HomeMy WebLinkAboutApril 6
EmergencyCommitteeMinutesApr_04_Final 1
MINUTES
TOWN OF LOS ALTOS HILLS
EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE
Tuesday, April 6, 2004 @ 7:30 PM
Town Hall, 26379 Fremont Road, Los Altos Hills
1. Roll call:
a. Members Attending:
i. Jim Abraham, W6EB, Chairman
ii. Dru Anderson, KG6LAD, Secretary
iii. Robert Anderson, KC6ZWG
iv. Peter Berman, K6PJB
v. Ray Egan, W6FQY
vi. Bob Fenwick, K6GX, Council Liaison
vii. David Gilmour, WQ1K, Vice Chairman
viii. Bob Hall, KF6DHX
ix. Ed Jones, W7WPO
x. Scott Overstreet, N6NXI
xi. David Pratt, K6LWT
xii. Ed Radlo, AJ6V
xiii. Maynard Stevenson, W7MVT
xiv. Al Whaley, N6RPR
b. Members Absent
i. Rick Ellinger, KJ6NU
ii. Bob Lisbonne, KG6HOD
iii. Robert “Smitty” Smithwick,W6CS
iv. Sam Wood, K6MSR
2. Approval of March minutes: Bob Anderson moved and Ed Radlo seconded, with minor corrections
3. Comments from the floor.
a. Antenna issue for alternate EOC was discussed. We need to get primary site totally focused
and then be concerned about secondary sites. The Westwind barn location was discussed.
The consensus is to maintain status quo and use.
4. Report from Chairman Jim Abraham:
a. The ICOM 2720 radio seems to be a very good radio with the exception of the display.
The display is designed to favor installation in right hand drive cars. Icom will correct the
problem of poor visibility if viewing from the left. We have purchased seven new 2720
radios and 5 additional power supplies. The funds have been in the budget for more than
a year for these purchases.
b. The D-Star project is moving along well.
c. Drill on the 17th from 2-4. On the 15th, County EOC meeting at 7:30 at Sheriff’s Office.
d. Drill info will be released on the 15th. Ed Radlo encourages folks to be prepared. Show up
at town hall. Monitor frequencies.
e. Gaining entrance to the county EOC requires co-ordination with Rick or Larry Carr if you
don’t have a county EOC card.
f. Town picnic is June 6. We need a table, volunteers, and recruitment of new members.
David Gilmour will man the booth. He also can use some help with materials for
advertising.
5. Report from Vice Chairman Dave Gilmour:
a. Progress report on D-Star. Looks like mobile radio, can plug Ethernet into it. Like a
network.
b. Can get point to point link between computers in an emergency area to replace current
system of transmitting disaster reports using packet, which has failed in tests repeatedly.
c. Built a single board LINUX server with 3 Ethernet connectors on it. Can plug D-star into
#3, now anyone within range can plug in and allow D-Star to digi-peat. Plug from port to D-
Star works like a network. Manages network automatically. Converts D-star to a repeater.
EmergencyCommitteeMinutesApr_04_Final 2
d. Net effect: if have dstar and laptop, packet get retransmitted. It digipeats, i.e. retransmits a
second time to get the data. Works as a cluster.
e. The hope is to prove out so all EOCs could access live RIMS data, etc.
f. The group praised the Gilmour and Abraham effort in the D-Star researching and testing.
The materials were only$161.plus memory card, which was another $100.
6. Report from Secretary Dru Anderson
a. Links: Dru discussed the need to put what the group felt were the appropriate links on the
LAH ECC committee page. She suggested the SPECS, Red Cross, County EOC, and
encouraged it to be a balanced set so people could get to links easily. She will bring in a
list of suggested links at the June meeting.
b. Dru will order the hat lights and extra batteries, as discussed, and have them for the May
meeting.
c. As chairman of this year’s SPECS Flea Market, July 10, Dru thanked the volunteers who
have come forth thus far and encouraged participation, attendance, and donations to the
SPECS fund raising table. Several people are on board to help with the food booth, and
overall plans. Dru will cover those details at the next meeting.
7. Ed Radlo. He encouraged everyone to come to the upcoming drill. There also was a request to
have a Saturday training session, such as was held last year. Ed said he could possibly do it in
June. A variety of training options were suggested including:
a. Program rigs
b. Communications. Net control.
c. Dry run on opening up the EOC. .
d. Also, other ham groups might like to attend or help. Someone noted that K6dkr DAN in the
Palo Alto area might be interested.
e. Bob Anderson noted that Steve would like a Saturday town drill with more interactive
activities with more things happening, and CERT members involved.
8. Special Reports:
a. Antenna tower: Ray Egan. Potential of D-star, wouldn’t need an 80 foot tower. A 60 foot
tower would accommodate the ~ 8 antennas. He advised against planning on that. Ray
would rather see 60 foot lattice than 80 foot monopole.
b. We need to think about the need. Dave Pratt and Ray will cooperate to get something
written up. Ray is preparing a report possibly for June meeting. He will answer issues such
as do things work ok at 60, as opposed to 80 feet. The 60 foot puts the lowest antenna at
about 20-25 feet.
c. It was suggested to make a list of frequencies, find the most challenging things to deal
with, and prepare results in the report.
9. Report from EC Rick Ellinger:
a. Deferred.
10. Presentations from the floor:
a. No new business
11. The meeting adjournment was moved by Bob Anderson, seconded by Ed Radlo.
a. Adjournment was at 8:58 p.m.