Oakland County Amateur Radio Public Service Corp (ARPSC)

W8OAK Repeaters – 146.900 MHz/100pl & 444.325 MHz/107.2pl

   Weekly 2 meter net 8 pm every Thursday

   Hospital Radio Net – 7:30 pm last Thursday of Month
         Note change: Dec. Hospital Net now 23 December at 7:30 pm

   Packet 144.950 MHz/1200 baud, connects made with Oakxxx or

         Callsign-# to OAKBBS (W8OAK-3) with nodes at

         OAKNOD (N8NM-1 Pontiac – most coverage),

         OAKEOC (W8OAK-7 at EOC) or K8DTX-7 (White Lake)

         APRS – 144.390 MHz

   Web Site: http://www.arpsc.com

Meeting Minutes for 4 November 2009

            On 4 November 2009 at 7 pm, Larry Hornsby – KB8POD, Emergency Coordinator (EC) for the Oakland County ARPSC, called the meeting to order in the County Emergency Operations Center (EOC).  The order of business included:

(I). Report from the Emergency Coordinator (EC), Larry Hornsby – KB8POD:

            Next month, Larry will undergo knee surgery and will not be at the December 2009 meeting and possibly the following one.  At the December meeting, Mike Smith – N8GUZ will explain the latest prepared forms used by our ARPSC. 

            Oakland County Health Department asked Steve Iannucci (Oakland County Homeland Security Division) for volunteers to assist their H1N1 Flu Vaccine Clinics.  These clinics are often scheduled only 2-3 days after vaccine arrival.  Two volunteer shifts may be needed if the clinics run 2 -8 pm.  Larry needs your assistance, so let him know if you can help.  

 (II). Report from Steve Iannucci, Homeland Security Division – Oakland County:

             Steve appreciates all the help he can get for these H1N1 Vaccine Clinics.  Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) have volunteered for tomorrow's clinic (5 November 2009) at the Palace.  However, more help will be needed in the future.  H1N1 Vaccine is in such short supply that it makes early scheduling difficult.

             Query: What will be our role at the Flu Clinics?   The volunteer will monitor the crowd and help the lines flow smoothly, either inside or outside.  Do bring your HT to communicate with other ham volunteers, but there will be no actual communication services for the Health Department.

             There will be one more Oakland County Siren test this year on Saturday, 7 November 2009.  Your help will be most appreciated. 

 (III). Report from John Fleming – K8UP, District 2 Michigan Section ARPSC Emergency Coordinator:

             John mentioned that the Detroit Free Press Marathon people made grief counseling available after three deaths occurred.   The National Weather Service (NWS) has an EC meeting scheduled for Saturday (6 November 2009) at 10 am.    

 (IV). AEC-Management Team Reports:

             (1). Report from Lloyd Suter – N2NGQ, Administration:

             From Larry Hornsby – KB8POD: Lloyd is working with the Veterans Administration and Red Cross regarding H1N1 flu epidemic and their emergency communications.   His presentation to the members was on H1N1 flu:

             Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have the responsibility to (1) understand and control infectious disease in the United States, (2) provide disease control consultation and assistance to other nations, (3) promote and improve environment health, (4) and provide health promotion.

             Current information on infectious diseases and H1N1 flu can be found on the following websites:

                        http://www.hhs.gov
                        http://www.cdc.gov
                        http://flu.gov/index.html
                        http://aspe.hhs.gov/infoquality/Guidelines/index.shtml

             H1N1 flu problems include vaccine delay; preventive actions such as staying away from crowds, hospitals, and doctor offices unless needed; taking care of one's own family and self; recognizing flu symptoms; isolation with the flu; how soon to go out after one's flu fever ends; length of hand washing; how much time between getting seasonal and H1N1 vaccines or if both at once; anti-viral meds that might help; use of Tylenol instead of aspirin; awareness that hospitals may screen people before permitting them inside, etc.

             (2). Report from (AEC) Rory Lock – KC8SZR, Net Operations and ARES cards:

             A number of members have not picked up their ARES card.  These cards will be available again at the next meeting.    Larry Hornsby – KB8POD requested Rory to schedule another Net Control Operator's class and to consider a refresher class. 

             (3). Report from Joe Miller (KJ8O) on Volunteered Public Service Time:

             Joe is now assisting field service data reports (FSD-212) for our county ARPSC.  This summarizes the time spent by our Oakland County ARPSC in emergency and public service hours, and also hours spent in nets, training, equipment maintenance, administration, and prep time.   This is done monthly and sent to the Michigan Section ARPSC of the ARRL Great Lakes Division.  

             The monthly QST magazine has a Field Organization Report in which certain Amateur Radio Operators are recognized for their public service.   The November issue of QST (page 101) has placed KJ8O on the ARRL Public Service Honor Roll for the month of August 2009.  Congratulations, Joe!

