[MRIC] Fwd: HF Test, Next Meeting, and Nov. Minutes

[BrettHam at aol.com]

All:

I think when I sent the email below  a few days ago, the minutes were not 
included, so here it is again with the  minutes at the bottom for your review.

Brett

In a message dated  1/7/2008 1:41:36 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, Brett Ham 
writes:
All Maryland  RACES Officers:

Just a few reminders:

We will be conducting our  first state-wide HF net test Tuesday evening 
during the MEMA COMMEX. You will  recall from the last meeting in November that 
Frederick County offered to be net  control for this test, and give us a report 
at the next MRIC meeting. I think  they are just planning on doing a check-in 
for equipment checks. We do not have  our NVIS HF antenna up at Talbot yet, so 
Talbot will not be participating in the  HF net this month. As a reminder, the 
following frequencies were approved for  the HF net at our last meeting:

80 meters 3.950 MHz LSB (tune  3.9515), and
40 meters 7.250 MHz LSB (tune 7.2515)

Also, I  wanted to remind you that our next MRIC meeting is this Saturday 
January 12. I  think I recall Dan sending out the address about a week ago. 
Please mapquest for  detailed directions from your location.

Also, please find attached the  minutes of the last meeting for your review 
and vote on Saturday (these were  also sent out the day after the November 
meeting). Please review prior to the  meeting so we don't have to spend time 
reading them during our meeting. We will  also be voting on a mode for a state-wide 
digital network (looks like the group  is leaning toward Winlink2000) and we 
will be voting for a Chairman at the end  of the meeting. The only name in the 
hat right now is mine. Anyone else that  would like to run for Chairman, you 
may announce via this email  reflector.

I was sick in bed for 2 weeks with bronchitis last month and  have been 
swamped the past week or so trying to get caught up (what's new), and  I have a lot 
to prepare for tomorrow's drill, so I'll try to get a proposed  detailed 
agenda out by Wednesday, but the major items are listed above for your  
consideration.

Looking forward to seeing you all again Saturday, and  making history by 
standardizing a digital mode for Maryland RACES!

See  you then.

Brett Hammond - K3TAL
Chairman, MRIC
410-829-6749  (cell)


Maryland RACES Interoperability Committee (MRIC) Meeting  Minutes for 
November 10, 2007: 

Dave Prestel (W8AGR) hosted the meeting  at the new public safety training 
facility in Howard County. The facility was  very nice and more than adequate 
for our needs.

The meeting was called to  order at 10:35. The following ROs were in 
attendance:

Anne Arundel -  Frank Winner – N3SEO
Calvert - Leslie Dickey – N3YR
Charles Mike Tackish –  KA3GRW  
Frederick - Roy Bates – N2CSQ (for James Devilbiss)
Harford  - George Remhof - KB3LJB (for Pat Scolla)
Howard - Jon Wilson – KF3O
Kent  - Bob Lovell – KB3ENU
MEMA - Al FitzSimons – W3YRS
Montgomery - Fred Bader  – K3CSX
Prince George’s - Dan Blasberg – KA8YPY
Queen Anne’s - Chuck  Hodell – N8ADN
St. Mary’s - Ray Brown – KB3FWW
Talbot - Brett Hammond –  K3TAL
Washington - Bob Long – KD3JK

Brett Hammond announced the  request by Terry Sapp (DHMH) on behalf of the 
DHMH HRSA program and Hospital  Association to create a specification for 
equipment that every Maryland hospital  should have to ensure they inter-operate 
with others on voice and data nets.  Terry also requested an estimate of cost.

The following agenda was  reviewed and approved by unanimous consent, without 
objection:

Welcome
Attendance
Review Agenda
Approval of  Minutes
Updated MD RO Contact List
Web Site Update
2008 Meeting Schedule
NVIS Presentation - Ray Brown KB3FWW
State-wide HF Network Frequencies (VOTE) - Dan Blasberg KA8YPY
Lunch
Winlink Presentation and DHMH Announcement - Brett Hammond  KB3HGP
MT63 Presentation
D-STAR Presentation - Dan Blasberg  KA8YPY
DHMH Hospital Estimate
Next Meeting Agenda
Adjourn

Dan Blasberg motioned to accept minutes as distributed and they  were 
accepted by unanimous consent, without objection.

Minor corrections  were made to the RO contact list and the list was approved 
by unanimous consent,  without objection. The updated list will be 
distributed following this  email.

There was no update on the web site status.

The 2008  meeting schedule was discussed, and the following dates agreed  
upon:

January 12 in Prince George County
April 26 tentatively in  Frederick County
November 8 tentatively in Queen Annes County

Ray  Brown made a presentation in Near-Vertical Incidence Skywave (NVIS) HF 
antenna  systems.

