Dates for WWCIC meetings for 2008   Meetings will be held on the 2^nd Tuesday like always, with no meeting in August and November joint meeting with our Canadian counterparts.  The current location for regular meetings is the Washington State Patrol Office in Bellevue.

Business Reports

Chairman’s opening comments: Chairman George Bisso called the meeting to order at 9:42 am. Introductions were made around the tables.  Attendance today: 10.

Secretary-Treasurer Finance and Correspondence Reports: A copy of the canceled room deposit check has been received from our bank and George will follow up with Semiahmoo. It was suggested that we have the funds applied to the up coming June meeting room deposit. Starting balance in Checking $499.48, no activity, ending balance of $499.48.  Starting balance in Savings $1881.50, interest $.44, ending balance of $1881.94.

Committee Reports

Technical Committee Report:  Suggestions for technical presentations at meetings are always welcome.  Several topics and presentations are being worked on for 2008. (OPEN)

Web Site Report:  No problems noted. (OPEN)

Digital Television is getting a lot of attention, the FCC is putting out press releases, public information talks and the media is giving the subject a fair amount of air time. There is concern about the elderly and other technology isolated persons not being given accurate information. In the first week people could request an analog to digital converter device coupon there were over 1.9 million requests representing approximately 1 million households. The FCC has a web site for information is http://www.dtv.gov/ . Some others https://www.dtv2009.gov/         http://www.dtvanswers.com/ 

The FCC continues to find and fine retailers selling analog only TVs.

Old Business

BPL Issues: No report.  (OPEN)

150/450 MHz IX: A station in Port Angeles is complaining of interference from a VHF co-channel user in Whatcom County. Both have been licensed for a long time, however the Port Angeles station recently did some upgrading to their antenna system.  

A taxi service in Seattle hired a contractor to implement a system to transmit data over the radio (450MHz) and modified their license for twenty such transmitters. The vendor told them it was a “private” channel. During the installation of the equipment a co-channel user experienced severe interference over a wide area. The taxi service stopped transmitting automatic data after the FCC traced it down and explained the rules.

In another case a data transmitter came on with a constant carrier this time on the output frequency of the home channel in a 460MHz range trunking system causing major interference to users in central and south Seattle. Again the FCC responded and obtained compliance from the operators of the interference source. (OPEN)

700 MHz Planning & Meetings: The revised plan is due to be sent to the adjacent regions 35 (OR) and 12 (ID) for review this week. The revised plan is due to the FCC Jan. 31, 2008. Adjacent regions need to review and comment before it can be sent to the FCC. The only major change was to address broadband rule changes. The number of secondary channels went up in Snohomish and King Counties. The Regional Planning Committee may repack frequencies since channels have gone from 50% primary to almost all secondary. A new frequency conversion spreadsheet is available on the region 43 web site (Excel tool pack option is needed to use). It looks like Canada will follow the US plan when they address revising their band plan probably after 2010. The 700 MHz web sites are www.region43.org for Washington State, and www.region35.org, for Oregon. (OPEN)

800 MHz IX and Nextel issues: No reports.  (OPEN)

Technical Seminars at WWCIC Meetings:  Suggestions for future seminars are welcome. Suggestion of a presentation on P25 standards, phases, implementations and variations was made. (OPEN)

XM and Sirius Satellite Radio News: No report. (OPEN)

License-free or Spread-Spectrum technology issues:  No report. (OPEN)

4.9 GHz: No report.  (OPEN)

Amateur radio activity: An amateur radio operator in Bellingham was fined $7,000 for his engaging in the transmission of one-way communications and his failure to transmit his assigned call sign in the Amateur Radio Service. In December of 2006 the FCC used direction finding equipment to determine that interference to a Canadian repeater was coming from a Bellingham residence. On January 25th 2007 the FCC sent a Warning Letter that was signed for but they did not receive a timely response.
From January through June of 2007 the FCC says that it logged 163 transmissions some as long as 17 minutes of music which led the agency to issue the $7000 fine. While apparently willing to talk to a newspaper reporter the same was not true in responding to the government. The FCC says that despite repeated contacts by the Seattle Office, a response has not filed to the proposed fine. So based on the information before it the FCC has now affirmed the forfeiture to pay, or to file an appeal.

New Business

Joint WCTC/WWCIC Meeting

We will be hosting another meeting this June. We need to set the agenda by May so please submit questions, topics or other suggestions for the agenda.

Items of Information

San Juan County’s recently remodeled 911 center sustained a fair amount of fire damage.

Snohomish County DEM has offered to display their Communications Vehicle at the May meeting.

Moved and seconded to adjourn at 11:24 AM.

Respectfully submitted,