The next meeting will be Saturday, April 4, 1998 at 9:00 AM
at Leona Lodge, 4444 Mountain Blvd.
The April 4 meeting will host a special event. Barring deployment elsewhere there will be fire apparatus at Leona Lodge accompanied by an orientation and training. You will learn the names of all the equipment on board and there will be handouts with common procedural words used in communications. A special thanks goes out to Ed, KE6WPG for making the arrangements.
City Manager Robert Bob has had regular Monday storm watch meetings and was impressed by the volunteer efforts by RACES. He sent a thank you letter to the participants. The usefulness of having a ham stationed at Public Works corporate yard prompted us to plan an antenna installation at that site. The police administration building is also ready for an antenna installation. The EOC construction plans are still a couple of years out. Current maintenance issues on installed sites are: fixing the SWR problem at Station 17 (either new end connectors or new coax depending on nature of short) checking backup batteries, especially at Station 25 where the battery was run down twice during the last two exercises, and tackling intermod problems.
The flood patrol RACES activation gave us a chance to identify areas where we need improvement. First, let it be clear that city observers were pleased with our work. We established a new, important relationship with Public Works. We were operational within two hours of notification. We are looking at better ways to inform the membership of activations, better identification of patrol vehicles with magnetic signs, procedural manuals at the stations, definitions of duties of resource vs tactical net control, and better handoff during shift changes.
MS Walkathon: The annual MS Walk to benefit the Multiple Sclerosis Society is scheduled for the morning of Sunday, April 19. The walk takes place along the shoreline in Alameda. Any interested members should contact Chris, KQ6JZ .
Baker to Vegas: Dozens of hams will be leaving the Bay Area in April for a weekend of communications support for a 120 mile realy footrace in the desert.
Bay to Breakers: Dozens of other hams will be getting up at 5 in the morning on Sunday, May 17 to provide Red Cross first aid communications support for a San Francisco footrace where many participants dress in costume. This is a great opportunity to hone your communications skills and maybe even save a life. Contact B2B Volunteer Chair, Mary Watt at the San Mateo Red Cross (560) 342-3118x232 as soon as possible for an application form.
At the March meeting, Mark, N6OIK ; David, WB6NER ; and Jim, K6JAT proposed the formation of a new radio club, Oakland, Radio Communication Association, or ORCA . It would include all aspects of ham radio and service roughly northern Alameda County, not just Oakland. It could bring together several loosely linked radio groups with common membership in Oakland, such as ARES/RACES, the ATV group, and VHF Repeaters, Inc., provided their membership approved of such a merger.
New activities would include more social gatherings, participation in radio contests, radio projects, guest speakers and development of other special interest groups (SIGs). It is anticipated that half of each monthly meeting would cover emergency services issues, and the rest would be spent on other topics of interest to the group. It is intended that dues remain the same as ARES/RACES, $12/year.
An ORCA organizing committee meeting was held on Wednesday evening March 18 at the Kaiser Administrative offices meeting room B with over a dozen people attending. The concensus was that a ham radio club centered around Oakland could fill a void that existing clubs EBARC and MDARC did not address. A sample ARRL affiliated club constitution (found on the web at http://www.arrl.org/field/club/constitution.html) was reviewed and discussed. Meeting dates and number of directors were proposed. The suggestions will be turned into a first draft to be presented at the April meeting.
Web sightings: The North Hills Pheonix Association, formed by the homeowners in the area of the 1991 Oakland Hills fire: http://www.nhphoenix.org/
Welcome: new participants David, WA2BHJ; Mike, KF6MPP and Mike, W6UAB.
April Fools: Did you spot the joke article in the August QST?
HRO Special: Brian, W6LL recommends the Alinco single band radio now on sale at HRO for $88.
Mailing Party: The 4th Wednesday evening of each month. Contact David, WB6NER or Mike, KB6MP for location. Still needed: someone to copy the newsletter and buy stamps a 1/2 to 1 hour job, expenses reimbursed.
The Oakland ARES meeting came to order at Leona Lodge at 9:15 AM. Present were:
|
Michael Achach |
KF6MPP |
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Bob Firehock |
KE6IUE |
|
Jim Ploss |
KB6MYV |
|
Jim Bartoo |
WY6J |
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Richard Gabor |
KO6TI |
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Mike Pompa |
KB6MP |
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Robin Bartoo |
KF6CZL |
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Glenn Hammonds |
KE6YLT |
|
Chloe Reisman |
pending |
|
Adele Bertaud |
KE6HKY |
|
Dave Harnish |
KF6EQA |
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Deborah Reisman |
KE6MQV |
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Donald R Bonney |
KE6SAF |
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Alan Horn |
KF6GYW |
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Bernard Schormann |
KE6TYY |
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Herbert Bowen |
WA6CUY |
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Marvin Kay |
K6GHE |
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Margery Service |
KF6GTT |
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Jim Carter |
K6LWA |
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Denise Kimball |
KF6BIO |
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Donald Street |
K6EHQ |
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Mike Cassidy |
W6UAB |
|
Dave McGuinness |
KF6EPQ |
|
Jim Tiemstra |
K6JAT |
|
George Chong |
W6BUR |
|
Art McLaughlin |
W6THD |
|
Brian Treusch |
W6LL |
|
Louis Cobet |
K6MDH |
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Gerald Morris |
K6QY |
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Mark Violet |
N6RCG |
|
Willy Denninger |
KE6EMX |
|
David Otey |
WB6NER |
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|
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Kathy Dodge |
KF6GZY |
|
Lori Pettegrew |
KE6SVS |
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The next meeting will be Saturday, April 4, 1998 at 9:00 AM
at Leona Lodge, 4444 Mountain Blvd.