Meeting Minutes for March 13, 2007

Web Page: www.wwcic.org

Information Line Phone Number: 425-820-6271

Dates for WWCIC meetings for 2006   Meetings will be held on the 2nd Tuesday like always, with no meeting in August and June 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: Vice Chairman Wiz called the meeting to order at 9:45 am. Introductions were made around the tables.  Attendance today: 10.

Adoption of draft minutes of last meeting: The minutes for February’s meeting were approved as drafted.

Secretary-Treasurer Finance and Correspondence Reports: No activity. Checking balance $574.70, saving interest income $.74, savings balance $2874.21.

Committee Reports

Technical Committee Report:  Suggestions for technical presentations at meetings are always welcome. Icom is scheduled for a presentation in March on digital modulation land mobile radio. (OPEN)

Web Site Report:  The transition to the new host is complete and things are running fine, the hit counter works now.  (OPEN)

FCC Report:  $123,000 in fines were levied recently.  (Open)

Old Business

BPL Issues: The ARRL has filed a suit against the FCC for failing to follow the rules when it comes to BPL interference enforcement.  (OPEN)

150/450 MHz IX: A 150 MHz station on Lyman was causing interference, after several phone call inquiries the interference went away.

The search for the source of a wide band interference signal that is affecting VHF and UHF stations on East Tiger is ongoing.

FRS Issues: Nothing new to report.  (OPEN)

700 MHz Planning & Meetings: Joint 700/800 Mhz meetings are the last Wed of the month, non public safety attendees welcome. The March meeting may be canceled due to a conflicting meeting.

Communications Asset and Survey Mapping (CASM) is a database of radio resources (sites, channels, coverage) with a Graphical User Interface to help an Incident Communications Unit Leader (COML) develop a communications plan. One initially included King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties but will be expanded to include all of Western Washington in preparation for the 2010 Winter Olympics.  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: The draft band plan for border region 5 should go to the TA and FCC the week of 3/15/07.  (OPEN)

Technical Seminars at WWCIC Meetings: The contact person at Icom that had setup a presentation for March in no longer with the company. George has had contact with another person at Icom to setup a presentation in April.

Suggestions for future seminars are welcome.

On April 3 Wiztronics is hosting a P25 information session with many of the manufacturers of P25 equipment attending to explain what P25 standard is about. There will be live demos between different vendor equipment.(OPEN)

XM and Sirius Satellite Radio News: A merger of the two companies is pending.  (OPEN)

APCO business or reports and general frequency coordination news: No report. The Washington APCO conference in Wenatchee on` June 27-29. http://www.apcowa.org/ (OPEN) 

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

4.9 GHz:  Boeing is progressing with their plans after the approval by the regional committee.  (OPEN)

Amateur radio activity: There has been a surge in newly licensed operators since the requirement of Morse code for amateur licenses went away in February.

 Interference to several repeater stations on Tiger Mt is still occurring. The interference tracks signals that appear over a broad spectrum (VHF and UHF) and the level varies randomly.

 He states of Arizona, Oklahoma and Maryland have introduced bills at the state level to afford Amateur radio operators protection from undo antenna restrictions along the lines of the FCC’s PRB-1.

Washington State has new legislation which implements a leasehold improvement tax on radio repeaters. There has been a bill submitted to exempt amateur repeaters from the tax.  (OPEN)

 

New Business

A bill to restrict use of wireless devices in vehicles is progressing through the state legislature. The intent was to reduce distracted driving while using wireless phones and/or messaging devices. In its original form it did not differentiate between “cell phones” and two-way radios which would be a problem for anyone using mobile radios for communications. Since it was poorly worded it is expected to be severely amended or killed altogether.

 

  Items of Information

Soliciting candidates to fill the Member at Large position #1.

 

Moved and seconded to adjourn at 11:19 AM.

   

Respectfully submitted,

Steven Mayes,  Secretary/Treasurer

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