Chairman George Bisso called the meeting to order at 0932.  Introductions were made around the tables.  DRAFT Minutes of the Mar 11, 2003, meeting were reviewed, corrected, and approved.   Members and guests in attendance today: 17.  Please be sure to sign in, as your Sec/Treas looks at that info each time when preparing the minutes, to get or update to, the most current member and guest information.  As of April 8, there are 20 paid WWCIC memberships for 2003, representing 33 individuals.  There are several individuals not required to pay memberships, approved over the years.  Loren will get a full membership list distributed before the joint meeting in June.  The WWCIC e-mail address list that Sec/Treas Loren maintains numbers 67 individuals, members and other interested parties, who should receive the information when materials are sent out to the “WWCIC Distribution List”. 

Financial Report

Old Business

800 MHz IX   Jerry Noe says that the Nextel site in Bellingham, at the YMCA, is now showing more noise than last month.  Steve Leonard was not present today, so no further clues were offered.  Perhaps more info next month…stay tuned.  Also, Loren will be sending out relevant information materials related to the 800 MHz issues, or other general issues by e-mail, as they are made or become available, so each of you can consider their value, and take action accordingly.  (OPEN)

700 MHz Planning Meetings   Nothing new was brought forth.  Wiz was not present today for any update.  The web sites are www.region43.org for Washington State, and www.region35.org, for Oregon, respectively.  Contact Jon “Wiz” Wiswell, Pat Buller or Kevin Kearns for more info.  Meeting schedules and past meeting minutes are on the web sites.   Be sure to check those web sites for the latest information in this important planning step for both 700 and 800 MHz use in the future.  (OPEN)

WWCIC web site   Alan Robinson says the wwcic.org domain name is due for renewal, as noted in information he received earlier in the month.  There are several options, for different length terms and prices.  The members voted to authorize a renewal of 5 years, for $95.  Alan will pay it, and be reimbursed when he presents a statement.  (ALWAYS OPEN)

Technical Seminars at meetings   George has a presentation set for October, on Amber Alert and radio implications.  Loren will contact Kim Torp-Pedersen about his contact on further information about BDA’s, w/ TXRX or Antenna Specialties, which did not work out for this meeting.  Hopefully, a May presentation “may” work.  Another future possibility is a tour of the WSDOT Dispatch Center in Lynnwood, even perhaps holding one of our meetings there.  George will be looking into it further.  Loren recapped a very brief description of the SERS progress toward start-up of the Phase 1 portion of that 800 MHz system.  Interoperability not previously available is coming.  The members want any proposed seminars placed on the Agenda, so to be readily available to plan for attending, and get onto the personal calendars.  Back in February, a committee was formed, consisting of Pat Buller, Harlan Ohlson, and George Bisso, along w/ “member-at-large” Kim Torp-Pedersen, to work on the programs for future technical presentations.  <Flash: 5/9-late update-possible BDA presentation in July-per Kim T-P>  (OPEN)

XM Radio    George says the companies (XM and Sirius) are still facing financial challenges.  Not much new came out at the NAB Conference.  (OPEN)

Planning for WWCIC/WCTC Joint meeting – Wednesday, JUNE 11, 2003     George has set up a contract with Semiahmoo Resort in Blaine for space, costs and food.  A $400 deposit payment has been sent.  The individual price should be about $20-25 US for the event.  We have the “Blakely Room” reserved, set up for 65 people initially, start time to be at 1030.  Breakfast will be available before the meeting agenda starts, lunch set for around the 12-1230 time period, and there should be coffee, pop, juice, water, etc, available all day.  More info will be coming about the lunch menu.  If you want to arrange overnight stays, call Semiahmoo directly, referring to the WWCIC arrangement, {Phone (360) 318-2000, or FAX (360) 318-2087}.  Kris McGowan and Jayson Clairmont will be helping w/ arrangements.  Please consider the issues you wish covered, and our ideas for discussion content.  Of course, we can depend on Denny for an FCC report.  Please forward questions, concerns or issues to the Officers, or bring them to the meetings.  Time is sliding by, and no specific topics have been suggested through today’s meeting.  Be sure to mark your calendars for Wednesday, June 11.  Joe King mentioned a possibility to incorporate a tour of the USBP Dispatch center in Blaine, along with the joint meeting, or even some other time in the future.  Options for times and number of people will be explored.  More info later.  (OPEN)

