[CALV-AUXCOMM] TNX for Attending & 10 Meter Net on April 26 at 10:00am

[Shawn Donley]

Thanks to all that attended the AUXCOMM "thought experiment" meeting this evening.   I've attempted to summarize some of the main discussion points below.


We did decide to see how well 10 meters covers the county by holding a net Thursday, April 26 at 10:00 am.  We'll meet on 28.350 MHz USB.  If you are available, please participate even if you missed the meeting.   Request all participants record the stations that they can hear along with an S-meter reading or a signal report (55, 59, etc)  Some stations may try alternate antennas, so a report for each antenna is desired.


After the net, please email me your station-heard info and I'll put together a summary.


Some of tonight's main discussion points....please feel free to send the group any I missed or any corrections.


* Suggestion to acquire a 2m repeater (or perhaps a 440 repeater ?) which could quickly be brought into service using either antennas at someone's home QTH or elsewhere using quick-install antennas (line over a tree, etc).  This would back up the current 146.985 repeater should it go down, and be on the same frequency.  Either use a set of low power duplexer cans or separated RX and TX antennas.
* Run some tests to see if we can communicate from inside the primary and secondary EOC's to the outside of the buildings with radios we would bring into the EOC on short notice.  Antennas inside the EOC like a mag mount on a file cabinet; nothing permanent.  See if we can at least get enough signal to the outside to hit a cross-band mobile rig in a car parked nearby.
* See how well 10 meters works for coverage from our home QTH's and/or community centers (hence the net tomorrow, Thursday April 26)
* Concern (quite legitimate) that in the event of a real emergency, we're not fully integrated into the county's emergency plan.  Not clear what our role would be.
* Desire to experiment with some alternative digital modes for communications within the county.  Perhaps NBEMS (using FLDIGI) with modes such as MT63-2000L on 10M SSB or 2M FM.  Could use the 146.985 voice repeater to extend simplex reach with these modes. Outpost is also an alternative worth looking at..

tnx

Shawn N3AE

Calvert EC


April 25th meeting attended by:

N3AE

W3PQS

KB3SXB

K3UGA

KF3AA

N3IPN

N3PH

KB3RAN

N3XMZ

N3PPH