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Immediately following the Drill we participated in a debriefing session and later summarized our findings and suggestions for improvement in a communications report to the Town, which included the external communications analysis. Since the Drill, we have met with the Joel Barlow High School building manager to identify where the cable runs go, only to hear that they most likely go nowhere anymore. Discussions following progressed to the point that the building manager has committed to moving the whole (35ft) tower onto the roof, next to a decommissioned boiler chimney. We have also identified a location for a radio room with easy access for cable runs and an existing ground.

At the Town's request I also submitted a three-stage budget proposal to purchase the necessary equipment, starting with antennas and cables. Subsequently, as a basis for an internal purchase order the Town requested a detailed quote (to include all three proposed stages!) from the main supplier, which I duly submitted. In other words, progress is being made.

The take away from all this is to jump at any opportunity you might have to serve your town as a Ham, no matter how trivial it may seem. When we were asked to assist with communications, the primary task was internal communications; external communications was deemed ancillary to the exercise. Yet we leaped at the opportunity to perform the former well, but to especially display the latter. We made ourselves visible to the public through a banner ("When all else fails...") and ample copies of the new ARRL Ham Radio brochure which focuses on Emergency Communications (see http://www.arrl.org/pio/emcomm-broch.pdf ). The presence of town officials did the rest. No matter how many presentations we hold, or discussions we have, nothing helps make town officials grasp our capabilities better than seeing us in action.

BREAKING NEWS!! LATE ADDENDUM!!

On June 13, I received confirmation from Doug Hartline saying that he had ordered and received all the equipment for a complete HF/VHF/UHF station with APRS capabilities as we suggested. The same email requested immediate follow-on orders to complete the station which essentially will cover the coax and connectors. After touching base with him by phone we received the go-ahead to also order the equipment to expand the station with full digital HF/VHF capabilities, including a second VHF radio and antenna, rigblasters, TNC, etc. On June 15, I received confirmation that he has ordered all requested equipment. After the dust has settled a little our next order of business will be to move forward on getting the tower moved to the roof and creating a workable space to install the equipment. Redding seems to have suddenly hit the ground running.

73 de Joe - AB1DO

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