Frank Giampa N9QPD Chairman opened the meeting at 7:00 PM.

Attendees

Treasurer’s Report

Chris Brewer AC9GN reports: beginning balance $4, 976.66.  Income was $380.15.  Expense was $223.87 for data line, ARRL Gift Certificate, Field Day reimbursement.  Ending balance $5,132.94.  Paid membership is currently 54.

President’s Report

Matt AC9IG discussed software details being determined to enable moving the club’s Roster to the website.  Matt receives various emails that sometimes request help from members and non-members so publication of our current Roster will be a benefit for everyone in contacting others in the club.

Matt may not be able to attend the August Business Meeting so Frank N9QPD will handle the duties.

Publicity 

Dennis KD9HIK not present but reports: [his previously requested] Desire to receive membership’s input before reprinting the tri-fold brochure handed out at VE Testing.  A casual survey did not bring up any corrections or suggestions for changing the documents already in use.

Repeater

We continue to log transmissions through the repeater. If you note interference use the link at the bottom of the web site to note the date and time it occurred.  This will help us complete the detailed documentation needed in our current ARRL/FCC QRM investigation.

Nets

No Report

Membership

Bob Benwitz N9JAX not present but provided the following report:

The following hams were contacted via phone and/or email during the month of July 2018

7/12  Don Lutz   KD9KSJ

7/20  Terry Jarnholm   KD9LEU

7/26  “Joe”  KD9EVM  (found him by accident on our repeater, a college student home QTH is Schaumburg but attends school downstate, encouraged him to connect with us as his semester breaks and summer schedule permits)

SARC Repeaters

We’re looking for MI reports to support the FCC process.  If you notice interference please note time/day.

Secretary’s Report

Cliff Sowka K9QD:  Approval of Meeting Minutes as published on our website.

EMCOMM

Bob Langsfeld WB9TZC not present but provided the following:

AUXCOMM and its ties to local government agencies is becoming real.  Attached is a letter from the Illinois Emergency Management Agency with some new info.

As I have been saying AUXCOMM and its ties to local government agencies is becoming real.

Hoffman will be moving toward its own AUXCOMM team. I have seven vetted members and am looking for more.

If any Ham is interested in becoming an AUXCOMM Radio operator with either Hoffman or Schaumburg have them contact me for the details.

Robert Langsfeld

Emergency Coordinator

Hoffman Estates Police Department

411 Higgins Road

Hoffman Estates, Il. 60169

ILLINOIS EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR

Bruce Rauner Governor                                                                            William P. Robertson Acting Director

July 26, 2018

During the “Communications” breakout session at the 2017 IEMA Training Summit, an old topic but new concept was discussed: amateur radio and how it will fit in to emergency response. There is no question that communications are one of the top priorities to re-establish after an incident. Most communications issues are remedied in a timely fashion through traditional recovery services; however, during a catastrophic disaster, it may all fail. That’s when volunteer amateur radio operators will earn their stripes. Communication via amateur radio operators may be the only method to communicate over a wide area in a short amount of time.

The use of volunteer communicators varies greatly throughout the state. Currently, volunteer amateur radio communicators support emergency management, public health, and public safety by operating under one of two models, Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) or the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES). RACES has changed significantly since its inception. For example, RACES licenses are no longer issued, and all previous licenses have expired. ARES, on the other hand, has a large membership and established leadership structure with efficiently-run emergency and traffic nets. In recent history, ARES has proven its ability to support community events, weather spotting, and emergency management.

Auxiliary Communications and AUXCOMM are relatively new terms under the Incident Command System (ICS) describing the use of volunteer communicators during an incident or pre-planned event. AUXCOMM is the cadre of trained communications volunteers credentialed by a governmental agency, possessing specialized skills that may be called upon to support the Incident Command System during local, regional, state, and national level exercises, events, and incidents. Auxiliary communications is a general term for communications support to emergency management, public safety, public health, NGOs and private entities by volunteers using amateur radio, or other radio resources outside the Public Safety radio services. An AUXCOMM unit has all the characteristics of a RACES and/or ARES unit, but enjoys a much broader scope in terms of missions and capabilities.

Working with Jim Pepper, the current Statewide AUXCOMM Manager, we are encouraging local emergency managers to consider working with their amateur radio volunteers and execute

the following course of action:

Step 1:

• In those jurisdictions with an existing RACES unit, re-identify the unit as AUXCOMM.
• In those jurisdictions where ARES has a direct, effective relationship with an emergency

management agency, create an AUXCOMM sub-unit.

• In those jurisdictions without established auxiliary communications, create and staff a new

AUXCOMM unit.

Step 2:

• Create a Unit Charter (or equivalent document) based on the model being developed by the

AUXCOMM Committee. Include language indicating that member stations of the unit are certified to

operate under the RACES rules if the need should ever arise and if they are assigned to do so by the emergency manager.

• Create a Standard Operating Procedures document using the model being developed by the

AUXCOMM Committee.

Step 3:

• Encourage AUXCOMM volunteers to be active in ARES.
• Ensure AUXCOMM units train and exercise regularly with other auxiliary communications units.

