Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Emmet Counties Public Service Communications Organization
The Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Emmet Counties Public Service Communications Organization is a 501(c)(3) non-profit public service organization located in Northern Michigan and formed to train Amateur Radio volunteers to be capable of providing assistance to area professional emergency communications services, increasing the Charlevoix, Cheboygan, and Emmet Counties emergency response effectiveness, and speeding the recovery effort in the event of a communications emergency. The CCECPSCO maintains communications facilities at the emergency centers in Charlevoix, Cheboygan, and Emmet Counties and participates in emergency drills and activations. Licensed Hams are encouraged to join, learn, and participate to advance their skills and provide a benefit back to the community.
CCECPSCO News Items
Status - 3/12/2013
* The N8DNX 442.375, CCECPSCO W8CCE 443.375 DSTAR and SAARC W8GQN 146.680 repeaters and IRLP node are currently working fine.
* The KD8QCC 444.0375 D-STAR repeater is working but does not currently have a running gateway computer. It therefore can only be used locally in the area surrounding Gaylord. The gateway computer was removed due to environmental problems with the room in which the repeater is located. A new location has now been secured and plans are underway to move the repeater to the new site shortly. The new location should provide not only a much better environment for the repeater but also a much higher location for the antenna to provide wide-area coverage. We're also considering pairing a conventional analog UHF repeater along with the D-STAR repeater at that site to provide a matching coverage area for analog FM. To do this properly may require donations to help fund the antennas and additional hardware to make to possible. Please let us know if you'd like to donate to this effort or know of any sources that may want to help with funding. More information will be forthcoming as more specific plans come together.
* The VHF and UHF W8AGB repeaters normally operating on the Icebreaker Mackinaw Museum Ship are currently off-line for the Winter. Plans are underway to locate them at a site nearby where they would be able to run all year.
* We're planning on installing the Sunair 1 KW solid-state amplifier on the Icebreaker Mackinaw soon after the ship opens for the year. It will be a challenge getting it up to the crypto room and in the rack, but should be possible. 220V power has already been installed next to that rack to power the amplifier. We'll also be installing a 1 KW antenna coupler in place of the 125 W coupler on one of the ship's HF vertical antennas for use with the amplifier. It will also be possible to route the amplifier output to one of the two HF wire antennas on the ship.
* Plans are in the works to sort out continuing problems with using the remote control panels attached to the two Sunair RT-9000 HF radios on the ship once the ship opens for the season.
* The CCECPSCO has been working with Otsego County Emergency Management to help in the creation of a new group similar to the CCECPSCO to cover Otsego and possibly some surrounding counties. Interested Hams met along with members of the CCECPSCO and other groups at University Center in Gaylord on Saturday March 9th to work on getting the new group going. University Center is the designated Emergency Operations Center for Otsego County. It was a good turnout and it appears that things are moving along fine. Please use the contact form on this Web site if you're interested in joining and helping to develop this new RACES related organization.