             (4). Report from (AEC) Randy Love – WF5X, Repeaters and Computers:

            One of the back room computers went down about Halloween time and is now fixed.  As Randy commented: The Windows program saw a signal on a certain com port and crashed.  A problem receive site for our 2 meter repeater is now being checked by Steve Murphy – N8NM, of County Radios. 

             (5). Report from (AEC) Barry Kaufman – WD8JWM, Library:

             Steve Iannucci has kindly made copies of our newest manuals.  Joel Goldberg – W8HIU and our former EC, has now donated his instructor's set of FEMA courses to the Library.   These will be set up in Library format and cataloged.

             (6). Report from (AEC) Michael Smith – N8GUZ, Training:

             Mike plans to email a letter to members who have not completed their FEMA training.   He is also looking into further training for all members, such as FEMA 317 – Introduction to Community Emergency Response Teams.  

             John Fleming – K8UP reported that the ARRL is revamping its Amateur Radio Emergency Communications courses – Levels I through III.  They plan to put them on-line free of charge, but users will have to pay $35 should one want a certificate of completion.  This training includes FEMA-300, a State administered NIMS training program which equates to class room time. 

             Michigan Winter Awareness Week is November 1-7, 2009.   Members should begin planning winter items in their cars in case of emergency.

 (V). Specialty Officer/Coordinator Reports:

             (1). Local Ham Radio Clubs:

             Larry Hornsby – KB8POD would like to find out what individual clubs are doing.  This assists our ARPSC on how we can be helpful.

             (2). Report from Jerry Begel – W9NPI, Hospital Communication Teams and Mike VanderVeer – KD8ATK, W8OAK Net Manager:

             Jerry Begel – W9NPI reported that all the participating hospitals checked into our October hospital net.  Testing simplex frequencies between each hospital and the EOC is now completed.  Questions do exist about one or two hospital antennas.  Tampering problems exist and we need to figure out how to reduce or prevent this.  Recruiting is needed to find new members for hospital radios, including Providence - Southfield.  Jerry will talk with the Genesys Hospital radio team to find out their problems.  Also, he is creating a new form for hospital logging.  

             Mike VanderVeer – KD8ATK stated that the November hospital net falls on Thanksgiving night.  There will be a hospital net that night, so please check in.  Jerry added that if this isn't possible, please check into the next regular net.  

             The December hospital net will fall on Christmas Eve.   The hospital net is now rescheduled for Wednesday night, 23 December 2009 for 7:30 pm.  Hospital team leaders will need to cover this date.      

             (3). Report for Murray Scott – KE8UM, Logistics:

             Larry Hornsby – KB8POD reminded Murray to check EOC ham antennas for replacement needs.    

            (4). National Traffic System (NTS):

             After our NTS classes with Ann-Marie Ruter, our first traffic message was passed on last Thursday night's net.  This was from Marsha Fleming – N8FE to her son in Australia.   Her message began on our net and was then transferred to the SE Michigan Traffic Net on 145.330 MHz.   There seems to be a "date" and "time" controversy on traffic messages.  SE Michigan Traffic Net doesn't want either unless the message is urgent or emergency.   Larry Hornsby – KB8POD favors using it every time.

             Query: How should net control handle NTS traffic?  Answer: First ask: "Is there anyone who will take the traffic message?"  The person accepting the message becomes responsible for passing it on to the next level.  If no one takes the traffic, then net control should periodically continue to ask.  John Fleming – K8UP suggested the message bearer state he/she has traffic during the net, then give the message at the end.  Randy Love – WF5X added that it is better to take the message during the net, because fewer people remain at the end. 

             Query: If people have left before the end of a "controlled net," shouldn't they check out with net control before leaving.  Answer: Yes.  Easiest way is to give your call-sign at an appropriate time in the net, then tell net control you are leaving. 

             (6). Report from Maurice Davidson – K8SJD, News from National Weather Service (NWS):

             The first half of October proved to be the 8th coldest since 1874.  On Saturday, 7 November 2009, there will be a NWS meeting. 

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

             Our last siren net of the year will be Saturday, 7 November 2009.   Thirty sirens still need checking and Mike is directing volunteers and subnet operators to cover them.  Last month, two sirens failed to go off because two different operators triggered them at the same moment.  This apparently cancelled their signals.   Mike states that he does not assign specific sirens, only the subnet control operators assign.  If one can't call into a subnet, then go to the W8OAK net.       

 Respectfully submitted,

James R. Murphy, N8SML

Secretary, Oakland County, ARPSC

5 November 2009

Minutes approved by Larry Hornsby – KB8POD on 6 November 2009