John Wojnicki of Belden will address analog vs digital technology as it relates to wire and cable selection and video and data over twisted pairs will be demonstrated. As usual our luncheon will be at Sinbads. Sinbad's is just south of the Ferry Building on the Embarcadero near the foot of Mission Street. Please RSVP to Karen Prasek at Zack's: 408-324-0551 x126 as we've been running out of tables and chairs. We meet at 11:30 and are seated at 12:30.

The following meetings are currently scheduled:

AUG 28TH- ANDREW PRESENTATION
SEPT 25TH- COMMUNICATIONS CONCEPTS -
"Digital Satellite Technologies"
OCT 30TH - ORBAN - Digital Signal Processors

The June 20th meeting at KTVU was convened by Chairman Ed Cavagnaro of KCBS. It was the final meeting for Amy Freundlich of the FCC who was caught in the FCC downsizing. The only significant change from what had been decided by the working committee is that the coordinated monthly tests will be shifted slightly so as to place them closer to the top of the hour than the bottom. In odd numbered months the "nightime" tests will take place at 4:50 AM on the second Tuesday of the month. Please check on your logging system as this might fall into your Monday broadcast day. In even numbered months the test will take place at 10:50 AM on the second Tuesday of the month. Actual test language and other boilerplate will have to be developed.

The test codes which must be recognized per the Part 11 rules are:
EAN - National Emergency Action Notification
EAT - National Emergency Action Termination
NIC - National Information Center
NPT - National Periodic Test
RMT - Required Monthly Test
RWT - Required Weekly Test

In addition, the following codes are to be recognized as part of the local plan:
EVI - Evacuate Immediate!
CEM - Civil Emergency Message
TOR - Tornado Warning
FFW - Flash Flood Warning
TSW - Tsunami Warning
SVR - Severe Thunderstorm Warning

The LP1 station is KCBS (740 Khz) and the LP2 station is KSJO-FM (92.3 Mhz) San Jose. We expect another San Francisco station to share the LP2 role, but the identity of the station wasn't available at the time we went to press.

Even though Part 11 requires the monitoring of only two sources, it is suggested that NOAA weather radio be monitored and that CLERS (California Law Enforcement Radio System) be monitored. CLERS is 453.875 on Tam and 154.710 on Diablo. Normally there is very little traffic on those frequencies unless a state originated EBS test is being conducted. Sonoma County informed the meeting that they will purchase EAS equipment. They are the only county, other than Contra Costa, which will be equipped. After the meeting, a few of us were invited to see portions of the Contra Costa C.A.R.E. system. We went to Chevron in Richmond. Their reservation is 4.5 square miles and employs 5000 people. They have a full time fire dept. of 37 people plus staffers who are trained to augment them. They cross train with the Richmond fire department and have mutual aid pacts with the other refineries and chemical plants. The Refinery Shift Commander monitors the entire system. At his post is a C.A.R.E. terminal with scenarios for a variety of situations needing only to have the blanks filled in. That terminal can fire off information to the 911 centers in the county which in turn inform the public and media via 4 radio station's RBDS subcarriers. In a serious situation they would also originate an EAS alert. If the Shell refinery had a problem and was totally occupied with it, they could pass off to Chevron who would send out the appropriate messages.

They are dedicated to keeping the media informed because they know, by experience, that one of us will be out there standing in front of their logo filing a story - right or wrong.

We went to the Sheriff's Dept. Dispatch Center in Martinez, got buzzed through two locked doors, and looked at one of the 911 centers. A C.A.R.E. terminal was there. Over 300 people have been trained on its use in the county. This is a high tech site and these people are doing the hard stuff on a daily basis.

The kickoff date for the system to be completely up and running is July 26th, which is the third anniversary of a major chlorine leak that was the "wake-up call" for Contra Costa Co.

All the best to Amy Freundlich. We appreciate the meetings she conducted to get EAS started. Stan Harter, of State OES, also made it possible by telling us what he wanted. Now we are one of the few areas in the country which actually has a plan.

The members of the SF Bay Region Local Emergency Communications Committee are: Chairman: Ed Cavagnaro - KCBS - 415-765-4049
Vice Chairs For:
TV - Roy Trumbull - KRON - 415-561-8784
Radio - Dave William - KSJO - 408-451-7782
Cable - Patrick O'Hare - Viacom - 510-606-2258

Calif State Emergency Communications Chair - James Gabbert - KOFY - 415-821-2020 California State Emergency Comminications Committee Vice-Chair - Stan Harter - 916-262-1603

I've already had several requests for a copy of our plan from other states. As soon as we get it approved we should make it available. At this point we seem to be out front for once.