Oakland County Amateur Radio Public Service Corp (ARPSC) Weekly Net Thursday at 8 pm on 145.250 MHz/100pl Hospital Radio Net on the last Thursday of each month Web Site: http://www.qsl.net/w8oak Meeting Minutes for 7 June 2006: On 7 June 2006 at 7 pm, Joel Goldberg, W8HIU, Emergency Coordinator (EC) for the Oakland County ARPSC called the meeting to order in the County Emergency Operation Center (EOC). The order of business included: (1). Comments from the Emergency Coordinator (EC) – Joel Goldberg, W8HIU: County officials are requesting ARPSC members not to come into the radio operations center in the EOC unless they are there for official business. Earlier today, the ARPSC supervisory staff including Joel Goldberg - W8HIU, Larry Hornsby - KB8POD, Barry Kaufman - WD8JWM, Jim Thompson - N8USP attended the Homeland Security Conference across the street. Two ARPSC display tables were setup to demonstrate what we are and what we do. Many people don't understand what amateur radio is and how we assist governmental communications. A member from the Novi Fire Department even asked us to come over and talk to them. Michael Brown, former Head of FEMA, emphasized to attendees that disaster emergencies can happen to you and you must be personally prepared. Emergency workers and volunteers need to stop and think about this. Are you ready? Last month, we passed out a pamphlet on self preparedness at home. Someday, we in Oakland County will get caught in a major emergency event. Be prepared; know where to get help and have supplies on hand. Have a plan on what you will do if you must leave your home, including taking money, credit cards, medications, licenses, documents, etc. Larry Hornsby, KB8POD added that the ARPSC display table included a transceiver with a portable J-pole antenna, a fold-up mount, and telescoping pole. Demonstrations were given showing how amateur radios could operate when electrical power fails. Three SETs (Stimulated Emergency Tests) are being scheduled in Oakland County which affect us. They are: (1). On Tuesday, 22 August 2006, there will be a county wide SET (Stimulated Emergency Test), which involves Wayne, St. Clair, Macomb, and Oakland Counties. Plans are to include a test of hospital radios and test of coordination between county EOC's. (2). Our own Oakland County ARPSC SET has not been set, but is normally scheduled for October. Suggestions by the State ARPSC organization are to begin with an electrical power blackout with repeaters first in operation and then failing. (3). There will be another Oakland County Health Department SET in October where an auxiliary center will for set up for medical patient triage. Details and a date are currently lacking. John Fleming, K8UP is now our District 2 Emergency Coordinator. District 2 covers six counties from Monroe to St. Clair which includes Oakland. Applications and photos for Oakland County ARPSC membership will continue to be available at meetings. New OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) lanyards were passed out to members. (2). Comments from Larry Hornsby, KB8POD, AEC and Net Manager: Net controls currently include Mike Vander Meer, KD8ATK, Rory Locke, KC8SZR, and Larry Hornsby, KB8POD. The last Siren Net was combined with a Skywarn net because of a storm. This Skywarn Net was activated two minutes before a Siren Net after ham radio operators indicated the approaching storm was more severe than originally thought. More radio operators are needed to assist Skywarn operations at the EOC. Let Larry know if interested, but tell him beforehand so that he can pass you through door security. On future 3rd Thursday's of each month, our net will first operate on the 2 meter band at 145.250, then immediately afterward the net will take call-ins on the W8OAK 443.250 repeater. We need to find out more about our ability to use the 440 frequency. (3). Comments from Jim Thompson, N8USP, AEC and Training: The following classes will be held this fall: IS-22 - Emergency Preparedness. Class to be in October, date not yet determined. IS-100 – Introduction to the Incident Command System. Class to be 9th or 16th of September 2006. IS-200 – ICS for Single Resources and Initial Action Incidents. Class to be in November, date not yet determined. Jim requested volunteers to assist with these classes. Volunteering for all three classes were Lloyd Suter, N2NGQ, Mark Behe, N8CGR, Joel Stanley, KC8DQH. (4). Comments from Jim Walden, N8DHZ, DEC, and Siren Testing: County maps and written descriptions were passed to members showing siren locations, and the sirens identified as one-way or self reporting two-way. Mike Nebel, N8BEL volunteered to assist with siren testing. The Berkley CruiseFest Classic Car Parade will be held Friday night, 18 August 2006. The parade will start from the entrance of Roseland Park Cemetery (12 Mile Road near Woodward) and proceed west on 12 Mile Road to Ellwood (1 block east of Greenfield). Pizza will be served to volunteers at 5:30 in the Berkley Firehouse. More information is at http://www.berkleycruisefest.com. The Woodward Dream Cruise will be held Saturday, 19 August 2006. Both Berkley and Royal Oak have requested ARPSC assistance. There will be two shifts on Saturday and the hours will be 11-4 and 4-8 pm. All must meet at the Berkley Firehouse (12 Mile east of Coolidge) beforehand. Volunteer radio operators are needed for both affairs. If interested please contact Jim at n8dhz@sbcglobal.net or by phone. (5). Comments from Barry Kaufman, WD8JWM, DEC and Administration: Barry is setting up an organization chart demonstrating leadership functions. Bill Bond, W8WRB is now organizing the training certification which our ARPSC members have submitted. For members who have lost track of which courses taken, the top half of the most recent FEMA certificate gives a summary of successfully completed courses. (6). Comments by Bill Bond, W8WRB, Hospital Radios: All Oakland County Hospital radios checked-in last month. St. Johns – Oakland had an antenna hit by lightning. It is now repaired and the cable moved to a more accessible location. Twelve new hospital radio volunteers have recently joined us raising our numbers to about 60 people. Still needed are more volunteers for Southfield – Providence, Botsford, and Crittenton Hospitals. Bill is in the process of reprogramming the hospital radio with four simplex frequencies. He requests the volunteers to not change the frequency setup unless hospital net control states so. Sometimes, the memory frequencies erase when doing so. (7). Comments by Gary Bouwkamp, H8HMP, Web Master for W8OOAK: For those want to review past meetings, the secretary's minutes should be posted on the website in less than a week. (8). Comments by Randy Love, WF5X, Repeater: We are getting a new desk top placed around the EOC radios. New XP software will be installed and several older computers will be replaced in newer XP models. A second headset system was added to the main consol. We now have the option of using up to four headsets. Occasionally, one may hear someone "playing" with the touch tone sounds on the repeater. Just ignore this. Steve Murphy, N8NM, County Radios, was recently injured, and this may slow down getting the Milford 2 meter repeater up and working. This repeater will be using the 146.900 frequency and will be linked to our main 145.250 repeater. Later, when our main repeater switches from 145.250 to 146.900, the old 145.25 frequency will revert back to OCARS (Oakland County Amateur Radio Society). The 440 repeater seems to be working okay. This fall, Oakland County Government will shift over to a new radio system, which may free up some used equipment which we might be able to use. (9). Comments by George Schutte, K8GEO and others on Upcoming Events: Upcoming Events Saturday-Sunday, 24-25 June 2006 – Oakland County ARPSC Field Day. If interested, please let Randy Love, WF5X know. Because of security arrangements in the EOC, someone has to be present in the EOC with an authorized pass card. Mike Neble, N3BEL volunteered to assist. Saturday-Sunday, 15-16 July: 2006 Metro Detroit MS – 150 Bike Ride begins at Springfield Oaks Park (Davisburg) and runs to Michigan State University and back. This is a two day event with radio volunteers needed for either or both days. Food is provided to volunteers. Contact George Schutte, K8GEO at k8geo@prodigy.net. More information at http://www.nmssmi.org Friday night, 18 August 2006 - Berkley CruiseFest Classic Car Parade Saturday, 19 August 2006 - Woodward Dream Cruise Tuesday, 22 August 2006 – Four County wide SET (10) Comments by George Schutte, K8GEO on Amateur Radio Vests. The nylon mesh vests were abandoned because there was not enough space to place "Emergency Radio" on the back side. The front side has a clear plastic pocket where an identification card can be inserted. Oakland County ER&P is nearly ready to order approximately 40 emergency radio vests to use at their sanctioned events. If any amateur wishes to purchase this vest privately without the ARPSC identification, please make out a check to George Schutte for $30.00. Deadline for the orders will be the first Wednesday of July meeting where and when the last orders can be placed. (11): Description of a Trip to Israel by Barry Kaufman, WD8JWM, DEC: Barry described his recent experiences when he traveled to Israel, detailing security measures and military experiences as a volunteer. (12). Comment by Joel Stanley, KC8DQH: At the next meeting, Joel Stanley, KC8DQH will bring in a power pole crimper for anyone to use at the meeting. Respectfully submitted, James R. Murphy, N8SML Secretary, Oakland County ARPSC 8 June 2006 ?? ?? ?? ?? 1