Oakland County Amateur Radio Public Service Corp (ARPSC) Weekly Net: Thursday at 8 pm on 145.250 MHz/100pl Web Site: Http://wwwlqsl.net/w8oak Meeting Minutes for 5 October 2005: On 5 October 2005 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 – Joel Goldberg, W8HIU: Membership applications for the Oakland County ARPSC are now available. A general membership meeting will be held Wednesday, 2 November 2005 with a light supper beginning 5-5:30 pm at the EOC and a winter Skywarn class at 7 pm in the auditorium across from the EOC. Please sign up for both the supper and/or the Skywarn class by calling Loretta in the ER&P office at 248-858-5300. Due to the auditorium size, the class is limited to 50-60 persons, so sign up early. We are now installing three new ICOM IC-2720H transceivers into the main radio console. The 220 MHz radio will be moved to the back console for a possible packet link. Currently, this transceiver needs to be connected an antenna. Older radios will be kept for backup. The computer monitor was moved to a new location, but an internet link is available only through another computer in the center. The next Oakland County ARPSC newsletter will be put out next week. Please let Joel know about news and topics to be included. Coordination has been requested for the new W8OAK repeater frequency of 146.90. (II). Comments from Steve Iannucci, Oakland County Emergency Response and Preparedness (ER&P): Mike Sturm, Oakland County Emergency Response and Preparedness Administrator, gives thanks to all the hams who volunteered for the Woodward Dream Cruise. Individual certificates of appreciation are being handed out. At the last siren test on 1 October, 95% of the sirens were covered. The next siren test is Saturday, 5 November 2005 and is the last one for this year. Steve is asking ARPSC members to complete IS-700 and IS-800 courses. FEMA requires this from us to secure Homeland Security grants. To achieve these grants, a certain percentage of county workers and volunteers are required to pass these classes. At this point in time, any course completions will be credited towards the next September 2006 deadline. On Saturday, 29 October, 2005, Oakland County Health Department will have a smallpox stimulated test exercise. They are requesting six or seven ARPSC hams to assist with communications. If interested, please let Joel Goldberg know at w8hiu@arrl.net. During the exercise, flu shots will be available to volunteers. The exercise will take place at (1) Summit Place Shopping Mall in Pontiac from 9am – 2 pm, (2) Northland Shopping Center from 9 am to 2 pm, (3) Providence Hospital – Southfield from 10 am -12:30 pm, (4) William Beaumont Hospital – Royal Oak from 10 am -12:30 pm, (5) Waterford Oak Shopping Center from 10 am to 12:30 pm, (6) Rochester Hills Fire December (location not yet known) from 9 am – 2 pm. New RACES cards with a different color are being made and Steve will take needed photos after meetings. (III). Up-coming IS-700 Class by Jim Thompson, N8USP, DEC: The IS-700 Class – National Incident Management System (NIMS) is scheduled for Saturday morning, 12 November 2005 from 9 – 12. Reservations can be made with Loretta at 248-858-5300. (IV). Comments on the last siren testing: Barry Kaufman, WD8JWM, DEC noted 30-40 volunteers checked-into the Saturday, 1 October 2005 Siren test. Larry Hornsby, KB8POD, DEC, is searching for more volunteers to assist with siren or Skywarn nets at the EOC. At last Saturday's Siren Test, Bill Nebel, N3BEL came in to help. (V). W8OAK Net and Hospital Net operations by Larry Hornsby, KB8POD: Thirty-five to forty people signed in with last Thursday's net. Furthermore, useful ideas are being suggested for future net training. Regarding computer use for training, Larry recommends down-loading on the Adobe Reader format, since it allows one to search for key words within a complex program. For the Thursday night nets, Larry has a standby packet machine to receive test messages from any member's home packet equipment. Larry is using the standard packet program – TCP-IP rather than Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS). He prefers this mode. Question from Bill Bond, W8WRB: Would the Hospital Net be better scheduled on the last Thursday of the month rather than the 4th Thursday? Answer from Ralph Greenberg, K8CAR, Hospital Net: The 4th Thursday of the month is best not changed. Future Hospital Nets will be by roll-call. Should a hospital radio wish to call in on a different Thursday night net, they can check-in early with the mobile radio calls. From Joel Goldberg, W8HIU: Please let us know if any hospital radio has been tampered with or moved. Question from George Schutte, K8GEO: Are operating manuals for Hospital Radios ready? Answer: Not yet. Joel Goldberg also added that he is attempting to procure similar radios for all the hospitals. (VI). Public Service Information – from Gary Sklar, K8IKW and George Schutte, K8GEO: Up-coming Events Sunday, 9 October 2005, the Bloomfield Township Police Department is having an open house from noon to 5 pm. Ham volunteers are needed to setup at 10 am and the open house runs to about 4:30 pm. There will be a ham radio setup with tables and displays. If interested, please contact Gary at 248-310-0740. Sunday, 30 October 2005, Utica-Shelby Emergency Communications Association is having their hamfest from 8 am to 1 pm. Location is the American Polish Century Club at 33204 Maple Lane Drive in Sterling Heights, Michigan. This is one mile east of M-53, just north of 14 mile road. Talk-in frequency is 147.180/100 pl. (VII). Forthcoming Stimulated Emergency Test (SET) by Justin Stabenow, KC8UQF: The Oakland County ARPSC SET is now scheduled for Saturday, 19 November 2005 from 10 am to 1 pm. Ralph Greenberg, K8CAR, has been most helpful. A sign-up sheet will be again passed around at the next meeting. We are looking for anyone interested in being part of this SET. Nonmember hams are welcome. All 14 hospitals will be involved and will run messages. We have a variety of options for this SET, even to operate from homes. We want our folks to be well ready for emergencies. After the SET, there will be a critique of the activities. Respectfully submitted, James R. Murphy, N8SML Secretary Oakland County ARPSC 6 October 2005