ARROW/RedCross Agenda for February 25th, 2009
Meeting began at 19:10
Meeting ended at 20:15
In attendance:
KD7RPJ, WB8TKL, W8SGZ, N8CBW, K8GEO, KD8GWX, N8SBE
Date: Tue, 24 Feb 2009 05:22:09 -0500 (EST)
From: Jay Nugent
Reply-To: ARROW-RedCross@yahoogroups.com
To: ARROW-Red Cross
Subject: [ARROW-RedCross] ARROW/RedCross Meeting Agenda for February 24th, 2009 @ 7pm
Greetings,
The following is the rough agenda for tonight's meeting. If you have
additional items to add, just email me, or bring them up at the meeting,
of course!
"+" denotes changes since the previous agenda
1) Events & Meetings over the previous month:
-- January 26th 17:30-19:00 ES Leadership Meeting
WB8TKL and N8CBW attended. Objective was to identify how many
"trained" volunteers were necessary to fullfill a 4-day
100-family shelter and mass feeding. The task was for each group
to meet and develop ways to increase volunteer headcount and get
them trained. The MSS work group is sked to meet March 24th.
-- January 29th 10:30-Noon ARC Staff & Volunteers Monthly Meeting
-- February 17th 09:00-16:00 ARC Staff & Volunteer Retreat
LOTS of talk about "silos" and diversity and working together as
"One Red Cross" (beginning March 1st). Ample exchange of ideas
and frustrations and some possible solutions.
------ Corey described the current structure and compared it to
the new structure that goes into place on March 1st.
-- February 17th 16:00-18:00 ARC Staff & Volunteer Holiday Party
We ate, we talked, we swapped stories and ideas, we had fun...
NOTE: No flying monkeys were hurt nor burned in the fireplace ;-)
-- February 23rd 18:00-20:30 ARROW AMPteam outing
Held at the chapter with hopes to expose more staff & volunteers
to what the Hams do, by providing tours of the Comm-Center,
demonstrate the equipment, and answer any questions.
Nine people attended, but only *TWO* ARC volunteers. Event was
cut short so we don't know how many in the awards ceremony being
held at the same time *may* have shown up after 8pm. Three more
Hams showed up after we had departed. An excellent relationship
building opportunity may have been missed :(
However... the "Fan" dipole was deployed (coax needs to be
attached) and the VoIP phone was installed. The DTV receiver is
now onsite and will be installed later.
2) The SOU has been completed and is ready to be signed.
- A "photo-op" needs to be scheduled for the signing. Then both the
Red Cross and the ARROW can put out a "press release" to raise a
little community awareness of both organizations.
- Let's set a date and get this puppy signed!!!
+ Have emailed Dan KB6NU inviting him to tonight's meeting (AGAIN)
NEWS FLASH!!! The SOU was signed Feb 24th and photos were taken for
press release purposes. Thanks Dan & Corey!
Julie Dean of the ARC will put a press release together.
3) ID & Proximity Cards
+ None outstanding ID's that I am aware of at this time.
- Per the SOU, we need to get a list of *ALL* Hams who have been
issued ID's. ARROW, in kind, is supposed to supply a full list of
available people (club roster) that ARC may draw upon when a need
arrises.
+ Jay's card now accesses the top floor (for access to SVGA/Laptop).
------ All ID cards that have expired will need to be replaced
4) Defensive Driving & First Aid & Damage Assesment courses suggested
+ Determine dates/times of "First Aid", "Defensive Driving", and
"Damage Assesment" classes and try to influence more Hams to
take these classes.
+ Erin Ferris's group will be providing a shortened "Orientation"
presentation to the ARROW on April 8th. Jay will follow with
how our sybiotic relationship works and how the Hams can get
involved.
------ Corey noted that the first half of the Damage Assesment course
is online and available for anyone interrested in taking it
5) Comm-Center updates:
+ Jeff Singleton donated a 106-piece socket set, hacksaw,
crescent wrenches, box and open-end wrenches, precision needle
nose, screwdrivers, and a tool bag. THANKS Jeff!!!
+ Michelle provided several more picture frames for posting awards
- Determined what we need to run RG-6 CATV cable to the CC
+ N8CBW offered 150' of RG-6
+ George K8GEO provided $40 coupon and some cash towards a DTV
receiver. Jay WB8TKL purchased a DigitalStream 9950 rvcr.
+ Jay is loaning a Grandstream VoIP ATA and telephone set. This
provides a phone line in/out of the CC should the Meridian
switch or T1 circuit fail. Calls are routed using Voice over IP
over the DSL line. The ATA "registers" to N8LBV's Asterisk
switch as extension #4733 (4RED). Jay is direcly reachable at
home at extensions #4555 and #4556. Outside PSTN calls can be
made by dialing the 7 or 10 digit numbers (no '9' needed).
+ Jeff W8SGZ donated a "window" for our basement Comm-Center.
6) Work party needed to install HT chargers & 110w radios
- Swap out 60W units for 110W units (DAT, FAST, H3, & Green Van)
+ DAT van almost complete. Needs A+, fuse, and IGN
(also needs PL-259/SO-239 90-degree & PL to TNC tweenie)
+ One control head cable needs to be finished.
+ Need high-current fuse blocks for the 110 watt units
- Need to coordinate HT installs in DAT/ERV vehicles (Clark & Jay)
+ no change in status
------ Corey asked that the priority be: DAT, H3, FAST, Green van
------ Jay reported that just a couple more power leads need to be
connected and the DAT van's radio will be operational
------ Fuse blocks and tweenies will be purchased at the TMRA swap
or ordered online
7) Begin planning GO-KITs (qty 3)
- Use 60w 47.42 MHz mobile radios (from item #6, above)
- Do we have any cases to build these in??