APCO report or news   Pat Buller reported the local chapter APCO meeting on June 25-27, in Wenatchee, will cover revisions for narrow-banding.  There is a Washington State Chapter web site at www.apcowa.org where detailed information may be found, about the APCO “Summer Training Conference” (Wenatchee), and more.  The 2004 Regional conference will be in Spokane, WA.  Narrow-banding is coming from FCC, final report and order will stipulate narrowband applications for 12.5 KHz, so no more wide-band voice channels can be coordinated, perhaps after Sept or Oct 2003.  A stipulation that equipment manufactured for 12.5 KHz will also need to be compatible for 6.25 bandwidth is also contained in the new rules coming next January.  No specific time has been set for transition to 6.25 yet.  There are still lots of issues for manufacture of radios capable of meeting the 6.25 KHz spec, particularly with receiver technology.  ((Doug Rider included a lot of information about the “spectrum-efficient technologies” issue, contained in the IECIC minutes for their March 2003 meeting.  Sec/Treas will bring them along to the May meeting.))  Contact Pat directly for more APCO-related details.  APCO International has a lot if information on their web site, at www.apcointl.org/.  (OPEN)

Unlicensed Spread-Spectrum systems, and Noise Floor Measurements  So far, no one has done any further noise floor measurements.  Chuck Zappala previously talked about unlicensed SS activities in the Seattle area.  A web site, www.seattlewireless.net was mentioned to see what is going on.  There is activity setting up 802.11 sites, with 8-10 nodes, and a map showing some detail.  NIC cards can be changed, technology has progressed, and it looks like it’s possibly becoming the new “CB” style communications of choice.  People do it “because they can”.  Loren has reviewed the web site, and there is a wealth of information on it, if anyone is interested in WiFi.  Further discussion included a lot of interest at the NAB Conference, per George, that around 15 vendors are building many varieties of the unlicensed spread-spectrum equipment for 2.4, 5.2 GHz and more, for data, packet, T-1 or what have you.  Denny says that FCC doesn’t act much on the equipment, when built to Part 15 standards, but if amplifiers or other enhancements begin creating interference issues, more action is likely.  Chuck Z described installations using 34 W ERP at the antenna, costing around $10K, sophisticated antenna techniques, capable of communicating with 400 devices at once, which could stimulate wireless connectivity.  Potential for IX is large, and getting bigger.  In Common Carriers, technological efforts (3G) are slowing, due to competition and FCC regs allowing (mandating) sharing infrastructure among companies that previously was private.  Is it possible that FCC would look toward using the “interference temperature” as a way of viewing IX, and doing away with Part 15?  Food for thought…   George has noticed some different boxes showing up on poles, not old Ricochet devices, that might be automated meter read, “micro repeaters”, or other wireless internet connectivity providers, per some review and explanation offered by Chuck.   Some of the equipment displayed at NAB looked to be poorly manufactured, so possible we will be affected in future by gear that just isn’t well enough designed to limit interference, even though there are systems operating in licensed spectrum. (OPEN)

NWS   George explained further about the NWS activities first described last month.  Capitol Peak is operating on 162.475 MHz.  Many areas have better reception.  George can supply a printout showing relative signal strength plots at different areas.  Contact George if you can help with parts for a Master 3.  One was damaged in a trailer accident, and though repairs were made, some parts are still needed.  Using the EAS is anticipated from several Counties, accessing the Capitol Peak site, in case of emergency or disaster, to notify populations who have access to the weather radio receivers.  Talk to George for more details. (OPEN)

New Business

Curt Kyle described an IX issue in a call from a tech concerning Galbreath Mt, about US Border Patrol.  Joe King says it may be from truckers using FRS.  More details were discussed, but after contacting a contractor doing roadwork, the IX stopped.  There also could be a problem with GMRS/FRS combination radios.  People are using modified antennas on FRS hand-helds or other “innovations” to extend coverage.  Those mods are not legal, but seem to be available anyway.  Is there coordination on the GMRS frequencies?  Denny will look into it.  George has seen dual radios, GPRS at 2 watt, and FRS at 5 watt.  More research is indicated.  What is the definition of private versus business use of the FRS?  Good question…  (OPEN)

Items of Information

FCC   Dennis Anderson spoke for FCC today.  The “Truthful Statements” portion of Part 90 Sec 1.17 has been changed, to include oral as well as written statements.  The funding levels for 2003 in the Seattle area office have been affected somewhat by the War.  Most FCC documents can be found on FCC’s website www.fcc.gov.  If you would like help with documents, please contact Dennis.

Jack Manon has retired, so Smitty is keeping it going (Manon Engineering).  Pat Buller saw Jack at the IWCE Conference in Las Vegas.  (OPEN) 

Meeting adjourned at 1103.  Next meeting is on May 13, 2003, again at the WSP District Office in Bellevue.  See the WWCIC web page for detailed directions to the location.  Thanks to everyone for your interest and support for WWCIC.  

Respectfully submitted,

Your most humble Secretary/Treasurer,

Loren H. Postma