ARROW/RedCross Agenda for Octomer 28th, 2008



Meeting began at 19:10
Meeting ended at 20:08

In attendance:
WB8TKL, W8SGZ, N8SBE, N8CBW, N8KSL, KD8GWX, W8FSA, K8GEO, KD7RPJ


Date: Tue, 28 Oct 2008 14:46:35 -0500 (EST)
From: Jay Nugent 
Reply-To: ARROW-RedCross@yahoogroups.com
To: ARROW-Red Cross 
Subject: [ARROW-RedCross] Meeting Agenda for October 28th, 2008

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) The SOU has been completed and is ready to be signed.
      - The last edit was completed and the SOU is posted on the
        www.nuge.com/~wb8tkl/redcross website
      - Corey has a copy of the Master document ready for printing.
      - 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!!!


  2) ID & Proximity Cards
      + The Proximity card for Mark Goodwin W8FSA has been done
      + Ken Coe KD8IPN is still waiting for his ID.
        He went through orientation 2 months ago.


  3) Staff training
      + Provided a hands-on communications training session for the DAT
        team members on October 14th.  It was well received (pun intended!)
           + The Sylabus is more organized and better addresses the
             training needs of the ARC staffers.


  4) Comm-Center updates:
        + Aquired a used 400VA UPS for use on the Linux PC
        + No other updates since the preperations for S.E.T.


  5) Work party needed to install HT chargers in DAT/ERV vehicles
         -- Need to coordinate HT installs in DAT/ERV vehicles
            (Clark & Jay)
            - Corey asked us to hold off 1 month as National may be
              replacing some vehicles
                  + Continuing to hold on this project


  6) 47.42 MHz mobile radios:
         + Tom Snoblen N8AMX returned the Motorola mobile unit
         + Corey aquired 3 more Motorola higher power mobile units
         + These are higher power than what is in the vehicles now.
         + Corey would like to swap out the lower power units for
           the higher power units.
         + Use the lower power units as future "Go-Kits"


  7) Work party to remote 47.42 MHz to Corey's office
      o Determine pinout and wiring for remote control head
         - Route and pull control cable through the building
           (perhaps see IT guy & use existing CAT5 cables)
              - Motorola stipulates 100 foot max cable run
         + No change in status...


  8) 10-meter Groundplane cut down to 47.42 for Corey's house
      + Corey's tower is almost ready
      + Jay has cut the groundplane to the correct dimensions and it is
        ready to be installed.


  9) 2-meter/440 synth rig w/PL needed
      o Current rig is a loaner from N8AMX and is "strange" to operate
      o Likely will want/need *TWO* rigs in a real event
         - Possible sources of loaners/donations???
           (Corey == 7100  //  N8SBE == 10w 2/440 rig)
      + We have been donated a brand new Kenwood TM-271 2-meter rig
             * High power 60W output
             * Weather Alert
             * Multiple scan functions
             * CTCSS & DCS Encoder/Decoder
             * TX: 144-148MHz  RX: 136-174MHz
             * TX: 144-148MHz  RX: 136-174MHz


  10) Shelter/Canteen Test Exercise, September 27th [S.E.T.]
      + Exercise recap
           + What went well??
           + What didn't go so well??
           + Itemize areas that need improvement


  11) Plan further tower work and antenna installations:
      - 75-meter dipole
         - Still needs to be rehung to far side of parking lot
           (not too much call for HF comms yet so this has been low on the
            priority list)
      + no change in status


      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 need MUCH attention and
                *may* not be deployable before Winter.
         - 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


      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.
              - Steve was able to get the first 500 feet and has
                delivered it to Jay (stored in his garage)
              - Remaining 500 feet will be shipped at a reduced cost
              + Has the second roll been shipped yet????
              + Begin COAX pull project once enough cable is available.


      o What other antennas should we 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.

       ------- This all needs to be coordinated ---------
             Note: HWF, GEO, FSA participated in earlier install
             - A deployment plan needs to be written
             - Materials need to be priced & purchased
             - Work needs to be scheduled
             - Execute! (before the snow flies!!!)

             + No change in status.
               This project needs to be planned out, materials priced and
               purchased, and the plan executed.  Expected to be worked on
               after the S.E.T. is over and before the snow flies.

      + A temporary 2/440 J-Pole is on the tower at 25-feet and has its
        own coax run.
      + A temporary 2/220/440 1/4-wave Tri-V antenna is on the tower at
        25-feet but its coax run only goes as far as the lightning
        arrestor box.  But it can be swapped onto the HF feedline if
        needed.


  12) Comm-Center "projects":
      o Need bulletin/white boards (Corey & Mark W8FSA)
            - Still awaiting the white board from W8FSA
            + White Board has been installed
      - Need 6-volt lantern batteries (qty 2) for flashlights
            + Corey provided batteries for the flashlights
      + Comm-Center toolbox is still VERY shy on needed hand tools to
        perform simple maintenance needs.

   See the "WISH LIST" at www.nuge.com/~wb8tkl/redcross/wish-list.html


  13) Chapter projects:
       + 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.




 Misc.:
   -- October 31st       **HALLOWEEN**
   -- November 8th       NWSDTX MICON meeting in White Lake
   -- November 12th      ARROW general meeting
   -- November 25th      ARROW/RedCross meeting
   -- November 27th      **THANKSGIVING**


   Thanks!
      --- Jay Nugent  WB8TKL
          o ARROW/RedCross Liasion & Station Manager

In response to the issue about dumbing-down Amateur Radio, a fellow Ham
said:    "Would you like fries with that emergency communication?"
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