Dates for WWCIC meetings for 2005   Meetings will be held on the 2^nd Tuesday like always, with no meeting in August and June joint meeting with our Canadian counterparts is scheduled for Wednesday, June 14 at Semiahmoo.  The current location for regular meetings is the Washington State Patrol Office in Bellevue.

The annual WWCIC/WCTC joint meeting will be on Wednesday, June 14 at Semiahmoo Resort.  Registration begins at 9:00 AM and the meeting runs from 10:00 AM until 3:00 PM with a lunch break at noon.  The cost is US$30.00 per person.  For directions and other information you can go to www.semiahmoo.com.

Financial Report  

Business Reports

Chairman’s opening comments: Chairman George Bisso called the meeting to order at 9:32 AM, at the WSP office in Bellevue.  Introductions were made around the tables.  Attendance today: 20.

Committee Reports

Technical Committee Report:  Suggestions for technical presentations at meetings are always welcome. (OPEN)

Web Site Report:  No Report.

Old Business

BPL Issues: The FCC and an Amateur radio group on the east coast are relooking at BPL.

150/450 MHz IX: No Report. (OPEN)

FRS Issues: Nothing new to report.  (OPEN)

700 MHz Planning & Meetings: The Washington plan is at the FCC and out for comment, if no comments are received it should be approved by the end of May. The City of Seattle has an experimental license for wideband video. 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:  Wave 4 has been delayed but the ending date has not which will compress the schedule.  Progress on the Preplanning Funding Agreement between Sprint/Nextel ad the State of Washington has been slowed by the requests for details by the technical Authority and Sprint/Nextel. Both sides have to protect their interests. The Regiion 43 Plan is being revised and is to be submitted to the FCC in a few months. One area of interest is NPSPAC committee membership, all zones have equal representation but not interest. Some zones have little interest or need while others are heavily impacted. It is always recommended that system baseline performance be established before making changes. Check the antenna systems, do a coverage test (8 radial or drive).  A private company has an experimental license for wideband video in the Paine Field area, 200w nondirectional. (OPEN)

Technical Seminars at WWCIC Meetings: An open invitation for ideas. Presenters or topic suggestions to follow up on.  (OPEN)

APCO business or reports and general frequency coordination news:  Wanda McCarley the APCO chairman is highly motivated and has been spending time at the FCC working the issues. She also is encouraging members to contact their political representatives about rebanding issues. Mike Voss with the Mount Vernon Fire Department is assisting Jay Morrison with frequency coordination.  (OPEN)

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

New Business

With the increased use of gateway switches (JPS, Infinemode) to tie communication systems together comes potential for problems if the switches are not set up correctly. Situations such as a trunking channel connected to a conventional channel with hang time can lock up several systems up simultaneously. The City of Seattle and others have adopted a policy of not deploying these units without a qualified operator.

Items of Information

Chris Burnel from the Harris Corporation made a presentation on High Definition (HD) Radio. Radio broadcasters are rapidly adding a digital component to their signals. Most of the Seattle area stations have added HD. The analog signal is still transmitted with digital signal superimposed inband on channel (IBOC). The digital signal allows for several additional program channels depending on how much bandwidth is allocated to each. Use of these additional channels varies by station, data transfer is developing, most are running additional formats and look to giving competition to satellite radio. Consumer receivers are starting to be more available. The digital system requires less transmit power but the spectrum mask is fuller. CDs containing information were available at the meeting.

Moved and seconded to adjourn at 11:30 AM.

Respectfully submitted,