Oakland County Amateur Radio Public Service Corp (ARPSC) Weekly Net Thursday at 8 pm on 146.900 MHz/100pl Hospital Radio Net on the last Thursday of each month Web Site: http://www.arpsc.com Meeting Minutes for 1 August 2007 (No meeting in July): On 1 August 2007 at 7:00 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: A guest at the meeting was Paul Reinhardt, KC8BDK, Macomb County ARPSC EC, who is looking forward to increased ARPSC activity between the two counties. (1). Comments from the Emergency Coordinator – Joel Goldberg, W8HIU: The Oakland County Health Department has requested our ARPSC to provide emergency backup communications for their Flu Clinics on Saturday, 27 October 2007. This would include medical supply communications with their various sites. A number of the Health Department's locations have already been reviewed for communication problems. Grab-and-go transmitters will be used at some sites while several others will require cross band repeating. Joel has asked his AECs to plan for cross band equipment, including member training. Cross banding was used last year at Summit Place Mall on Telegraph Road. Volunteers are needed to backup our staff, so that more personnel can be available for long emergencies. Also, the latest change in your email address is needed. Please let Joel Goldberg know. FEMA has a training program run through the Emergency Management Institute which trains the trainers. Joel has taken such a program. This begins by identifying an issue or problem and developing solutions. This is followed by setting up group training for people to follow through with problem control or resolution. The county recently informed Joel that they are looking for ham radio operators to go out into the field and do damage assessments. Joel would be the leader, but needs volunteers. He will develop this training, should the county approve. George Schutte, K8GEO has resigned from our ARPSC Board because he moved to Ann Arbor. The ARPSC expresses its appreciation for his services over the years. (II). Comments from Steve Iannucci, Oakland County Emergency Response and Preparedness (ER&P): Recent weather has been so mild that the ER&P has heard little from Skywarn volunteers. With summer nearing the end, watch for cold front trouble and stay alert! (III). Comments from John Fleming, K8UP, District 2 Michigan Section ARPSC Emergency Coordinator: During the last month, repeater linkages were improved for the MICON net. MICON links county EOCs with the National Weather Service during bad weather. John reported that Sean Fleming, K8UP, wants the membership to know about the 2nd Annual Woodward Dream Cruise Special Event K8W, sponsored by Hazel Park Amateur Radio Club. This year, the event will use regular power, replacing last year's generator. The site will be in Pioneer Park at the corner of Normandy and Woodward Avenue near the Century 21 Building. Volunteers are welcome. On 21-23 August 2007, Monroe County will have their Stimulated Test Exercise (SET) called "Operation Safeguard" and have asked for ham volunteers. John was unable to attend their last meeting where details were given, but will make enquiries. (IV). Comments from Barry Kaufman, WD8JWM, AEC Administration and Management: Barry is currently working on a special ARPSC project which involves special relationships within the incident command structure. (V). Comments from Larry Hornsby, KB8POD, Assistant Emergency Coordinator (AEC) and Net Manager: Last month, there were 3 regular nets and one Skywarn net replacing a regular net. The last net ran 1.5 hours long and Larry believed everyone was able to "stay in." For anyone checking into a net, please allow a pause between "this is"...and your identification. The training manual for net controllers is closer to being finished. Marsha Fleming, N8FE, volunteered for net control training. Query: Are the Thursday night nets run from the EOC? Answer: These nets are run from home. (VI). Comments from Mike Nebel, N3BEL, AEC Sirens: There are five hot sirens for this coming Saturday, 4 August 2007 test. Four already have coverage, but the 5th at Porter Lake Road needs a volunteer. Also, the volunteer who normally covers Holly won't be available for the August test. Please pick up the supplied siren location maps. These identify each siren with a designation and save us time attempting to find the location. Several siren subnet operators requested more volunteers: (1) John Fleming, K8UP with the SE Oakland County Subnet on 146.640 - email at john@fleming_photo.com and (2) Joel Stanley, WU8Y on the NE Oakland County Subnet or email - wu8y@arrl.net. Other subnets include the Pontiac on the Clarkston Repeater and the South Lyon subnet. Anyone wanting to volunteer can also email to Mike Nebel, N8BEL at fayemike@netzero.net. Mike also points out that siren nets help test our mobile amateur radios. Query: Are the siren nets run from the EOC? Answer: Yes. There apparently was a problem for one siren net volunteer telephoning into the EOC and a discussion followed. (VII). Comments from Randy Love, WF5X, AEC Repeater Operations, Digital Radio, Computers, and VEC Testing: The Milford site is now up and running in Commerce Township. It expands our range to the west. Joel Goldberg, W8HIU talked with Steve Murphy, N8NM, County Radios. Steve hopes to get the new 440 machine up and running before the Woodward Dream Cruise. Our 2 meter repeater has a lot of "falsing" with the delay tone decoding. If one is told that he/she is breaking up on the repeater, back off on the microphone but speak clearly. This