Meeting Minutes for May 13, 2008
Web Page: www.wwcic.org
Information Line Phone Number: 425-820-6271
Dates for WWCIC meetings for 2008 Meetings will be held on the 2nd Tuesday like always, with no meeting in August . The current location for regular meetings is the Washington State Patrol Office in Bellevue.
Chairman’s opening
comments: Secretary/Treasurer Steve
Mayes called the meeting to order at 9:43 am. Introductions were made around the
tables. Attendance today: 11.
Secretary-Treasurer Finance and Correspondence Reports: No activity, Checking account ending balance of $332.13. Starting balance in Savings $1882.90, interest for the month of March $.45, interest for the month of April $.49, ending balance of $1883.84.
Technical Committee
Report: Suggestions for technical presentations at meetings are
always welcome. Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management’s
Emergency Communications Vehicle will be on display in the parking lot after the
meeting. Presentations on spectrum/interference analysis and RFid are being worked on. (OPEN)
FCC Report: The
FCC took enforcement action against seven Amateur Radio licensees for failing to
follow rules and abusing their privileges, ie: unacceptable language and
commercial traffic on repeaters.
A
number of fines have been issued for uncertified AM transmitters and CB
transceivers imported and sold in the U.S.
Forfeitures
for non compliant (uncertified) portable data terminals.
Digital
Antennas Company, manufacturer of Cell/PCS signal enhancement equipment was
given a Notice of Forfeiture for failure to respond to a inquiry for information
on distributors and customers of their equipment.
Several
cellular phone “booster” systems were shut down in the Seattle and Bellevue
areas. One that was installed had a power of 35 watts wiping out multiple
systems from the eleventh floor of a building in Bellevue.
Some
wireless providers have be cited for not being timely with releasing phone
numbers under the number portability act and harassing customers changing
service.
$65K
to $2.5M fines issued for unsolicited FAXs.
Multiple
fines up to $6.5M to TV retailers for improper sales and information on DTV
equipment, non-compliant V-chips.
Slamming
is still a problem, Horizon Telecomm of Las Vegas was cited with a $5M fine.
One of the broadcast traffic channels in the Seattle area is getting interfered with what appears to be rebroadcast of news/weather reports.
The court has ruled that the FCC’s report on BPL interference was flawed due to the basing of interference predictions on a point source rather than a distributed antenna model. http://www.fcc.gov/eb/ (Open)
150/450 MHz IX: Several
commercial 460 MHz systems experienced interference one is still out there but
the signal is weak/distant and intermittent making it difficult to find.
FRS Issues:
Nothing new to report. (OPEN)
700 MHz Planning &
Meetings:
No report. 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
report. The rebanding deadline is still June 30 without a waiver for non
border areas. (OPEN)
Technical Seminars at
WWCIC Meetings: Suggestions for future
seminars are welcome. Due to illness and
a tight schedule the presentation on RFId for this meeting was canceled. (OPEN)
XM and Sirius Satellite
Radio News: The U.S. Department of Justice has approved the merger of XM and Sirius.
The FCC still has to approve the changes. (OPEN)
APCO business or reports
and general frequency coordination news: Washington Chapter Summer Training Conference
June 25-27, 2008, in Wenatchee, WA.
The
proposed Washington State Interoperability Executive Committee (SIEC) ROIP
standard has been tabled due to the volume of disagreement.
With
the loss of Mike Voss’s services Jay Morrison is busy as the sole APCO
Washington frequency coordinator. Someone has volunteered to fill Mike’s
vacancy and is waiting employer approval to fill the position.
The
newly released 800MHz rules have caused some concern especially in regard to
transmit power, the new limits are significantly lower than previously
authorized. http://www.apcowa.org/
(OPEN)
License-free or
Spread-Spectrum technology issues: The proliferation of consumer oriented equipment is
exacerbating the interference levels. The more the consumers experience IX the
more the market responds with high gain antennas and amplifiers. (OPEN)
4.9
GHz: No report. (OPEN)
Joint
WCTC/WWCIC Meeting
The Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management’s Emergency Communications Vehicle was on display in the parking lot following this meeting.
Moved and seconded to adjourn at 11:20 AM.
Respectfully submitted,