 
    Weekly Net 8 pm Thursday and 
    Hospital Radio Net – 7:30 pm last Thursday of month
W8OAK Repeater – 444.325 MHZ/107.2pl
Packet 144.950 MHz/1200 baud – W8OAK-3 BBS, and W8OAK-7 KA-Node
Web Site: http://www.arpsc.com

 Meeting Minutes for 2 July 2008 

            On 2 July 2008 at 7:00 pm, Barry Kaufman – WD8JWM, Assistant Emergency Coordinator (AEC) for the Oakland County ARPSC called the meeting to order in the County Emergency Operations Center (EOC).  The order of business included:

 (1). Report from the Assistant Emergency Coordinator (AEC) – Barry Kaufman, WD8JWM:

             Steve Iannucci, Oakland County Response and Preparedness (ER&P) received an email from the Royal Oak Police stating their interest in amateur radio volunteers for the Woodward Dream Cruise, Saturday 16 August 2008.  A question arose whether there will be a Berkley Classic Car Show on Friday night.  Barry will set up a meeting with Royal Oak and check with Berkley concerning amateur radio needs.    

 (II). Report from Steve Iannucci – Oakland County Response and Preparedness (ER&P):

             Several weeks ago, a table-top Stimulated Test Exercise (SET) took place at Salem High School in Plymouth.  This will be followed up on 18-19 September 2008 with a larger exercise including hospital activation.  Various communications will be used such as Nextel cell phones.  It was determined these cell phones offered no controlled central operation and that amateur radio does.

             During 17-22 August 2008, the JCC Maccabi Games will take place in metro Detroit.  Over 3,000 Jewish teen gymnasts from all over the world will come to Detroit and will bring in about 15,000 – 30,000 visitors.  The first event begins at the Palace in Auburn Hills.  Oakland County has an interest in their security and amateur radio could be useful as eyes and ears.    

             On Sunday 5 October 2008, the Brooksie Way Half Marathon and 5K Run takes place in Oakland County.  The race begins at Oakland University and finishes at Meadow Brook Hall in Rochester Hills, Michigan.  This is first such race and is planned to be an annual run.  Amateur Radio could be useful here.    

(III). Report from Rory Locke – KC8SZR, W8OAK Net Manager: 

             Joe Miller – KJ8O is a new net operator and more such net operators are needed.  Barry Kaufman, WD8JWM noted that preceding this meeting, there was a Skywarn net in operation and that incoming ARPSC members needed to bi-pass the area to prevent net operator distractions.

 (IV). Report from Randy Love – WF5X, Repeater Operation:

             Please let Randy know if members find any problem with the repeaters.  He replaced the battery in the packet BBS TNC.

 (V). Report from Larry Hornsby – KB8POD, Training:

             On Saturday 12 July 2008 at the EOC, there will be Net Operator Training which will be limited to ten people.  Check with Rory – KC8SZR first before coming.

 (VI). Report from Al Craddock – KA8PEH, Club Liaison:

             Area amateur radio clubs are not sending back information.  Barry, WD8JWM suggested that Al may need to attend their meetings for information. 

 (VII). Report from Larry Hornsby – KB8POD and Jim Thompson – N8USP, Training:

             Already planned is an IS-100 class – Introduction to Incident Command System in which Lloyd Suter - N2NGQ will assist Jim Thompson - N8USP, and Larry Hornsby - KB8POD.  No date has been set.

             Larry reviewed Skywarn Net terminology and actions.  Skywarn has three levels of weather watches: 

Green:  A storm watch exists with conditions favorable for tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, flash floods, and river flooding.  Volunteers may check in.

Yellow: Severe weather is imminent or occurring in the warned area.   A Severe storm could produce a tornado, and/or hail ¾ inches in diameter, and or wind gusts of 58 mph or more.

Red: A tornado has been sighted.  There is no check-in; volunteers can only report major sightings.

             Skywarn Nets will start at the most effective time and not too early.  Preceding such a net might be general information about incoming weather.  Oakland County Skywarn has guidelines when we start, and starts upon the request of the Oakland County ER&P.    A net control operator can start the net from home if there is not enough time to get to the EOC.  When a volunteer reports, the National Weather Service (NWS) needs to know where you are.  Use the nearest cross streets.  Do not report a ditch full of water, but do report water lying completely across a road.  Do estimate wind speed even if you don't have a way to measure.  For instance, a two inch tree will bend over in a 40 mph wind.  Hail size can be described a pea, marble, dime, ¾ inch, one inch.  Remember that net control operators at the EOC can't see outside, so they depend on your reports.  Last June, there were five Oakland County Skywarn Nets.  More control operators are needed.  If interested, do take the net control training classes.    

