Dear Friends of Wireless Messaging,

As I mentioned in last week’s editorial:

The Wireless Messaging newsletter's reason for existence to inform members of the Wireless Messaging, and Paging communities about related news, and to provide a public forum for them to express their ideas, and opinions.

The newsletter is about the only remaining place where you can stay up-to-date on related business trends, and technology. There used to be several trade-publications that reported on industry-wide paging — now there is only one.

Readers are a very select group of wireless industry professionals, and include the senior managers of many of the world's major Paging and Wireless Messaging companies. There is an even mix of operations managers, marketing people, and engineers — so I try to include items of interest to all three groups. It's all about staying up-to-date with business trends and technology.

Also, Paging has traditionally been divided into two distinctly different markets:

• Public Paging, or Subscriber Paging
  • Typically covers a large area
    • State
    • Region
    • Nationwide
    • International (other countries)
  • Pagers are usually owned by the subscriber
  • Service is offered for a fee paid for by an individual or company
  • Infrastructure is owned by the service provider
• Private Paging, or On-site Paging
  • Typically covers a smaller area
    • A factory
    • A university campus
    • A hospital campus
    • Exception: some utilities cover a large area for both paging and remote control of equipment
  • Pagers are usually owned by the private service provider or employer
  • Service is generally not charged for — it improves efficiency
  • Infrastructure is owned by the private company

I always try to address both of these markets.

One of the reasons that I have been able to continue for over ten years and 620 issues is that my readers have contributed valuable news and information, as well as financial support. In other words it is “our newsletter” not “my newsletter.”

I have been battling some health issues recently, but fortunately my situation is not nearly as bad as I had feared. I have just completed some testing at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, and I am “good to go!” (Please listen to the report from my doctor in THOUGHTS FOR THE WEEK section near the end of this issue.) So don’t start writing any eulogies yet.

I think everyone is good at something, and not so good at other things. As for me, I really enjoy writing, and editing the newsletter each week. The part that I am not so good at is keeping up with the business-related paperwork — invoicing for advertising, etc. Back when I had a “real job” I didn’t like doing expense reports either.

So now that I can focus my attention more on the newsletter, and less on foolishness — like my health, I am planning to make several changes to increase readership and support.

If you would like to help, please send me suggestions about what you would like to see more of , or less of , and recommend it to all of your friends, and colleagues. I know everyone doesn't have time to read it all — every week — but you can always scan the headlines for something important to you.

P.S. Has anyone bought those Motorola Nucleus 900 MHz 300 Watt, C-Net Paging Transmitters from Rick McMichael at Preferred Wireless for $750 Each?

This is such an incredible deal that I think he would be sold out by now. Look at the photos below! Good grief, just for spare parts, they are worth twice that!

Now on to more news and views.

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Wireless Messaging News
Emergency Radio Communications Wireless Messaging Critical Messaging Telemetry Paging Wi-Fi	Wireless Messaging

A new issue of the Wireless Messaging Newsletter is posted on the web each week. A notification goes out by e-mail to subscribers on most Fridays around noon central US time. The notification message has a link to the actual newsletter on the web. That way it doesn't fill up your incoming e-mail account.

There is no charge for subscription and there are no membership restrictions. Readers are a very select group of wireless industry professionals, and include the senior managers of many of the world's major Paging and Wireless Messaging companies. There is an even mix of operations managers, marketing people, and engineers — so I try to include items of interest to all three groups. It's all about staying up-to-date with business trends and technology.

I regularly get readers' comments, so this newsletter has become a community forum for the Paging, and Wireless Messaging communities. You are welcome to contribute your ideas and opinions. Unless otherwise requested, all correspondence addressed to me is subject to publication in the newsletter and on my web site. I am very careful to protect the anonymity of those who request it.

I spend the whole week searching the Internet for news that I think may be of interest to you — so you won't have to. This newsletter is an aggregator — a service that aggregates news from other news sources. You can help our community by sharing any interesting news that you find.

Editorial Opinion pieces present only the opinions of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the views of any of advertisers or supporters. This newsletter is independent of any trade association.

