HomeMy WebLinkAboutAugust 51
Minutes
Town of Los Altos Hills
EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE
August 05, 2014 @ 7:00 PM, City Council Chambers annex
Roll call (10 members + 6 others): P = present, E = excused, no mark = absent
Member Call Sign Attendance
Jim Abraham W6EB P
Dru Anderson KG6LAD P
Bob Anderson KC6ZWG P
Ray Egan W6FQY P
Andy Fawcett KI6MAF E
Jim Heintzelman KD6Y E
Edwin R Jones, EC W7WPO P
Andrew Kirk WB6CLS P
Duncan MacMillan, Chair KI6VMY P
Scott Overstreet N6NXI P
Bob Rowe, Vice Chair AF6LD P
Sam Wood K6MSR P
Others Present Call Sign Attendance
Barry Bruins - P
Larry Carr KE6AGJ P
Greg Olsen K6XM P
Bert Raphael KK6GNB P
Carol Starbuck K6PIG P
Gary Waldeck K6AIR P
1. The meeting was called to order at 7:03 pm by chair Duncan MacMillan KI6VMY, who
took roll call as documented in the attached ICS 211A Check-in List.
In deference to CERT guests, Items 6.c. and 6.d. were moved to the beginning of the
meeting:
6.c. Increasing K6AIR effectiveness at the ARK – Larry Carr KE6AGJ noted that he
purchased a 4-element Yagi directional antenna from HRO and donated a tripod
for use by the CERT net control station (communications between field CERT
units and Lot 7). It appears that the antenna will allow an HT of the Yaesu FT -
60R quality level to be used instead of going to a mobile rig, simplifying matters
for the CERT net control operator. Scott provided comments on antenna gain as
applied to directional antennas and the multi-path environment in Lot 7. Future
drills will offer an opportunity to test this directional antenna arrangement in
concert with ARK radio operations.
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6.d. CERT plans for 4.9 GHz data connection between ARK and EOC – CERT Barry
Bruins described CERT interest in finding a more robust digital connection beyond
using Comcast- and/or ATT-provided Internet services (used for drills but
vulnerable in a major event). Barry went on to describe the continuing process of
qualifying Skyline Broadband as a provider of 4.9 GHz public safety spectrum
services between a strategically-located light pole in Lot 7 to the EOC, by way of
Skyline equipment on Black Mountain. Bill Prince of Skyline has made
assurances about their ability to provide service but time will tell and the Town will
not pay Skyline if the service cannot be made to function adequately. A means of
testing reception at the EOC (for instance, installing the new antenna on a
crane/cherry picker at 40 feet+) was mentioned by members as a desirable step
before committing to negotiate with ATT on getting the new antenna installed on
the cellular tree (about 15-inches square and needing about 2-feet of vertical
space). Cost estimates for usage are $60 - $80 per month per end for 5mB of
bandwidth. The ECC would be happy to review the Skyline proposal and
test/demonstration plan, when available.
2. Review and approve past meeting minutes – Upon a motion by Bob Anderson KC6ZWG ,
duly seconded, version 2 of the July 01, 2014 minutes are unanimously approved as
written.
3. Public comments from the floor – None.
4. Update on County and State – Ed Jones W7WPO noted that the flea market for August
09 will be SPECS-sponsored and that more worker volunteers are needed. Members
were urged to sign-up on the SPECS website. See Item 8.b.
5. Comments by Council Liaison – See Item 6.a. below.
6. Old Business
a. Back-up EOC – Gary Waldeck K6AIR reiterated that it is the Town's intention to
continue using using of the HH as an EOC. In the event of a failure of the HH, a
trailer will be pursued. Gary asked that the ECC develop performance specs for
such a trailer, not a design which would be a Town task. There was considerable
discussion about what some of the members feel is a negative disposition to
antennas in town (Jim Abrahams email/memo attached applies) and Gary was
asked to get the Town's position reviewed in light of federal government (FCC)
requirements for supporting ham radio. Sam noted that broadcast TV trailers/vans
come on the market regularly and the Town might be able to take advantage of
those opportunities. Sam will look for some examples to present to the comm ittee
during the September meeting. Upon a motion from Dru Anderson KG6LAD, duly
seconded, it was resolved that the ECC develop performance specs for a Town -
designed trailer/van as a back-up to the radio room in the HH which passed with 7
yes votes and 2 abstentions (Jim Abraham W6EB and Ray Egan W6FQY), Ed
Jones was no longer present at that point.
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b. Increasing ARK-EOC connectivity – Andy Fawcett KI6MAF was absent so the
subject of his Python script replacement for OUTPOST in ARK-EOC
communications was deferred to the September meeting.
c. Increasing K6AiR-EOC connectivity – see Item 1 above.
d. CERT plans for 4.9 GHz data connection between ARK and EOC – see Item 1
above.
e. Election of officers for 2014-15: There being no volunteers to stand for chair or
vice-chair, elections were not held. Gary asked that the agenda for the September
meeting be limited to only two (2) items:
ECC charter review and
Select an administrative leader (or move to dissolve the ECC)
Scott Overstreet lead a round-robin, opinion-gathering exercise on what members
would like to see the ECC do in the future. Ideas voice d in no particular
order/weight were the following, with the message being to think more about
desired duties before the September meeting:
i. provide an educational forum for members and associates
ii. incorporate more attributes of a typical ham club
iii. act as backbone operators in an emergency (ARK radio/packet to EOC Radio
Room, including any digital radio operations; also, staff ham radio in the FH
EOC)
iv. provide engineering support, including designing ham equipment/links
v. train CERTs as ham operators (taking advantage of ARES/RACES courses
plus ECC-developed and administered short courses)
vi. provide support for LAH/FHDA facilities and KFJC radio MOUs (training,
hams, planning)
7. New Business: none.
8. Upcoming Events (https://www.scc-ares-races.org/activities/events.php) – Members were
asked to review the following:
a. Net Control - Type III, Part A training, 08/02, 0900, Cupertino Community Center
b. SPECS-sponsored Flea Market, 08/09, volunteers needed for shifts from
0400/ending at 1400, De Anza College, Cupertino; also truck loading 08/08
c. Cross-band Repeating/Antenna Fundamentals, 08/16, 0900, venue TBD
d. Introduction to Emergency Comm. NIGHT, 08/20, 1800, 777 S. Main St, Milpitas
e. Net Control - Type III, Part B training, 09/13, 0900, SV Public Safety HQ
f. Fundamentals of Emergency Comm., 09/17, 1800, 777 S. Main St, Milpitsa
g. Ham Cram, 08/02, 0800, TBD in Redwood City
9. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:15 pm upon a motion
by Bob Anderson KC6ZWG, duly seconded and unanimously approved.
Prepared and respectfully submitted by Duncan MacMillan KI6VMY