             Skywarn net operators at the EOC report to the NWS via the MICON 440 Net, which is the official net for 17 counties.  NEVER give individual reports to MICON.  It is only for county EOC Skywarn to NWS.

 (VIII). Report from Barry Kaufman, WD8JWM on Hospital Radios:

             All the county hospitals reported into last month's Hospital Net, including Genesys.

                       Query: During the last Hospital Net, a volunteer to Beaumont-Troy Hospital Radio Net encountered a nurse's class in the room where the radio is placed.  His question – what does one do?   Another Hospital Net member for this hospital also had a similar problem.  He conferred with the person running the class and was given permission to run the radio using headphones in one corner of the room. 

             Member's Comment: Our website, http://www.arpsc.com has the wrong time for the hospital net.  It should be 7:30 pm on the last Thursday of the month.  [Note: this has been corrected.]

 (IX). Report from Jim Poehlman – K8ABZ, Membership:

             Jim and Gary Bouwkamp – N8HMP have developed a membership update form which is now posted on our website, http://www.arpsc.com.  This can be found on the website front page under the heading "Update Your Membership Information Here."  Please go to the website and update your own information at least once a year and every time you change your address, email, or phone.  If your home phone is primary, let us know.  Once this information is submitted, Jim puts it into a file.  Also, an application to become a membership is on the website.  An email about this will be sent to members

             Query: Regarding, the question about having packet capability, do you mean 2 meter packet?  Answer: Your packet band can be mentioned in the comment box.  

             Query: Supposing you don't have an HT, but later purchase one?  Answer: Let us know by submitting a new membership update.

             Query: If you have a single change in membership data, can you just fill that one item out and submit?   Answer: No, fill out the whole form.  It is extremely user friendly.  Or email directly to Jim about your change and he will change your file.  

             The membership data base should help separate active from non-active members.  This will be used by Marsha Fleming – N8FE and Jim to develop an emergency calling tree.  Members in the calling tree will be grouped by township. 

 (X). Upcoming Events from Gary Sklar – K8IKW and others:  

(XI). Report from Mike Nebel – N3BEL, Sirens:

           The next siren test is 5 July 2008.  Mike noted that the front page of our http://www.arpsc.com website now has two siren headings:

 (1) "Siren Location List."  Information for specific sirens is listed, i.e:
    Community - Addison Township
    ID# ADD-01
    Address - 823 Rochester Road
    Type – 2 way   

 (2) "Siren Net Checklist."  Here, each siren is listed:
     (i) ID# - ADD-01.   The identification number is used on the Siren Net. 
    (ii) Community: Addison Township.
    (iii) Subnet - USECA. (This is the net location where a volunteer reports this siren)
    (iv) Dates (siren was) checked – 06/07/08. (This is useful for a volunteer to determine when and if the siren has been recently checked.   
   Those sirens with no recent checks are the most preferred.) 

            Barry – WD8JWM mentioned that the volunteer hours used for the siren net should to be reported for ARRL credit.  Mike stated the following sirens need a report for July: HYV-01, ADD-MT, OPK-M1, RCR-M1, PCR-2, RCR-M3.   These sirens have a new dual sound system: (1) the regular single sound, and (2) high-low sounds.  The high-low sound is to alert volunteer fireman.  The Siren Net covers an average of 30-45 sirens each month.  Volunteers need to look at the list and pick those sirens least reviewed. 

             Query:  How many sirens are self-reporting?  Answer: All but 5 or 6 sirens are now self reporting.  

 (XII). Other Items of Interest:

             Randy Love, WF5X reported on Oakland County ARPSC Field Day which took place 28-29 June 2008.  There were 527 contacts, including one with Sable Island.   There was a contact with a Manitoba station minutes before the start.

             Query: Has a date been set for a Bloomfield Township Open House with a ham radio setup?  Answer from Steve Iannucci, ER&P: They have not contacted us.  Another member stated Bloomfield Township was using CERT members and included several hams. 

 Respectfully submitted,
James R. Murphy, N8SML
Secretary, Oakland County, ARPSC
8 July 2008