+ Need old 60w unit from DAT van so we can begin the first kit
8) Work party to remote 47.42 MHz to Corey's office
- Route and pull control cable through the building
o Motorola stipulates 100 foot max cable run
- Jay got into the ceiling to check possible cable runs.
This is going to be either hard, or a very long run.
- Still need to check above 3rd floor ceilings
+ No change in status
9) 2-meter/440 synth rig w/PL needed
+ Still need a second 2m rig and preferably a 2/440 rig
+ No change in status
10) "OutPost" now working on WinXP box
- Ready to install on Corey's PC and the Command Center PC
+ No change in status
11) Plan further tower work and antenna installations:
o 75-meter dipole
+ Removed old mistuned 4300 KHz dipole and replaced it with
a 3-band "Fan" dipole. Coax still needs to be attached then we
will determine where this antenna resonates.
[Plans are to use the CC for the "Michigan QSO Party" on April 18th]
------ Jay reports that once the Coax-Seal has been removed from the
old parts, the feedline can be connected to the new antenna
and it can be tested
o HF beam & rotor
- Beam is at KT8K's and will need to be refurbished
- Tim KT8K reports two elements are bent and there are an
ODD number of traps. The antenna needs MUCH attention.
- Rotor
- Research what further hardware (mounting plates, thrust
bearings) are needed to mount the rotor atop the Trylon
T500 64' tower
+ No change in status
------ Jay will check with Norm's Fabrication in Adrian for a
mounting plate for the thrust bearing.
Corey needs the budgeted price by Friday of this week
o Multiband Trap Vertical
+ The antenna is now stored in the CC
- Jay surveyed what it will take to make a coax run from the CC
to the roof above the back door. Two ciderblock walls will
need to be penetrated and a conduit run placed in the back
stairwell.
------ We will temporarily store this in the storage crib until we are
ready to install it
o Additional coax runs (fill pipe in one pass)
- Steve WB8WSF to purchase 1000' roll of 9914 in July
for $500. ARROW will cover initial costs with ARC reimbursing
at a later date.
+ All 3 rolls have arrived !!! (one roll is for HOM station)
Sam KC8QCZ has been given the invoices and will invoice
ARC for their share.
+ We now need to locate the appropriate connectors (N -vs- PL)
+ Need to aquire water-tight bulkhead fittings
+ Need to aquire Polyphaser lightning arrestors
+ Spring is approaching.......
----- Corey can order the connectors, bulkhead fittings, and Polyphasers
if we provide him with sources and part numbers.
o Other antennas we should install:
- 2-meter omni for Packet
- 2m/70cm stick identical to existing stick
- Scanner antenna (50MHz thru 900Mhz)
- HF tri-bander beam (already planned)
- 2-meter beam (atop HF tri-bander) for Simplex operations
- This leaves one "spare" coax run for temporary HF/VHF/UHF ants.
+ Find funding and purchase as appropriate....
12) Comm-Center "projects":
o Continue to get the Comm-Center better equipped for HF
o Prepare for March 21st "All Digital" drill with Kent ARC
+ Train our personnel in how basic Packet operations
+ Jay will set up a class date for said training
+ George (K8GEO) provided two 4-foot long 8" shelving boards
so we can build shelves for radios and equipment
o Aquire printer and attach to either Linux or XP box.
----- Corey has a spare and will provide it to us. It is an
HP LaserJet LJ5+ and is network ready (so both Linux and XP
can share it easily)
13) Chapter projects:
o Corey would like to replace the battery in each UPS with new
one's. May also replace the four 12-volt 18VA SLA batteries in
the large 1000 watt UPS in the Comm-Center.
+ Jay and Corey will meet with "Complete Battery Source" and
place bulk order (today)
+ Jay has been invited by Donna (CEO) to sit on a communicatins
committee
------ Corey and Jay went to Complete Battery Source in Ypsilanti and
purchased 21 NP7-12 batteries and 3 12v18AH batteries. These
should arrive Tuesday next week and we will begin the process
of swapping out the old batteries.
NEW BUSINESS:
------ Michelle (KD8GWX) reported that Donna spoke to her about the
possiblility of the Hams getting involved in the Mission Tour
program. Michelle will report back how we may do this.
NEED:
===================
o High-current fuse blocks for 110 watt 47.42 mobiles
o PL-259/SO-239 90-degree elbow (for DAT van)
o PL-259/TNC tweenie (for DAT van)
o 150-feet of RG-6 for Comcast feed / 2-port splitter / F connectors
(N8CBW)
o New handset for NorTel telset in CC (receiver is intermittant)
See the "WISH LIST" at www.nuge.com/~wb8tkl/redcross/wish-list.html
Misc.:
-- February 25th 19:00-20:00 ARROW Board Meeting
-- February 26th 10:30-12:00 ARC Monthly Staff meeting & PotLuck
-- February 28th 08:30-16:30 ARC "EOC Liasion" class
-- March 7th ????? Repeater Council 'electronic' meeting
-- March 10th 19:00-21:00 Wayne Cnty ARPSC meeting
-- March 11th 19:00-22:00 ARROW monthly meeting (900 Mhz)
-- March 14th Marshall Swap-n-Shop
-- March 15th TMRA Swap - Maumee, Ohio
-- March 19th 20:00-23:00 Washtenaw Linux Users Group (TI-239)
** March 21st 09:00-12:00 Kent Cnty ARC "All Digital" Drill
-- March 24th 18:00-19:00 ARC MSS group growth planning meeting
-- March 24th R2S Oakwood Hospitals (5) Exercise
-- March 25th 19:00-21:00 ARROW Board Meeting
Thanks!
--- Jay Nugent WB8TKL
o ARROW/RedCross Liasion & Station Manager
Train how you will Operate, and you will Operate how you were Trained.
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