I would like to thank Jim Pepper and Fritz Bock, Illinois Section, American Radio Relay League,

ARES Section Emergency Coordinator for moving us in this new direction. Unfortunately, Jim Pepper has decided to retire. We are happy for Jim, but sad to see him depart. However, IEMA is pleased to announce his replacement.

Bill Springer, member of the State of Illinois Strategic Technology Reserve as the Interim statewide AUXCOMM Manager. Bill’s main role will be coordination and planning. He will appoint others to assist him in his current role.

2018 will prove to be a year with change. Please embrace this new concept with an open mind. Change

is the only constant in any program, without change we take a step backwards in momentum.

ILLINOIS EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY

2200 SOUTH DIRKSEN PARKWAY SPRINGFIELD, IL 62703

illinois.gov/iema ready.illinois.gov

If you have any questions or would like to discuss AUXCOMM further please reach out to me through my contact information below or to Bill Springer, at [redacted].

Regards,

Joe Galvin

Illinois, Statewide Interoperability Coordinator (SWIC)

[contact info redacted]

Construction Project (CP)

There are currently five members [Rob N9MVO, Russ KC9NUV, Leo N9NBH, Bill KD9JQM, Dave KD9JKG] already on the short list of potential supporters.  Matt AC9IG will confirm a staffing plan before September CP resumption.

Social

Robert Kocourek W9RKK not present but previously reported he has organized this year’s ‘Pilot Pete’s’ institutionalized club social event at Lou Malnati’s for September 8^th 6PM and we shouldn’t linger past 8PM.  Robert will be communicating specific advance-order details they have requested as we get closer to event.

Education

Leo N9NBH reported plans for a winter General Class with the Library District are in place.  September 8^th through the end of October at the Hoffman Estates Hassle Road facility, same as last fall’s Technician class.

VE Testing

John Shoefield AC9JS reports 8 tested all passed.

VE Tests Results for July, 2018

Next examination date: August 4, 2018

RHG

Matt AC9IG previously reported that he has added a feature-set to our new website that allows extemporaneous article submissions with reasonable editing capability.

Public Service

Rob N9MVO not present.  Rob organized and performed the duty of Control Operator for The Schaumburg Park District’s annual Triathlon/Duathlon this past Sunday July 29, 2018.

We were able to staff our posts and make a meaningful contribution to this important event.

Thanks to everyone for arriving early and assisting for the duration.

Programs

Cliff Sowka K9QD:   Our August presentation needs a host.  Dirk W0RI may be able to prepare a digital mode presentation.

Please let me know if you can craft an interesting subject for our meeting; else I plan to download a YouTube video from Twilight Zone (suggested we view the classic “To Serve Man”) as filler if invitation for August presenter fails.

Nets

Steve AC9EM no report.

Ebay Sales

None.  There are two large hamfests in September and it would be good to cull the surplus SK equipment donations received over the past several months, build a list with suggested values, and offer for sale to membership.  Any unclaimed inventory could then be taken to both Belvidere and Peoria for eventual sale.

Old Business

By Law Committee Report:  By Law Committee Report: Dirk W0RI, Leo Ribordy N9NBH and Peter Maziuk N9POL prepared an amended Article IX By Law and Code of Conduct version by incorporating variances of three Board Members suggested Changes. The respective sections were discussed, reviewed and final revision to be available for the September’s Board Meeting and ready for release to General Membership thirty days prior to the November Meeting. (Election night).

The November election night is targeted for any By Law changes to be presented to the membership for ratification.  There is a required 30-Day notification period and therefore initial September RHG publication is the current goal.

Russ KC9NUV restated his objection to this entire By Law change being proposed.  His case is simply these new regulations will not preclude BOD’s convicted offenders (as determined by a proposed change requiring BOD super-majority vote) from attending club functions or using club resources such as our repeaters.  Discharged members would suffer lost voting rights as well as lost access to any current SARC-ALL email distribution list, but not blocked from attending SARC functions.

Cliff K9QD discussed hearing political dialog (proposed to now become offensive behavior) during K9IIK Repeater morning drive-time.  This situation would become grounds for dismissal but curiously some of these transmissions appear to be originating with non-member(s) utilizing our open (to licensed Hams) machine;  any such proposed By Law-mandated punishment for political/religious  conduct by members in good standing would be superfluous because offending non-members would not be affected by definition.

New Business  

Peter Maziuk N9POL informed the newly organized AUXCOMM meetings are in direct conflict with the BOD’s schedule and suggested we reschedule our regular Board meetings to accommodate AUXCOMM’s schedule.  Peter will poll the members to see if moving to the second Wednesday of the month could be accomplished; once agreed Matt will then check with the Park District to access ability to change our meeting venue.

DXCC winners were chosen by random draw and will be announced during our August Business Meeting.

Cliff Sowka K9QD (transition from Paula Uscian K9IR) is now entered within the State of Illinois system as Registered Agent for Schaumburg Amateur Radio Club Inc.;  K9QD’s required standing to handle Annual Reporting is now established.

Adjourn  8:58 PM

Submitted: August 2, 2018  Cliff Sowka K9QD Secretary