Meeting Minutes for September 9, 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: Chairman George Bisso called the meeting to order at 9:44 am. Introductions were made around the tables. Attendance today: 9.

Adoption of draft minutes of last meeting: Meeting minutes for the July meeting were approved as drafted. 

Secretary-Treasurer Finance and Correspondence Reports: Checking account no activity, ending balance of $508.46. Starting balance in Savings $1884.83, interest for the month of June $.16, ending balance of $684.99. The returned $500 deposit for the 2007 November meeting has been received.  

Committee Reports

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

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

FCC Report: Unsolicited Faxes are still an issue.

The over the air DTV transition currently is a major focus for the FCC. Wilmington, North Carolina stations have turned off their analog transmitters to be the first to do so. It should be a  good test of how well the transition will go for the rest of the country. The FCC stepped up public information efforts in May. In Wilmington the number of requests for converter box coupons went up 300% compared to an increase of 95% nationally. They distributed over 85,000 documents in the Wilmington area alone. They are finding that there still is confusion, misinformation and lack of cooperation in some (mainly rural) areas. Some officials of seniors communities have refused to distribute the information to their residents. A number of coupons held by early applicants have expired because they could not find converters in their area to buy. The FCC is trying to figure out a solution for these people. Some local tests of switching off analog have not gone well (cable, satellite feeds did not have DTV receivers to rebroadcast). Cable and satellite TV ads have been run that misrepresent the truth by implying that the only way to continue receiving TV broadcasts is to subscribe to their services. Other fraud schemes are expected such as people offering to fix TVs that have stopped working after Feb. 18 for a excessive fee when all that is needed is the converter. No requirements have set for low power stations and translators to change. In addition to their normal duties, Kris and Mike have been all over their region to give presentations on DTV. 195 stations have applied for exceptions to the February deadline due to technical difficulties including equipment availability (28 month backorders for full power stations).  

A licensee with multiple licenses received a $192,000 fine for operating for five years with out a license. This brought home the point of making sure the contact information on the license is accurate so the renewal notices, etc. go to the appropriate persons.  A suggestion is to use a distribution list as an email address on the license so there is less chance that correspondence will get overlooked or misdirected.  http://www.fcc.gov/eb/  (Open)

 

Old Business

150/450 MHz IX: The FCC received a complaint of polling data being heard on 151.925 MHz in the Prince Rupert, Canada area. The FCC did not find any signals on the US side so the matter was referred back to Canada. (OPEN)

FRS Issues: Nothing new to report. (OPEN)

700 MHz Planning & Meetings:  The region 43 committee meeting for September may be canceled due to lack of agenda item. The Public Safety Spectrum Trust (PSST) has objected to the original $50 million and later $12-15 million charge to be involved in the public safety band the FCC chairman Martin stated the plan was charge to $48.50 per month per customer. 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 issued a questionnaire to licensees involved in rebanding with questions on combiners and antenna systems so they can make better decisions for new frequency assignments. Reassignments may be out by the end of the year. Dave Mendel is the acting 800 committee chairman. (OPEN)

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

XM and Sirius Satellite Radio News: The FCC has to approve the changes. Terrestrial  broadcasters are trying to get the FCC to require that the radios receive both satellite and terrestrial Digital radio.  (OPEN)

APCO business or reports and general frequency coordination news: No local chapter meeting last month. http://www.apcowa.org/  (OPEN)

License-free or Spread-Spectrum technology issues: Some of the wireless headset and two-way radios in the 900 LFSS band operate with 1w power out and as expected will disrupt other 900 MHz devices. (OPEN)

4.9 GHz: Nothing new. (OPEN)

Amateur radio activity: A lot of activity in response to the hurricanes in the Gulf Coast area.  An amateur radio operator is interfering with activity on one of the local club repeater systems. The club has tried unsuccessfully to obtain cooperation and the offending party has obtained a restraining order against the club so they are restricted from contacting him. (OPEN)

New Business

None.

Items of Information

Part of West Tiger and East Tiger Mountain lost power for 4hrs due to a rat getting into a transformer at West Tiger which in turn caused a failure in a intermediate transformer partway up the mountain which took 24hrs to restore. An additional outage of 24 to 36 hrs is expected In the future to complete the repair (replacement of the transformer).

TX/RX is sponsoring a seminar on BDA and DAS systems on Sept. 26 in the SeaTac area.

The next issue of the NFPA code will have a section on in building radio system coverage.

 

Moved and seconded to adjourn at 12:05 AM.

Respectfully submitted,

Steven Mayes,  Secretary/Treasurer

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