may reduce "clipping." Regarding packet, there is a very nice program for interfacing called Outpost Packet Message Manager, which is Windows-based. This permits sending and receiving packet messages with almost any Amateur Radio Bulletin Board System (BBS) or TNC Personal Mail Box. It was designed for ARES/RACES packet users and is reported to be easy to use. More information can be found at http://www.outpostpm.org/. Randy suggests anyone interested in packet become familiar with this program. The ARRL Michigan Section Digital Radio Group is pushing the J Network Operating System (JNOS) for amateur packet radio. It enables the server to dispatch requests from numerous BBS clients while continuing to keep the server console available for station use. It does not tie up the TNC and can be used it to store information. Our hospital radios have packet capability and could be an excellent source of nodes in emergency situations. With the ICOM IC-2720, one can go in with packet equipment and have the radios up and working within 5 minutes. The IC-2720 has a 6 pin layout, which is a standard connection. John Fleming, K8UP, added that a very small packet modem with a 9 pin connector is now on the market. Query: For those of us who haven't used packet or its newer systems, will there be any training? Answer: Not for now, but Randy recommends one to familiarize himself/herself with the Outpost Packet Messenger. Randy did some testing with digital slow scan over the repeater, but didn't do well. The voter system may be the problem, as a 25 hertz tone is needed and the slow scan has a somewhat different tone. The program does work well on simplex. He will further experiment with other digital modes through repeater. No VE amateur radio testing by the ARPSC will be done in the next few months. Our printer at the EOC has paper jam problems. (VIII). Comments from Joel Stanley, WU8Y, AEC, Training: The National Weather Service (NWS) will have Skywarn classes this month at (1) Wayne, Michigan at the Wayne Fire Department on Thursday 9 August 2007 at 7 pm and (2) Brandon Township Fire Hall #3 on Thursday, 16 August 2007 at 7 pm. Call Joel Stanley for more information. Oakland County ARPSC will be offering FEMA classes this fall or winter, being: (1) IS-22 – "Are You Ready? An In-depth Guide to Citizen Preparedness," (2) IS-100 – "Introduction to Incident Command System, and (3) IS-700 – National Incident Management System (NIMS): An Introduction. Each class will be on a Saturday morning for four hours with a test at the end. IS-22 will take place in early October. Net control operator's training will be under the direction and guidance of Larry Hornsby, KB8POD. This will include instruction and apprenticeship training. John Fleming, K8UP noted that the Hazel Park Amateur Radio Club is in their 2nd week of amateur radio technician classes for members of the City of Southfield EOC. The Oakland County ARPSC will offer FEMA classes for future training. (IX). Comments from Bill Bond, W8WRB, Hospital Radios: In the near future, Bill will have the monthly Hospital Radio Net again use a simplex frequency. He will give sufficient notice when the date is set. Gail Novak, ER&P is working with Macomb County for a joint effort with both hospital nets. (X). Woodward Avenue Dream Cruse, from Jim Walden, N8DHZ: Berkley Parade of Cars will be on Friday night, 17 August 2007 beginning at 7 pm. Pizza will be served to volunteers at 5:30 pm at the Berkley Fire Hall. Berkley Public Safety will close 12 Mile Road from Woodward Avenue to Greenfield Road at 6 pm. Amateurs will go to their post at 6:45 pm. After the parade of cars, some of the cars will be parked on display in downtown Berkley and there will be food and game booths at that site. Berkley Public Safety has requested our presence in the downtown area until 10 pm or as long as you can stay. The Woodward Avenue Dream Cruise will be on Saturday, 18 August 2007. We will be manning street corners on Woodward Avenue from 10 Mile to 14 Mile in two shifts. First shift will be from 11 am to 4 pm and the second shift will be from 4 pm to 8 pm. Food will be provided at the Royal Oak Communications Center or at the Berkley Communications Center. If you can help on either or both events, please contact Jim Walden at n8dhz@sbcglobal.net. (XI). Public Service Announcements and Events from Gary Sklar, K8IKW and others: Up-coming Events 8 August 2007 - Hazel Park ARC Pot Luck Picnic will be at Green Acres Park on Wednesday, 8 August 2007 with dinner at 7 pm. Friday night, 17 August 2007 - Berkley Parade of Cars Saturday, 18 August 2007 - Woodward Dream Cruise 17-19 August 2007 - Special Event Station at Cheboygan Days Festival will have amateur radio demonstrations with HF and 6 meter radio. If interested, please contract Gary at k8ikw@aol.com. 19 August 2007 - Lapeer County ARA Swap has information at http://www.w8lap.com 25 August 2007 – Ohio QSO Party takes place from 1000z to 0400z on HF frequencies. If interested, please contact Randy Love, WF8X. Randy states Don, K8BB – an accomplished contester and Steve Murphy, N8NM are interested in this. Comment: Date is different than what Randy gave, but this date is from the Ohio QSO party website. 9 September 2007 – ALS Walk at Kensington Metropark will be on Sunday morning. Three to five 3-5 volunteers are needed to help. Contact Joel Goldberg, W8HIU. Gary mentioned that about 20 of his newsletters return with a bad email address. Please keep him updated. Respectfully submitted, James R. Murphy, N8SML Secretary Oakland County ARPSC 2 August 2007