Oakland County Amateur Radio Public Service Corp (ARPSC)
Weekly Net:  Thursday at 8 pm on 145.250 MHz/100pl
Web Site: http://www.qsl.net/w8oak

Meeting Minutes for 7 January 2004

On 7 January 2004 at 7 pm, Joel Goldberg, W8HIU, Emergency Coordinator (EC) for the Oakland County ARPSC called the meeting
to order in the Troy Police/Fire Training Center.  
The Order of business included:

(1). Comments from Joel Goldberg, W8HIU, EC:

Members who have finished a training course and have received a certificate of achievement should forward a copy to our files.  

Completed RACES cards have now been mailed out, except for some individuals who still haven’t taken their photos.  Blank application forms 
are available for those who haven’t applied.

The amateur radio transceiver recommended for county hospitals is the ICOM 2720.  Plans are to have 4 or so hams cover each hospital 
and would be sent there to become familiar with the equipment, its location, and actually operate the amateur radio.  A sign-up list for this 
was passed around at the meeting.  During the black-out last year, one hospital discovered its regular County radio equipment was not
connected to its own antenna.

There is a District 2 Emergency Coordinator’s meeting next week on Saturday morning, 17 January 2004. 

(2). Comments from Mike Lopar, Emergency Response and Preparedness (ER&P): 

The staff at Oakland County Emergency Response & Preparedness would like to thank Joel Goldberg and all the Oakland County HAM’s 
for their volunteer service to the community.  In the past year, the ARPSC has been and remains an important component of the emergency 
communications operations.  Activities included major special events such as the Woodward Dream Cruise, and declared State of 
Emergencies such as the electrical "Blackout of 2003", TOP-EX exercise drill with volunteers at the Oakland Community College CREST 
center, CN Railroad’s Orion Yard, 6 area hospitals and other locations on 25 September 2003.  Certificates of appreciation were passed 
out at the meeting. 

(3). Comments from Mike Sturm, Administrator of the Oakland County ER&P:

Thanks go to the amateurs.   Everything seen so far by them has been supportive.  It is hard to judge a unit based on their training, but 
when asked to participate in an exercise such as TOP-EX, we saw their excellent performance.  To quote Mr. Sturm, "This unit makes 
Oakland County second to none!"   Joel Goldberg, W8HIU, EC; Barry Kaufman, WD8JWM, DEC; and Jim Thompson, N8USP, DEC; were 
called to the podium to receive a plaque recognizing the ARPSC for exemplary performance during TOP-EX on 25 September 2003.  

Certificates of appreciation were passed out to 32 participants in TOP-EX:  

Site A (EOC) - Randy Love, WF5X; Joel Goldberg, W8HIU; John Moore, K1DE; Jim Murphy, N8SML; Richard McKibben, KC8KTW; 
Ken Barnes, N8COQ; Murray Scott, KE8UM; Lloyd Suter, N2NGQ; Brad Nowak, N8SNM; Rory Locke, KC8SZR; Larry Hornsby, KN8POD; 
Gary Bouwkamp, N8HMP.  

Site B (CREST) - Jim Thompson, N8USP; Robert Adams W8BHF; James Szabo, KC8LIY; Gordon Sturos, W8GAS; 
Ralph Greenburg, K8CAR; Gregg Goshorn, KB8MMK; 
Bob Marshall, KC8NAV; Jim Poehlman, KC8VFH.  

Site C (CN Train Yard) - Barry Kaufman, WD8JWM, George Schutte, K8GEO; Sean Fleming, K8KHZ; Al Craddock, KA8PEH; 
Bob Lavine, WD8KTW.  

Medical Facilities - Ralph Greenberg, K8CAR; Leonard Wanetik, K3QMU; Mark Raymond, KB8UNX; Gary Wine, N8NKB; 
Charles Liford, KC8USY; Harry Austin, KC8TEV; 
Marilyn Balicki, KB8CUY; Marilyn Moore, N8GTZ.  

Other Sites, Pontiac (Oakland County) Airport - Larry Hornsby, KB8POD, and __ AA8OM.

A second plaque as awarded to amateur radio volunteers for the Electrical Blackout of 2003.  ARPSC emergency services extended 
continuously for approximately 30 hours.  Over 100 amateurs graciously gave assistance and the list of names is so long that they will not 
be mentioned here except in appreciation.

(4). Comments from Gary Sklar, K8IKW, Public Service Information:

Activities Coming Up:

10 January 2004, Saturday:  IS-195 Class from 9 am to 1 pm at EOC.

18 January 2004, Sunday:  Hazel Park Amateur Radio Club Hamfest at the Hazel Park High School from 8 am to 1 pm.  W8HP talk-in is 
on 146.640/100Hz pl.
  

(5). Comments from Murray Scott, KE8UM, Logistics:   

The City of Troy now has an ordinance allowing antennas 75 feet high.

(8). Comments from Sean Fleming, K8KHZ, Liaison Officer to National Traffic Service:

The Southeast Michigan Traffic Net is held nightly at 1015 pm on 145.330 MHz.  On Thursdays, there is a training net to develop skills.

(7). Comments from Rory Locke, KC8SZR, Net Manager.  

Please make use of the net on 8 pm Thursday nights on 145.25/100hz pl.  Currently work is underway for a new preamble.  Both volunteer 
net control operators and new ideas for net training are requested.     

(8). Randy Love, WF5X, Repeater Operation:

There are two main repeater sites: 

(i) Public Health Building in Pontiac uses 40 watts for the 2 meter repeater and 20 watts for the 440 repeater.  This is used because the 
Public Health building has emergency power if needed.

(ii) Bald Mountain Site is the primary site running 150 watts for the 2 meter repeater.  At this time the Bald Mountain back-up generator is 
still being repaired. 

(9). Jim Thompson, DEP & Training:

We need copies of training classes taken and passed by our members for our files.  These classes, in review are: IS-2, IS-3, IS-7, IS-120; 
IS-195; IS-271.  Also ARRL emergency classes at various levels are acceptable.   
Please submit copies to:

Loretta Pethick
1200 N. Telegraph Road
Building 47 West
Pontiac, Michigan 48341

Or fax to Loretta at 248-858-5550.

(10). Comments from Tony Gallucci, N8VR:

 The Hazel Park Amateur Radio Club has two repeaters - 2 meter and 440.  The 440 is now up and running on the water tower in Beverly Hills,
with a backup generator.  The 440 is now linked to IRLP (Internet Radio Linking Project) whereby amateur radio repeaters worldwide can 
link via computer internet.

(11). Comments from Jeff Albrecht, N8WR:

 The Hazel Park Amateur Radio Club is sponsoring an amateur radio class for a general license at Weber Elementary School in Hazel Park.  
This begins 29 January 2004 from 7-9 pm and runs for 12 weeks.   If interested please let Jeff know A.S.A.P. before the first class at 
N8WR@ARRL.net so that he can order a book for each student.  There is no charge.

 The ARPSC members were given the presentation, "Communications Interoperability", by Bill Nelson, KC8IWQ, Fire Chief, Troy Fire 
Department.  Bill Nelson was recently on a national task force of radio interoperability.  This relates to the ability of public safety personnel to 
talk to one another via radio communications on different frequencies.  A demonstration of equipment was given.

Respectively submitted 9 January 2004
Jim Murphy, N8SML
Secretary, Oakland County, ARPSC