Dan Blasberg presented his selection of potential HF frequencies  to be used 
for a state-wide Maryland RACES net.

A motion was made by Dan  Blasberg and seconded by Bob Long to adopt:
80 meters 3.950 MHz LSB  (tune 3.9515), and
40 meters 7.250 MHz LSB (tune 7.2515)
as  frequencies for a statewide Maryland RACES net.

A Roll-call vote was  taken:
Yes - Anne Arundel Frank Winner – N3SEO  
Yes - Calvert Leslie  Dickey – N3YR  
Yes - Charles Mike Tackish – KA3GRW  
Yes -  Frederick Roy Bates – N2CSQ  
Yes - Harford George Remhof – KB3LJB   
Yes - Howard Jon Wilson – KF3O  
yes - Kent Bob Lovell –  KB3ENU  
Yes - MEMA Al FitzSimons – W3YRS  
Yes - Montgomery  Fred Bader – K3CSX  
Yes - Prince George’s Dan Blasberg – KA8YPY   
Yes - Queen Anne’s Chuck Hodell – N8ADN  
Yes - St. Mary’s Ray Brown  – KB3FWW  
Yes - Talbot  Brett Hammond – K3TAL  
Yes -  Washington Bob Long – KD3JK  

The motion passed unanimously, 14 to  0.


A motion was made by Dan Blasberg, and seconded by Bob Long, to  accept the 
following frequencies as potential HF net frequencies:
14.225  SSB
14.340 SSB
21.265 SSB
28.650 SSB
29.250 SSB
29.550  SSB
50.550 SSB
52.490 FM

A roll-call vote was taken:
Yes - Anne  Arundel Frank Winner – N3SEO  
Yes - Calvert Leslie Dickey – N3YR   
Yes - Charles Mike Tackish – KA3GRW  
Yes - Frederick Roy Bates –  N2CSQ  
Yes - Harford George Remhof – KB3LJB  
Yes - Howard Jon  Wilson – KF3O  
Yes - Kent Bob Lovell – KB3ENU  
Yes - MEMA Al  FitzSimons – W3YRS  
Yes - Montgomery Fred Bader – K3CSX  
Yes -  Prince George’s Dan Blasberg – KA8YPY  
Yes - Queen Anne’s Chuck Hodell  – N8ADN  
Yes - St. Mary’s Ray Brown – KB3FWW  
Yes -  Talbot  Brett Hammond – K3TAL  
Yes - Washington Bob Long –  KD3JK  

The motion passed unanimously, 14 to 0.

There was  consensus to run the first Maryland RACES Net during the MEMA 
COMMEX in January.  Frederick County volunteered be Net Control.

Brett Hammond gave a Winlink  Presentation.

Mike Barrett from TSA and MARS talked about the pros and  cons of MT63.

Dan talked about D-STAR capabilities and how they were  employed for the 
Marine Corps Marathon.

There was discussion and general  consensus that MRIC members were leaning 
toward Winlink 2000 for a statewide  data network. It was agreed a formal vote 
will take place at the next MRIC  meeting in January.

Regarding Terry's request for an estimate: There was  some discussion about 
what equipment should be installed at hospitals so they  could inter-operate 
with other Maryland RACES stations via voice and data.  Someone commented that 
the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare  Organizations required 
Amateur Radio equipment at all hospitals. After some  discussion, an estimate 
of $20,000 was agreed to be adequate. This configuration  supports UHF/VHF 
voice, HF voice, UHF/VHF digital, HF digital and typical  installation costs. A 
detailed specification needs to be developed.

A  MRIC Maryland RACES Winlink Architecture working group was formed to 
develop a  network architecture for our digital network. Ray Brown, Bill Clark, 
Mike  Barrett TSA/MARS, and Dan Blasberg agreed to serve on this group.

Agenda  items were developed for the next meeting:

- Maryland RACES HF Net report  - Roy Bates
- 60-meter HF - Dan Blasberg
- Vote on state-wide digital  mode(s)
- Winlink Architecture Working Group report
- Technical  presentation by a member of the Winlink 2000 development team. 
(TBD)
-  Elections for MRIC Chairman.

Dan Blasberg motioned to open nominations  for elections, and it was accepted 
by unanimous consent, without  objection.

Bob Long motioned nominations also be accepted via email  (provided the 
person being nominated wants to be nominated), and it was accepted  by unanimous 
consent, without objection.

Brett Hammond offered to serve  as Chairman again and there were no other 
nominations.

The meeting was  adjourned at 15:15.

--- end of minutes ---  




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