Oakland County Amateur Radio Service Corp (ARPSC) Weekly Net: Thursday at 8 pm on 145.250 MHz/100pl Web Site: http://www.qsl.net/w8oak Meeting Minutes for 6 July 2005: On 6 July 2005 at 7 pm, Joel Goldberg, W8HIU, Emergency Coordinator (EC) for the Oakland County ARPSC called the meeting to order in a conference room next to the County Emergency Operating Center (EOC). The order of business included: (1). Comments from the Emergency Coordinator – Joel Goldberg, W8HIU: We welcome Larry Hornsby, KB8POD as our new Net Manager. Rory Locke, KC8SZR, due to work commitments, will only be available to assist the net at certain times. Rory will be reporting and formulating our ARPSC man-hour volunteer data for the State level ARPSC/ARRL. Currently, some volunteer work is going unaccredited, such as hospital radio activity. The National Weather Service now has a full working Doppler system monitoring the weather. This has changed tornado warnings. If the Doppler detects a possible tornado, a tornado warning is directly issued. In the past, someone had to see it first. Joel polled the members on the ARPSC newsletter. In the future, the newsletter will be sent by e-mail. There is a new working agreement to place W8OAK's backup repeater on top of the Chrysler building. The primary repeater location is still in downtown Pontiac. Last week, Steve Iannucci, Oakland County Emergency Preparedness and Response (ER&P), and our ARPSC Deputy EC's met for a planning session to discuss our future actions and requirements along with the EC. Security for the backrooms of the EOC has become a major issue and needs to be tighter. We are asking ARPSC members to not go there and into our ARPSC radio room if they have no reason to be there. ARPSC members are now requested to come in the front door, unless he or she has the special yellow access card. Oakland County's ARPSC will soon have all new VHF/UHF ICOM 2720H transceivers. Letters requesting information have been and are being sent out to members without criminal background checks. New RACES cards with a different color will be issued in the future. New photos may be needed for these cards. Members with cell phones + text paging can have emergency alerts sent them if they request this from Steve Iannucci. Mike Sturm, ER&P Chief for Oakland County was at the planning session and stated that the ARPSC is now part of Homeland Security plans. He is planning a one day conference for all Oakland County emergency responders for spring 2006. He wants us to set up and display our equipment there. The date is not yet set. Part of our requirements is the need to become certified in the following FEMA Independent Study courses: IS-100 Introduction to Incident Command System (ICS) IS-700 National Incident Management System (NIMS) IS-800 National Response Plan (NRP), an Introduction (II), Comments from Steve Iannucci, Emergency Preparedness and Response, Oakland County: In order to be eligible for grant funding, we are required to take IS-700 and IS-800 by September 2005. By September 2006, everyone participating in Homeland Security will have to take both. The county has seven such courses scheduled in the next three weeks and there is only room for three additional people per class. The IS-700 class takes place one evening for 4 hours, followed by the IS-800 class on the next night. Dates for open class slots are: Wednesday, Thursday, 13-14 July 2005 from 5-9 pm Monday, Tuesday, 18-19 July 2005 from 5-9 pm Wednesday, Thursday, 20-21 July 2005 from 5-9 pm. ARPSC members who pass these courses need to furnish us with a copy of the diploma. Per Steve, Mike Lopar, ER&P, thanked everyone who participated in the 2 July 2005 Oakland County Siren Test. In addition, Steve complimented those members for the great job they did on Field Day. George Schutte, K8GEO commented that the Oakland Press reported little about our activities. Mike replied that press coverage was harder for them with the Field Day taking place inside the EOC, instead of outside where they could mix and talk. Regarding background checks, 195 out of 250 applicants have passed and the rest are pending. Requirements for RACES cards include this background check. (III). Comments from Jim Walden, N8DHZ, DEC and Siren Testing: The 2 July 2005 Siren Test had 29 check-ins. We received credit for reporting a defective siren which another group had reported okay. (IV). Comments from Bob Kusk, AEC for Digital: We now have software for the laptops which need installing. (V). Comments from Larry Hornsby, KB8POD, Net Manager: Weekly net activity now averages 12-18 check-ins. Additional training is planned with e-mails, packet, and other different modes for check-ins. Response has been excellent to questions on the net. For instance – how do we handle two simultaneous net emergencies? Answer is the highest level emergency situation would use the W8OAK repeater on 145.250 MHz and the lesser on the Clarkston repeater at 146.840 MHz. "Popcorn Storms" are suddenly developing storms causing us start the net from home. Sometimes these storms only last 20 minutes before the warnings expire. When these storms happen, please do check into the Oakland County Skywarn net at 145.250. We are needed to verify