Back To Paging

Still The Most Reliable Protocol For Wireless Messaging!

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Advertiser Index

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Which Of Many Possible iWatches Or iWearables Will Apple Debut On Sept. 9?

TECH 8/29/2014 @ 11:18AM Forbes By: Anthony Wing Kosner, Contributor Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own.

The iWatch is coming!

Scratch that, an iWearable is coming! According to sources at Re/code, we now “know” that Apple will debut some kind of wearable on September 9. The iPhone 6, in two new sizes, should be enough for one announcement event. But there’s more!

To be clear, Re/code’s John Paczkowski did not cite a source when he broke the news . His headline: “Start the Countdown Timer on Whatever Old-Fashioned Piece of Junk You Have on Your Wrist Right Now.” OK.

Paczkowski calls out John Gruber’s “ joke ” that seemed to leak this announcement three weeks ago. He then goes on to crow, “Oh. Could things change between now and September 9? That’s certainly possible — har-har — but I doubt it.”

Earlier on Re/code, Lauren Goode wrote , “We don’t know if it exists in the form factors some have envisioned. [and] We’re not even certain it will be called ‘iWatch.’”

So what do we know and why do we know it? The knowable known, to paraphrase Errol Morris, has three sources. We can look at the supply chain for physical evidence. We can look at iOS 8 for software hooks available to the new device(s). Finally, we can look at who values, and is likely to pay for, the data collected.

iWatch concept by Martin Hajek.

The Form Factor

As I have written, the speculation from the Apple Fantasy Prototype League (#AFPL) has been fecund. The physical evidence of actual leaked parts has been nil. The closest we have to proof of form factor are reports of 1.6 and 1.6 inch AMOLED display shipments . A recent report also cited a filing for sapphire production for use in “jewelry .”

The fact that there have been no purported leaked parts could have several explanations.

1. Actual production in porous Chinese factories has not yet begun.
2. Production has begun in China but there are no third-party accessory makers (i.e., straps?) yet involved.
3. This is all hype and no iWearable is even close to production.

I’m going for the second explanation. Apple’s “upriver” chipset suppliers are far more discreet than their “downriver” case makers. It is easy to imagine Apple providing hardware module that other manufacturers will brand in the coming years. For now, I would look for Apple to micromanage all aspects of the physical product. This would particularly make sense if rumors are true that the band of the iWatch will be integral to the device.

Software Solutions

As my colleague Dan Diamond wrote yesterday , the challenges to this product are considerable. He breaks out three hype-busting factors:

1. The data isn’t useful yet.
2. The key technology probably doesn’t exist yet.
3. Consumers get weary of wearing a wearable.

The question of whether Apple’s wearables will need FDA approval encapsulates Dan’s first two points. As he writes, “If the iWatch had a significant new biomedical feature, we would know about it by now.”

Like big data in general, there is far more supply than demand. It is up to the apps to make consumers feel they need this data.

Both HealthKit and HomeKit in iOS 8 provide functions that an iWearable could control. And such wearables could provide useful biometric and positional data streams to apps built on iOS 8. But how compelling will they be to consumers?

Mobile design consultant Luke Wroblewski used an easy test for his own value of wearables . Does he keep them charged and does he replace them is they break? His answer, so far, for all but the Pebble watch has been, “no.”

The Value Of Data

An article earlier this week by Bold Investor in Seeking Alpha asked, “Who Might Subsidize The iWatch?” This is not idle speculation. Unlike the current smartwatch platforms, an iWatch will be expensive unless subsidized. Pebble, Gear and Wear do not promise to be super-accurate data sources. They provide smartphone companion functionality, as the iWatch will.

