Communications Study Committee
Minutes of 2004-05-18
Subject: Meeting #5 Minutes
The Lyme Communications Study Committee Meeting #5 was held at the Lyme Fire Station, May 18, at 7AM. Dave Avery, Chairman, called the meeting to order.
Present: Pauline Field, Wally Ragan, Pete Bleyler, George Hartmann
Absent: Michael Hinsley, John Sanders, Mike Prince
1. The minutes of Meeting #4 were accepted without change.
2. Pete Bleyler reported that he had checked into the insurance aspects of the Town owning a tower, and it appears there is no problem.
3. Pauline Field reported that the vendor couldn't give a quote on the two In-band repeaters because the frequency we use (155 MHz) is smack in the middle of the band, and there's a question if we can get enough separation between incoming and outgoing signals. Further investigation needs to be done with Hanover Dispatch.
4. Pete Bleyer proposed a 3 part structure for the Committee's work:
a) For the Police Department needs, determine what coverage will exist after the improvements now being implemented by Grafton County and Hanover Dispatch. Then, address any remaining shortfalls in coverage that affect the Town of Lyme.
b) For the Fire Department, do the same.
c) Address the cell phone problem as a stand-alone third part that we can get going on now, while recognizing that there may eventually be a need to share antenna space, pending the outcome of a. and b. above.
After considerable discussion, Pete's proposal was accepted as a good way to organize the Committee's work.
5. As part of the discussion in 4. above, a review of the 10 coverage maps we now have was conducted. The maps were numbered and the content of each was clarified. Pauline presented a color code for the maps that was key to a better understanding of them. (Going from very strong signal to no signal, it is dark blue-light
blue-green-yellow-orange-magenta-white.)
6. Wally Ragan reported that he had arranged with Rex Carr to draft a plan for ARES (ham radio) to be incorporated in the Town Emergency Plan. He also presented a 3/26/04 Valley News article on the Vermont Governor's vision of improving cell coverage in that state.
7. Dave Avery reported that Finowen, the company whose tower is on Moose Mountain, told Valley Net that they were planning a tower on Pinnacle in Lyme, part way up, near a power source. It was agreed that we must follow up on this report.
8. A discussion on meeting attendance and times produced agreement that Mike Hinsley's contribution is critical to the Committee's success in achieving a useable output. We therefore will, as much as practicable, adjust our meeting time to accomodate his demanding schedule.
9. Action items:
a) Dave Avery will contact the Finowen and Independent Wireless companies, to invite them both to one of our meetings. If one of them could come to our next meeting, that would be helpful.
b) Dave will also work with Hanover Dispatch to get Lyme to piggyback on their ongoing study; to make arrangements for the transfer of a base station; to make arrangements for Lyme to pay the $200 fee for a base station license; and to investigate further the frequency problem for the In-band repeaters.
c) Pauline Field will get copies of the projected Grafton County radio coverage map.
d) George Hartmann will contact Mike Hinsley to find out what meeting time is best for him. (Note: this has been done, and Mike suggests 8:15AM)
10. The next meeting will be at the Lyme Fire Station Tuesday, June 1, at 8:15AM.
George Hartmann
Recorder
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