Heads-up!
This would be a real good time for folks to slip on their big-girl panties, and unplug tender egos and put the auto-severe butt-hurt factor on hold for a while.
PART ONE:
I came before the club in late August of 2021 and proposed this MCP, complete with a presentation on rationale and all details except the channel assignments. At that meeting, I asked generally and a few specifically to do a repeater survey and a survey of tactical (simplex) channel suggestions and options. Getting some feedback from a few people, I collated what I had gotten, and considered the TAC channels which had been suggested. Then I went to work on the plan indicated above.
At every step of the way, I have asked for suggestions, criticisms and detailed discussion. You’re welcome to scroll up the page and view the results. Note the posting dates.
Also note that at each and every meeting which I was able to attend in the intervening two years, I asked for constructive research and input. In fact some folks got a little tired of hearing about it.
Now note today’s date.
Leo’s post above is the first and most effective feedback I’ve gotten on this. Thank the charms of little green stinkbugs this has not yet been carved in stone down at the EOC. We caught it in time. That said … a whole lot of people DO already have this programmed into their radios. Obviously those are going to be subject to change.
That all being said, this. Honestly, I really don’t give two hoots in hell who gets credit for what. Just as long as the job gets done, and gets done with a modicum of accuracy. I’m also real big on turn-key-packages.
In short … Thank you for the first solid homework here, Leo! But, as usual, no deed ever goes unpunished. Please put your heads together folks, and considering the needs we have, the harmonics involved, the nature of what we are trying to do, and with survivability, interoperability and longevity in mind — PLEASE OFFER DETAILED SUGGESTIONS! Aka, list the freqs, channels, rationale, and tell us WHY. We are up against a deadline. I need this before April 1, 2024. Non-negotialble.
Now, with that all out of the way, on to the following.
PART TWO: (Buckle up, this is going to be kind of a rough ride.)
Now hear this.
Please note that I am absolutely and acutely aware there are folks in the community who think (and probably rightfully so) that I should not have nor be in the position of EC. Honestly, I can’t argue with that. For some pretty well known reasons, I got off to a slow and what might be kindly called an inauspicious start. It would also be safe to say I didn’t and don’t come at this from an Amatuer-Radio-first perspective. My experience and training came from the other side of the EM equation. I can also count/recount and duly log the OJT and orientation meetings I got offered coming into this thing on the thumbs of my left testicle. That being what it is, the blunt bottom line is, I shouldn’t be having to re-invent, re-engineer, re-orient and then attemp to resell *any* of this — up to and including keeping the designated emergency repeater at the lowest ccommon denominator and free of assorted whizzbangs, blitzingiggles, doopadads and other cute but generally unhelpful-in-a-crisis feldergarb.
That said, if anyone has a better idea, and would like to take this position away from me, just step the frack up and show me what you’ve got! Alternatively, if you can’t do that, go talk straight to Steve, KG5VK, and ask him to therewith, forthwith and immediately fire my happy arse with all due alacrity! I will then gladly defer to those who are wiser and more qualified than I … provided they will step up and can meet the BFOQs.
PART THREE:
I’ve asked several people and groups to help out with some things. Please see if you can make some progress on those issues. Don’t try to do it alone. Work together and work in groups. This is a communications medium and one man alone can do squat! Whereas a committee is the only thing known to mankind with more than six feet … but no brain, collaborative teams are a whole ‘nuther kettle of fish.
Closing for now.
Dan (EC)