But to be an Apple-style hit, iWearables have to be more than that. The messy part is that the end-users are not the primary beneficiaries of the data these devices will generate. Here is my list of the real data/value pairs:

• Payment Gateways: If the iPhone 6 contains an NFC chip for mobile payments, an iWatch could provide an extra level of authentication. Reducing fraud is valuable to payment gateways that might partner with Apple.
• Health Insurers: As Bold Investor suggested, healthy habits save health insurers money. A device that could validate compliance is valuable to health insurers.
• Pharma Companies: Compliance is also important in medicine. Continuous vital sign data could revolutionize clinical drug trials. The higher the quality of the data the more valuable to pharma companies.
• Federal Governments: As the insurer of last resort, governments have an interest in their citizen’s health. Any single person’s heart rate data may be of little value. But on a big data level such data can provide feedback for valuable health initiatives.
• Advertisers: The data already thrown of by smartphones tells marketers more about us than we want to admit. The correlation of that data with more granular biometrics could deliver them even more value. (Note: HealthKit is wisely preventing this kind of data reuse at this time.)

I think all the above value propositions lie in the future of iWearables. My guess is that the first iWatch will be expensive and not transcendently useful. Rich consumers will be the ones who subsidize it. I also expect the technology to ramp up after Apple establishes the platform. Its skill at miniaturization combined with UX will yield many valuable solutions in the years ahead.

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Get strangers to deliver the bad news with 'Somebody' messaging app

by Daniel Cooper
August 29, 2014

If you've ever sat back, stared into the sky and wonder would happen if WhatsApp was taken over by a singing telegram service, then boy, today is your lucky day. Film director and artist Miranda July has teamed up with Prada sub-brand Miu Miu (nope, us neither) to design a social messaging app / publicity stunt with a twist. Instead of simply letting two people swap messages, Somebody (for iOS) finds a person in the nearby vicinity to your contact, asking them to walk over and deliver the message, in person, on your behalf. You can even add stage directions like crying or whispering, and the recipient can rate their delivery with a star rating in the same vein as Uber.

If we're honest, there are a whole host of reasonable, legitimate objections to this. After all, giving away someone's personal location to complete strangers is a bit weird, as is the idea that people would willingly volunteer to break up with someone on your behalf. The app does exist and is available to download, although it seems that other would-be somebodies haven't been able to get SMS-verified yet. I've signed up to convey two messages in my nearby area, but so far no-one's sent over an address to deliver the missive personally. Maybe people aren't impressed by my lack of obvious whimsy and a Miu Miu outfit, but if I do get sent on a mission, I will let all of you know how it goes.

Please click the Learn More button.

10 awesome things you didn't know your phone could do

Kim Komando, Special for USA TODAY
9:09 a.m. EDT August 29, 2014

In this file photo, a sales person pulls out an iPhone 5s for a customer.
(Photo: Alan Diaz AP)

You've had your smartphone for a while. But let's face it: you've never read the manual. You take great pride in the fact you know how to use it. Then, it happens.

You see someone do something extraordinary with his or her phone that you did not know was even possible. Friends don't let friends have smartphone skill envy. Here are some of my favorite secrets buried in your phone settings that you probably don't know, but will use now.

Quick note: There are so many versions of Android out there that these instructions won't work for every phone. Where I can I've included apps that do the same thing.

1. Take a screenshot

Have you ever wanted to capture something on your phone's screen? Maybe it's a hilarious text from a friend, an interesting Facebook post, or you want to send someone an image to show them how to do something.

iPhone

Press and hold the Home button along with the Sleep/Wake button. You should hear a shutter click. The screenshot will appear in your Camera Roll or Saved Photos section.

Android

Hold the Power and Volume Down buttons at the same time. The image is saved to the "Captured Images" folder in your Gallery app. That only works in Android 4.0 and higher, though. For Android 3.0, 2.3 or earlier, use an app like AirDroid .

2. Block calls and texts

Have you ever had someone who just won't stop calling or texting you, even after you asked nicely? Here's how to block them.

iPhone

To block calls on an iPhone with iOS 7 or later, open the Phone or FaceTime app. If the person is already a contact, tap their name, scroll to the bottom of the page and tap Block This Caller. Then tap Block Contact.

If the person isn't a contact, tap the Info button, then scroll to the bottom of the page and tap Block this Caller. Then tap Block Contact.

If you want to block texts, open the Messages app and tap a message from the person you want to block. Tap Contact in the upper right and then tap the Info button. Scroll to the bottom and tap Block this Caller. Then tap Block Contact.