what the National Weather Service suspects are problems. In the future, we hope to take call-ins with their locations and place them on a computer. We also need to use and get in the habit of using standard ITU phonetics, such as Alfa, Bravo, Charlie, Delta for each person's call letters. Too many letters in someone's call sign sound alike and cause confusion. (VI). ARPSC/W8OAK's Amber Alert System: The W8OAK Amber Alert system needs review and Justin Stabenow, KC8UQF, volunteered to develop a protocol to improve it. (VII). Comments about the Hospital Net: Ralph Greenberg, K8CAR, reported last week's hospital net had five check-ins from (1) Providence Hospital – Main Campus, (2) Pontiac Osteopathic Hospital, (3) Beaumont Hospital – Royal Oak, (4) Botsford Hospital, (5) a fire station, location not mentioned. Most hospitals now have radios. Crittenton Hospital is planning to put up an antenna for their radio. A sign-up sheet was passed around for volunteers to assist hospital radios. Joel Goldberg, W8HIU, emphasized that we cannot count on hospital employees to run these radios during an emergency, when their actual job may require them elsewhere. We need to go out to the amateur radio clubs and ask for more volunteers. Gayle Novak, Christine Hensley, and Joel have already visited every county hospital. Except for Beaumont - Royal Oak, every hospital will accept the County ID card for identification. One must first call there before going into the hospital. One cannot just walk in, because their security may be too tight. Gayle Novak told George Schutte that she prepared a list of contacts within the hospitals and both Joel Goldberg and Ralph Greenberg have this information. The only hospital that still has a problem with members paying for parking is Providence Hospital – Main Campus. Justin Stebenow, KC8UQF queried: Should each hospital security department be given a name list of our ARPSC volunteers? Might that reduce future problems? Joel Goldberg responded that this is a part of the operating plan. A question was raised whether Anderson Power Poles should be utilized with the hospital radios, in case an alternate power source was needed. Larry Hornsby, KB8POD suggested that we take a handheld + adaptor connecting cable in case the hospital had no electrical power. (VIII) Public Service Information: Upcoming Activities Saturday-Sunday, 16-17 July: 2005 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. Contact George Schutte, K8GEO at k8geo@prodigy.net. More information at http://www.nmssmi.org 16-22 July 2005 - Michiganer Bicycle Tour, which is a 300 mile ride with bicyclers in Oakland County during the following days: 20 July 2005: arriving late at South Lyon 21 July 2005: South Lyon, New Hudson, Wixom, West Bloomfield, Orchard Lake, Keego Harbor, Sylvan Lake, Pontiac, Auburn Hills, Rochester Hills, Rochester. Craig Martin, N8VIP has requested that we monitor the W8OAK repeater for problems. Rory Locke, KC8SZR volunteered. No website could be identified. Saturday, 23 July 2005 – Michigan VHF-UHF Society will have a meeting at 9 am at Cole's Place Restaurant in Livingston County (SW corner of M-59 & U.S. 23). Info at http://www.ad8u.com/ 19-20 August 2005, Woodward Dream Cruise. Jim Walden, N8DHZ and Randy Love, WF5X are coordinators. On Friday evening, 19 August 2005, the Berkley Kick-off Parade takes place (http://www.berkleycruisefest.com/classic_car_parade.htm). Volunteers are asked to walk the commercial areas afterward as "eyes and ears." On Saturday, 20 August 2005, the 11th Annual Woodward Dream Cruise runs from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. ( http://www.woodwarddreamcruise.com). Both Berkley and Royal Oak have requested ARPSC assistance. There will be two shifts on Saturday and this year the hours will be different: 11-4 and 4-9. Volunteers must both sign in and sign out at the Berkley Fire Hall. In order for volunteers to be in place at 11 am, one should arrive at the station about 10 am. Amateurs are requested to be back by 8 pm at firehouse. Volunteers should keep their RACES cards on them for identification. The police have reported to Jim Walden that they won't ticket and tow their cars, provided they consider the most reasonable and safest locations. According to Jim, a special plaque card for the volunteer's car dashboard can be issued at the Berkley Fire Station. This will allow parking in many areas, but check details with them on what "areas" before utilizing. Sometimes, second shift members can have a first shift member save their parking spot for them. Food will be provided for volunteers south of 12 Mile Road by Berkley at a median about 4 blocks south of 12 Mile Road. For those volunteers north of 12 Mile Road, food is available at the Parker School. Friday-Saturday 26-27 August 2005 – CRIM 2005 Races in Flint, Michigan. The Genessee County R.C. requests amateur radio operator assistance. http://www.qsl.net/~w8acw and http://www.crim.org (IX). Presentation of Instructional Material to Members: Steve Iannucci showed members two videos: (1) Seven Signs of Terrorism (2) Local Shipping of Nuclear Waste and Materials Respectfully submitted, James R. Murphy, N8SML Secretary Oakland County ARPSC 7 July 2005