Meeting Minutes for July 8, 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.

Business Reports

Chairman’s opening comments: Vice- Chairman Wiz called the meeting to order at 9:31 am. Introductions were made around the tables. Attendance today: 12.

Adoption of draft minutes of last meeting: Meeting minutes for no meeting were approved as drafted.

Secretary-Treasurer Finance and Correspondence Reports: Checking account starting balance of $332.13, transfer from savings $1,200, deposit of dues $80,00, deposit from June meeting attendees $770.00, check to Semiahmoo for meeting facilities/lunch $1,873.67, ending balance of $508.46. Starting balance in Savings $1884.84, interest for the month of June $.34, transfer to checking $1200.00, ending balance of $684.65.  The $500 deposit for the 2007 November meeting was reimbursed but was sent to Sandusky Broadcasting without George’s name referenced so the accounting department cashed it and held it in “escrow” until they could determine what it was for. Sandusky will be sending us a check.

There was disappointing attendance at the June meeting, George reserved the room for 50 people and we only had 21 attendees. One person could not attend due to illness but paid anyway. Several others had last minute conflicts. There appeared to be a communications gap between us and the Canadian invitees, the Industry Canada representatives had little notice of the details of the meeting. Other possible attendees said they knew a meeting was scheduled but did not have the confirming details. Others had conflicting schedules. Given the costs of using Semiahmoo as a meeting location, cost of transportation and peoples schedules we will need look into alternatives.

Committee Reports

Technical Committee Report:  Suggestions for technical presentations at meetings are always welcome. Tektronix is making a presentation today on interference finding and analysis. (OPEN)

Web Site Report:  Nothing new and no problems noted. (OPEN)

FCC Report: The over the air DTV transition currently is a major focus for the FCC. There have been supply issues in some areas and issued vouchers expiring before the holder can find one in stock. Also retailers have been selling analog only televisions despite the mandate that all new sales be DTV and V chip capable. There has been a number of people in China getting shocked from their converter boxes due to breakdown of very poor insulation used in and around the power transformers, so far the units in the US have not exhibited this problem.  

Agreement was not attained so a local Amateur radio enforcement action has been turned over to the Dept. of Justice. Cases of  slamming are down but still a problem.  http://www.fcc.gov/eb/  (Open)

 

Old Business

 150/450 MHz IX: Several minor cases in the 450 band resolved. (OPEN)

FRS Issues: Nothing new to report. (OPEN)

700 MHz Planning & Meetings:  The region 43 committee did not get comments to the FCC for D block and public safety frequencies during the comment period due to busy schedules and communications failures. 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 band plan is out. The TA now is to make preliminary frequency assignments and see if they can make things work. Nextel will have 60 days to vacate the frequency after notice that a rebandee is going to occupy. (OPEN)

Technical Seminars at WWCIC Meetings:  Suggestions for future seminars are welcome. (OPEN)

XM and Sirius Satellite Radio News: The FCC still has to approve the changes. Media speculation is that the complaints of the broadcasters will not be serious enough to stop the merger.  (OPEN)

APCO business or reports and general frequency coordination news: Washington Chapter Summer Training Conference June 25-27, 2008, in Wenatchee, WA. At the conference a resolution was passed to combine the executive staffs of the state chapters of the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) and Association of Public Safety Communications Officers (APCO), the basic organizations would remain the same. This was done to assist NENA since APCO has a better financial footing.

It was brought up that there is a lack of training for technician level staff, specifically in regards to mobile electronics. The request was made that APCO start a training program in this area. Yakima county sponsored one recently and is going to host another one in September. They get representatives from the vehicle and equipment manufacture to provide training materials.

There were 247 full registrants, 120 commercial vendors in 47 booths. 350+ people attended the banquet. Most of the technical training seminars were full, some standing room only and good feedback was received. Plans are to have an even better training venue next year. 

Wireless internet was available throughout the training and exhibit area. http://www.apcowa.org/  (OPEN)

License-free or Spread-Spectrum technology issues: Snohomish county government was looking at 900MHz spread spectrum radios for us in emergency by office personnel. (OPEN)

4.9 GHz: The 4.9 GHz public safety project the Boeing Co. has been working on in is complete and they have adopted it as a company standard. The 5.7GHz operations have been migrated to 4.9GHz. (OPEN)

Amateur radio activity: The US Air Force is taking steps to reduce or stop Amateur radio operations around several bases for their Precision Acquisition Vehicle Entry Phased Array Warning System (PAVE PAWS) including Beale AFB, CA and Otis ANGB, MA, Clear AFS, AK . Amateurs have secondary status to the Department of Defense on the 440MHz band in question. At this time it affects more than 100 stations in the Sacramento area alone and repeaters in the area have been directed to turn off or reduce power to milliwatt levels effectively taking them off the air anyway. The system has been around since the 1980’s but the Air Force states the newer equipment is experiencing interference. The push to reduce the amateur radio activity started several years ago (2006) and discussions are continuing.    

Field Day was held and went fairly well. There is concern that the original intent of an emergency preparedness exercise has been lost and it has turned into a preplanned contest event. (OPEN)

New Business

None.

Items of Information

Chrysler is incorporating WiFi in 2009 vehicles.

An article appeared in the June 24 USA Today paper noting interaction between hospital equipment and rf devices, specifically RFid tags.  http://www.usatoday.com/tech/wireless/2008-06-24-hospital-devices_N.htm

An interesting story of interference where a store exit security system interfered with wireless lock controls in parking lot vehicles. http://www.nbc10.com/investigators/16701097/detail.html?dl=mainclick

http://www.paarc.net/MOD.htm

With the cost of transportation and many other things going up it is presenting more of a challenge for members to get justification to attend meetings. Are there other meetings that we could align ours with to more efficiently use attendees time, teleconference ability, training or program material. Ideas to help the situation are requested.

Moved and seconded to adjourn at 10:50 AM.

Respectfully submitted,

Steven Mayes,  Secretary/Treasurer

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