You can edit your blocked contacts later at these locations:

Settings>>Phone>>Blocked

Settings>>Messages>>Blocked

Settings>>FaceTime>>Blocked

Android

On Android, go to Settings>>Call settings>>Call block. Under "Incoming calls" tap "Call block list" and then tap Create. You can enter a number, or tap the picture icon to find the number in your Contacts list or in your call logs.

If you don't see these steps or want more blocking options, check out these call- and text-blocking apps .

3. Use a real password

iPhone and Android both default to a 4-digit PIN for unlocking the phone. That's OK as long as you don't use something simple like 0000 or 1234. However, I know some people who want even more security.

iPhone

To set a real password on an iPhone, go to Settings>>Passcode. From there, swipe off the option that says Simple Passcode. Here, you can set your passcode with letters and special characters for better phone security.

Android

Go to Settings>>Lock screen and tap Screen lock. You can set what level of security you want, from a simple swipe to a password. Select Password and type in the password that you want. It should have a mix of letters, numbers and special characters to be really safe.

4. See text easier

Having a hard time reading things on your phone's small screen? Bump up the font size to something a bit easier to see.

iPhone

Go to Settings>>General>>Accessibility and turn on Bold Text and Larger Text. You can choose either one or both, depending on your preferences. You will need to restart your phone for Bold Text to take effect.

Android

Go to Settings>>Accessibility. Under Vision, tap Font size and set it to Large. Some phones include an even larger Huge option.

5. Read things out loud

Want to keep your eyes off your phone for a bit? Have it read things to you out loud.

iPhone

Go to Settings>>General>>Accessibility and turn on VoiceOver. You have the option to practice with VoiceOver, set the speaking rate and more.

You will need to do some playing around to get used to it. For example you can touch and drag your fingers around the home screen to have it read what's there. Double tap to activate an app, while one tap will give you details about it.

VoiceOver will read directions to you in Maps, have your camera tell you how many people are in your shot, and get spoken photo descriptions. You can also hand write notes and letters on the screen and have VoiceOver translate your messages into text for Mail and other apps.

Android

Go to Settings>>Accessibility and tap TalkBack. If you don't see it, you can download it from the Google Play store.

Turn it on and your phone will read whatever you touch on the screen and incoming notifications. Hint: To perform a regular swipe gesture, you have to use two fingers instead of one.

To adjust your TalkBack settings, go to Settings>>Accessibility and tap Text-to-Speech options. You can adjust the voice engine and speed rate.

Then go to Settings and turn on Hands-free mode. This will tell you who is calling or messaging.

There are lots of cool features on your iPhone that you may not know about. Contributor Jennifer Jolly shows you five of them.

6. Customize alert vibration patterns

You've set a custom ringtone for each of your contacts, but that doesn't help when you have your phone on vibrate. Fortunately, you can create custom vibration patterns as well.

iPhone

Go to Settings>>Sounds>>Ringtone>>Vibration. You can tap out patterns to record. Or, you can go into your contacts list and hit Edit and select the Vibration option for each contact.

Android

Go to Contacts and tap on a contact name. Under Vibration Pattern, tap Default and choose a preset pattern. Or tap the Create button and tap on the screen to create your own pattern.

If you don't have this built in, there are third-party apps like Vybe that can do this as well.

7. Flash camera LED for notifications

Need a quiet alert about notifications and don't want to use vibrate? Have notifications trigger your phone's LED camera flash instead. Just make sure you turn this off or keep your phone hidden when you go to the movies.

iPhone

Go to Settings>>General>> Accessibility and turn on "LED Flash for Alerts." Now every time you get a notification, your phone's rear camera will flash.

Android

Go to Settings>>Accessibility and turn on "Flash notification." If your phone doesn't have this, try an app like Flash Notification 2 from the Google Play store.

8. Better ways to take pictures

Tapping your phone's screen to take a picture sounds good in theory, but in practice it can make shots a little shaky. Here are some better options.

iPhone

Hold your camera in landscape mode and press the Volume Up button on the side.

