Oakland A.R.E.S. Newsletter December 9, 1995


Minutes of the November 4, 1995 Meeting



The Oakland ARES meeting came to order at Oakland Red Cross at 9:10 AM. Present were:

Bernabe Calimlin III KE6JAW
Stacy Carlson KE6CTG
Jim Carter K6LWA
Willie Denninger KE6EMX
Bob Firehock KE6IUE
Curtis Floray KA6MJO
Tim Ingham KD6CTG
Roger Jung KE6STB
Edward Kilmantin KE6WPG
Bob Mayes KE6DVT
Art McLaughlin W6THD
Gerald Morris AC6GF
Sherie Morris KE6MRB
David Otey WB6NER
Mike Pompa KD6PLN
Deborah Reisman KE6MQV
Donald Street W6EHQ
Jim Tiemstra N6OIK
Brian Treusch KJ6LL
Mark Violet N6RCG
Lalita Witt KE6VPI

All meetings are normally held on the first Saturday of each month
at the Red Cross Headquarters, 2111 E. 14th Street, Oakland 535-2800

The next meeting will be Saturday, December 9, 1995 at 9:00 AM

at the Oakland Police Dept. Wyman Vernon Auditorium, 455 - 7th St., first floor

Talk-in on 146.88- PL 77.0

Announcements / Calendar

Welcome Newcomers!


This month's newsletter is being mailed to all hams who responded to the city-wide mailing and serves as a reminder of our special December meeting. Thank you for your interest. We're looking forward to an eyeball QSO with you on emergency communications.

In 1995 our group installed ham radios in fire stations with battalion chiefs, held a Simulated Emergency Test, conducted several fire patrols, did several special event communications, had a net control class and several licensing classes, worked with the city of Oakland to issue RACES id cards, and advised the county in the design of their emergency communications center.

What can you help us bring to the table for 1996? An interest in packet and ATV for emergency communications? A desire to improve your radio skills? A skill in fishing coax thru fire station walls? That and much more is what our next meeting is about. We hope newcomers will join with us at this meeting to make this an exciting year.

The annual ARES dues of $12 (mainly to cover postage) will be collected at the meeting, or send a check made out to Oakland ARES to:

Bob Firehock
347 63rd St
Oakland, CA 94618

RACES Report



Jim Tiemstra (N6OIK) submitted 22 Call Quick forms to the Oakland OES. Call Quick is an automated dialing system to get the word out during non-obvious emergencies like fires and gas leaks.

The Fire Patrol manual is almost finalized. Chris (KE6SSW) has done a super job of overhauling the manual format. Jim (N6OIK) and David (WB6NER) will ponder a few more edits and submit the proposed manual to the City at the next monthly ARES/RACES planning meeting for approval and adoption. Copies for the general membership should be available by the February, 1996 ARES/RACES general meeting.

Jim will provide input into what goes into the County OEC's 250 sq. ft. ham radio room.

Our score for the Simulated Emergency Test was 195 points. Congratulations to all participants for their super SET efforts!

Measure I radio installation: Stations 20 and 8 are next in line, as soon as we review the sites. David, WB6NER will be scheduling these site reviews with Capt. Kelly in early December.

We are still awaiting comment from the Fire Dept as to how much we can copy their look and feel with our ARES Jackets.


Organizational Structure


David Otey (WB6NER) presented a proposed organizational charter and chart for comments which is enclosed with this issue of the Newsletter. One key to successful project outcomes will be the formation of focus groups around the identified ARES/RACES functions. It is anticipated that a spokesperson from each function will emerge to be identified as an Assistant Emergency Coordinator (AEC). AEC s serve as the point of contact to get things
done, but it was stressed that these people should be delegators as well as doers..

The four proposed AECs are:

It was pointed out that this division has very transparent borders with many activities overlapping categories. At the meeting Brian (KJ6LL) volunteered and was nominated for AEC Training. Expectations for other members to emerge and seize the other AEC positions
are high indeed!

Finally, a lively discussion ensued noting that while Oakland ARES/RACES, is not a traditional radio club because of its special emergency preparedness focus, some ARES/RACES members are sensing that the seeds of more club social and hobby activities are germinating. The sense of those present toward such developments was positive.

Tidbits



Mark (N6RCG) thanks Brian (KJ6LL), Bob (KE6DVT) and Chris (KE6SSW) for their communications skills during the Head of the Estuary Regatta race.

Mailers: In order to conserve postage funds, the monthly newsletters are being sent one per household with the pledge that a few additional copies will be available at our regular meetings.

Jim Ploss KB6MYV and Brian Treusch, KJ6LL will be running another fine no-code tech class at the Oakland Fire Dept Training Center on Wednesday nights at 7PM starting January 10th. For more info and maps leave a message at 420-0570.

December 9 Meeting



Willie (KE6EMX) will try to arrange for the police communications van. Brian may demo ATV. There's a budget for Doug (N6TQS) to buy bagels.

On-street parking is not recommendedbecause metering. Use the designated parking lot at 6th and Washington.

Preliminary Agenda


0800 Current ARES members show for setup (wear Ham clothing and badges)
0830 Reception: Bagels, Coffee and Ham networking; ARES/RACES registrations
0900 Welcome and self introductions round robin
0910 Introduction to Oakland ARES/RACES organization
0930 Videos
0950 Comments from visiting City Officials; Other VIPs
1000 Break (more networking, registrations, photos for RACES ID cards)
1015 Regular ARES/RACES business meeting
Announcements/Calendar
Reports from RACES Radio Officer; ARES Treasurer
Weekly net control operator sign-ups for December
Measure I project status; Fire Stations radio installations
Oakland ARES/RACES organizational structure and functioning
Discussion: 1996 project goals and objectives; form project groups
1100 Adjourn
Complete registrations, photos, networking, etc.
Tour OPD communications van

David (WB6NER) edited and wrote portions of this newsletter. Thanks for your help.