Android

Open the camera app and tap the gear to see the settings. Scroll down to Voice control and turn it on. Now you can take pictures with the commands, "Capture," "Shoot," "Smile" and "Cheese."

If your phone doesn't have a built-in camera app with this feature, you'll need a third-party app like Say Cheese .

9. Take multiple pictures at once

If you're taking pictures of a moving object, squirming kid or people who tend to blink, you often want to take a bunch of pictures at once.

iPhone 5s/5c

Open the Camera app. Tap and hold the shutter release button on the screen — or press and hold the Volume Up button — and the camera will start taking multiple pictures. Release the button when you want to stop.

The iPhone can take up to 10 pictures a second. It will group the photos for you automatically so you can quickly find the best ones.

Android

Open the Camera app. Tap the gear icon to open the settings and turn Burst Shot on. Then tap and hold the shutter release button and the phone will take multiple images until you release the button - or it hits the preset limit for your phone. The photos will be grouped for you in your gallery.

If your camera doesn't have this option, you can grab a third-party camera app like Snap Camera HDR , or wait for your phone to get an updated to Android 4.4.

10. Turn off music automatically

A lot of people use their phone to listen to music as they go to sleep, or as they're doing a project. But you don't want it running forever and draining your battery.

iPhone

Go to the Clock app and click on "Timer," then "When Timer Ends." From here, scroll all the way down to the bottom of the screen and select "Stop Playing."

Android

Open the music player and go to Settings. Look for "Music auto off" and set it to however long you want the music to play. There are also third-party apps like Sleep Timer available.

On the Kim Komando Show, the nation's largest weekend radio talk show, Kim takes calls and dispenses advice on today's digital lifestyle, from smartphones and tablets to online privacy and data hacks. For her daily tips, newsletters and more, visit www.komando.com . E-mail her at techcomments@usatoday.com .

Jefferson Graham explores five cool things you can do with Windows 8.1 Phones on Talking Tech.

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Zetron’s ‘Shoot for the Stars’ Golf Tournament Raises $23K for ‘Behind the Badge’

Zetron’s fourth annual “Shoot for the Stars” benefit golf tournament raised $23,000 for Behind the Badge, a foundation that honors and assists injured and fallen Washington state law-enforcement officers and their families.

Redmond, WA, U.S.A., Aug. 28, 2014 — Zetron, a leading mission-critical communications systems provider based in Redmond, WA, raised $23,000 at its fourth annual “Shoot for the Stars” golf tournament to benefit Behind the Badge Foundation August 20, 2014, at The Golf Club in Newcastle, WA. Behind the Badge is an organization that honors and assists Washington State’s injured and fallen law-enforcement officers and their families. The $23,000 raised this year is a combination of event fees, sponsorships, and donations from the immediate and extended community, as well as contributions from Zetron employees, and matching funds from Zetron and Zetron president and CEO, Ellen O’Hara. The tournament has raised a total of $64,000 for the Behind the Badge over the last four years.

Highlights of this year’s tournament included the participation of over 100 first responders and law-enforcement personnel, as well as musical performances by Seattle R & B band, The Weather Experts; and local singer/songwriter, Jairemie Alexander.

Also on hand to support and add star power to the event were former Seattle Sonic, Slick Watts; former Seahawks, Randall Morris and Charles Young; and former U.W. Husky and All-American linebacker, Antowaine Richardson. Q13 FOX news anchor and host of Washington’s Most Wanted, David Rose, served as master of ceremonies, as he has done every year since the tournament’s inception. Elite sponsors included Alaska Airlines, Avanti Markets, Directors Mortgage, Kenwood U.S.A, Kibble and Prentice Insurance, Peak Travel, and GeoConex.

“This year’s ‘Shoot for the Stars’ tournament was our most successful to date,” said Zetron president and CEO, Ellen O’Hara. “It’s very exciting to see the momentum the event continues to gather each year and the enthusiasm with which our community comes out to support it. I want to thank all of those who did so much to plan, sponsor, and participate in the event and make it such a brilliant success.”

About Zetron
Founded in 1980, Zetron manufactures and provides award-winning communications systems designed to equip the entire mission-critical control room. Zetron’s integrated solutions combine IP-based dispatch, NG9-1-1 call-taking, voice logging, IP fire station alerting, CAD, mapping, and automatic vehicle location (AVL) systems. They are expandable, interoperable, and able to support remote and geo-diverse operations. Zetron backs its products with technical support and project-management services known for their expertise and responsiveness. Zetron has offices in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and numerous field locations; and a worldwide network of resellers, system integrators and distributors. Zetron has offices in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and numerous field locations; and a worldwide network of resellers, system integrators and distributors. Zetron is a wholly owned subsidiary of JVC Kenwood Corporation. For more information, visit: http://www.zetron.com .

Zetron, Inc. • PO Box 97004 • Redmond, WA 98073-9704
Phone: (425) 820-6363 • Fax: (425) 820-7023

Brad Dye, Ron Mercer, Allan Angus, Vic Jackson, and Ira Wiesenfeld are friends and colleagues who work both together and independently, on wireline and wireless communications projects.

Click here for a summary of their qualifications and experience. Each one has unique abilities. We would be happy to help you with a project, and maybe save you some time and money.

Motorola Nucleus 900 MHz Paging Transmitter

NIU 2 with Flash Card

Nucleus II Control Module

SEE WEB FOR COMPLETE LIST:

www.preferredwireless.com/equipment

Rick McMichael
Preferred Wireless, Inc.
10658 St. Charles Rock Rd.
St. Louis, MO 63074
888-429-4171 or 314-429-3000
rickm@preferredwireless.com

Selected portions of the BloostonLaw Telecom Update, and/or the BloostonLaw Private Users Update —newsletters from the Law Offices of Blooston, Mordkofsky, Dickens, Duffy & Prendergast, LLP are reproduced in this section with the firm's permission.

The BloostonLaw Telecom Update newsletter will be on our traditional August recess, in light of the usual slowdown in the news cycle. We will resume publication on September 3. Meanwhile, we will keep clients apprised of significant developments via memos and special supplements.

FCC Streamlines and Clarifies Antenna Structure Lighting and Marking Rules

In its August Open Meeting, the FCC adopted a long-awaited Report and Order (FCC 14-117) to streamline and eliminate outdated provisions of its Part 17 Rules governing the construction, marking and lighting of antenna structures. The Part 17 R&O harmonizes certain FCC rules with FAA guidelines, and it modernizes the Commission’s lighting and marking requirements to reflect technological advancements and current industry standards. It comes in response to a 2010 Notice of Pro-posed Rulemaking and addressed issues that were raised in a 2004 Biennial Regulatory Review and subsequent Petition for Rulemaking that was filed by PCIA – The Wireless Infrastructure Association.

Part 17 of the Commission’s rules prescribes certain procedures for antenna structure registration (ASR) and sets forth standards to determine whether a structure may impact air navigation, consistent with recommendations made by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). These rules require antenna structure owners to register and exercise primary responsibility for painting and lighting of antenna structures meeting the registration criteria, to maintain the marking and lighting in good order, and to conduct routine inspections of their facilities. Under FCC rules, any proposed or existing antenna structure that requires notice of proposed construction to the FAA must be registered with the Commission. As a result, the FCC exercises joint, and in some circumstances overlapping oversight with the FAA of certain antenna structures.

One of the more significant and cost-saving changes adopted in the Part 17 R&O is an exemption from quarterly in-person inspection requirements for tower owners that use Network Operations Center-based monitoring that is staffed with trained personnel who can respond to alarms 24 hours a day. An example that illustrates how outdated and archaic certain rules had become was a requirement that tower owners must notify the FAA about lighting outages “by telephone or telegraph.” A more complete summary of rule changes is available as a supplement to the BloostonLaw Antenna Structure Compliance Manual. Additionally, the Commission also made the following change and/or clarifications:

1. Any change or correction in the overall height of the antenna tower by one foot or greater of a registered antenna structure requires prior approval from the FAA and modification of the existing registration with the FCC
2. Any change in the marking and lighting that varies from the specifications described on any antenna structure registration requires prior approval from the FAA and the FCC
3. Notifications of completion of construction or the dismantling of an antenna tower must be filed within 5 calendar days of the event
4. ASR Number posting requirements have been made more precise “so that it is conspicuously visible and legible from the publicly accessible area nearest the base of the antenna structure along the publicly accessible roadway or path.” Additionally, the FCC has provided guidance if the antenna site is surrounded by a fence.

To help ensure that its rules remain up-to-date, the Commission has delegated further rulemaking authority to the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (WTB) to make non-substantive, editorial revisions to the Part 17 rules to reflect future FAA rule changes and recommendations after providing an opportunity for notice and comment. We will keep our clients advised of any developments in this regard.

CenterPoint Energy Fined $10,000 for Tower Light Outage

The FCC has issued an order affirming the proposed monetary forfeiture against CenterPoint Energy for $10,000. The forfeiture arose out of a malfunction in CenterPoint’s remote alarm monitoring system that did not alert it to a light outage on its antenna tower at Katy, Texas. While CenterPoint admitted the violations, it did seek a reduction of the proposed fine based upon certain staffing issues and its history of compliance with the FCC’s Rules.

In declining to reduce the forfeiture amount, the FCC noted that CenterPoint had received a violation notice in 2011 for failure to post an Antenna Structure Registration Number on one its other antenna tower. Additionally, the FCC stated that staffing issues due to health issues were not persuasive since licensees are expected to immediately notify the FAA of any light outage or malfunction involving a top steady burning light or any flashing obstruction light, regardless of its position on the tower within 30 minutes. Finally, the FCC concluded that taking corrective action to repair the alarm system and obstruction lighting, as well as developing internal controls and policies to prevent future violations is action that is expected when a tower owner is found to be out of compliance with the FCC’s Rules. As a result, the FCC declined to reduce the monetary forfeiture.

Clients are cautioned that if they are using remote alarm monitoring systems that the systems must be inspected and tested regularly in order to ensure that they are in proper working order. Additionally, the FAA must be notified immediately once a light outage is found that cannot be repaired within 30 minutes of discovery.

Sprint Seeks Waiver to Permit Wide-Band Operations in Portions of New Mexico and Texas NPSPAC Regions

Comments Due: September 25, 2014
Reply Comments Due: October 10, 2014

Sprint has filed three requests for waiver of Rule Section 90.209(b)(7) to permit 800 MHz wideband operations in portions of the New Mexico (Region 29), Texas-El Paso (Region 50) and Texas-San Antonio (Region53) NPSPAC regions prior to the completion of the 800 MHz rebanding in those regions. Sprint is requesting the waiver to implement wideband operations in those counties where it has already completed its rebanding activities. With the exception of Region 53 (San Antonio), it appears that Sprint has substantially completed its efforts and only 3 to 5 counties remain. In San Antonio, however, it appears that Sprint has 17 counties in which rebanding has not yet been completed.

Interested clients should contact our office.

FCC Amends Part 25 Rules to Conform Transactional Requirements for Satellite Radio Service to the Wireless Services

It is important to remember that all transfers of control and assignments of license require prior FCC authorization. As a result, our clients should include this requirement in the planning for any upcoming transactions. Additionally, once the parties have closed, the FCC’s Rules require the filing of a notification advising the Commission that the transaction actually occurred. This is so the license records can be updated.

As part of its internal process reform, the FCC has amended Part 25 of its rules to extend the time period in which parties must consummate an approved license assignment or transfer of control of a satellite earth station license. Under the current rule, parties had 60 days to consummate the transaction — which was significantly shorter than the 180-day time period for the wireless services. Because it is not uncommon for licensees to hold FCC radio licenses in both the wireless and satellite earth station services, the FCC conformed the satellite rules to match the more liberal rules for the wireless services. As a result, parties will now have 180 days to complete their approved transactions. The FCC believes that this will make it easier to plan closings and limit the number of extension requests.

Office clients should also be reminded that consummation notifications must be filed with the FCC within 30 calendar days of the close of a transaction.

Please contact our office with any questions.

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Wireless Network Planners
Wireless Specialists

www.wirelessplanners.com
wirelessplannerron@gmail.com

R.H. (Ron) Mercer Consultant 217 First Street East Northport, NY 11731
Cellphone: 631-786-9359

Intelligent Solutions for Paging & Wireless Data

WiPath manufactures a wide range of highly unique and innovative hardware and software solutions in paging and mobile data for:

• Emergency Mass Alert & Messaging
• Emergency Services Communications
• Utilities Job Management
• Telemetry and Remote Switching
• Fire House Automation
• Load Shedding and Electrical Services Control

PDT3000 Paging Data Terminal

• FLEX & POCSAG
• Built-in POCSAG encoder
• Huge capcode capacity
• Parallel, 2 serial ports, 4 relays
• Message & system monitoring

Paging Controlled Moving Message LED Displays

• Variety of sizes
• Indoor/outdoor
• Integrated paging receiver

PDR3000/PSR3000 Paging Data Receivers

• Highly programmable, off-air decoders
• Message Logging & remote control
• Multiple I/O combinations and capabilities
• Network monitoring and alarm reporting

Specialized Paging Solutions

• Emergency Mass Alerting
• Remote telemetry switching & control
• Fire station automation
• PC interfacing and message management
• Paging software and customized solutions
• Message interception, filtering, redirection, printing & logging Cross band repeating, paging coverage infill, store and forward
• Alarm interfaces, satellite linking, IP transmitters, on-site systems

Mobile Data Terminals & Two Way Wireless  Solutions

Contact
Postal Address:	WiPath Communications LLC 4845 Dumbbarton Court Cumming, GA 30040
Street Address:	4845 Dumbbarton Court Cumming, GA 30040
Web site:	www.wipath.com CLICK
E-mail:	info@wipath.com CLICK
Phone:	770-844-6218
Fax:	770-844-6574
WiPath Communications

Wireless Communication Solutions

USB Paging Encoder

• Single channel up to eight zones
• Connects to Linux computer via USB
• Programmable timeouts and batch sizes
• Supports 2-tone, 5/6-tone, POCSAG 512/1200/2400, GOLAY
• Supports Tone Only, Voice, Numeric, and Alphanumeric
• PURC or direct connect
• Pictured version mounts in 5.25" drive bay
• Other mounting options available
• Available as a daughter board for our embedded Internet Paging Terminal (IPT)

Paging Data Receiver (PDR)

• Frequency agile—only one receiver to stock
• USB or RS-232 interface
• Two contact closures
• End-user programmable w/o requiring special hardware
• 16 capcodes
• POCSAG
• Eight contact closure version also available
• Product customization available

Other products

Please see our web site for other products including Internet Messaging Gateways, Unified Messaging Servers, test equipment, and Paging Terminals.

Contact

Hark Technologies 717 Old Trolley Rd Ste 6 #163 Summerville, SC 29485

Tel: 843-821-6888

Fax: 843-821-6894

E-mail: sales@harktech.com CLICK

Web: http://www.harktech.com CLICK

David George and Bill Noyes
of Hark Technologies.

Click on the logo above for more info.

Good News

Some have already received this in a private e-mail.

I heard, or read on a greeting card, some time ago:

“When you share happiness with a friend, it is doubled.
When you share sadness with a friend, it is reduced by one-half.”

So the attached audio file (from my iPhone's voice-mail) is an attempt to share my happiness with you. Try clicking on it, and make sure your speakers are on. It is a report from Dr. Alan Braverman, chief clinical cardiologist at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis where I had my cardiac catheterization done last week. This whole experience reminds me of the time, as a teenager, I was running across a railroad track, tripped, fell, and almost got hit by a train going over 100 MPH. I didn't get hurt, but it sure scared me.

Dawn On The Beach

Photo taken by my friend, tutor, and master photographer, Jim Brickett.

Virgina Beach, Virginia — August 23, 2014

jimbrickett@cox.net