It always amazes me that progress is so slow on many fronts for first responders.

Everyone deserves a lot of credit for keeping at it constantly and not missing an opportuntiy to move first responder issues further ahead.

Taking a break here until after Labor Day. So be safe and see you back here as we approach the fourth anniversary of September 11.

Congress will be returning to take up where they left off. Sure some work has been done but mostly behind closed doors.

Of interest to all first responders will be the next actions taken with respect to Senator John McCain's Save Lives Act.

Review the Congressional Research Services summary to get a familar overview again.

It is also time to get an update from your legislator. It is simple, just ask or write and say "When do first responders get additional spectrum?

The Association of OPublic Safety Communications Officials launched their international conference yesterday and it will continue until the 25th. You can watch and learn on the APCO web system. Just utilize the email contact provided in their info paragraph.

"APCO-TV is the official television news broadcast to be shown throughout the duration of the APCO International 71st Annual Conference and Exposition, Aug. 21-25 in Denver, Colo. APCO-TV is a unique initiative providing up-to-the-minute news for the conference,and will include delegate reactions to key issues, interviews with key personalities at the event, as well as pre-recorded documentaries and profiles on key issues and projects for the public safety communications industry. APCO-TV's daily news broadcasts will be viewed in the exhibition halls and on a dedicated TV channel in all APCO partner hotels in Denver. To broaden the reach of APCO-TV, it is supported by the APCO-TV official newsletter and program guide and a dynamic online presence. For more information, contact Courtney McCarron at mccarronc@apco911.org or (202) 833-9600.

The Department of Homeland Security's website is a good place to check and see if your department was part of the group of fire deparments and ambulance organizations that will share in this weeks announcement of $200 million dollars in grants.

The easiest place to find out if you were luck is Firehouse.com's website.

So stop reading this and see what's up. If you did not prevail this time keep on writing those grant applications.

The Consumer Electronics Association and the National Association of Broadcasters are taking different views as to which television set sizes the dtv tuner mandate should apply and when.

The August 12 article in TV Technology News Bytes gives the competing detail.

NAB "...also asked the commission to move the date by which all new analog-only sets must include DTV tuners up six months from July 1, 2007 to late 2006 to take advantage of the heavy holiday buying season and the Super Bowl. Currently all large screen (36-inch and up) and half of all mid-sized (25-36-inch) tuner-enabled sets on the market are required to include DTV tuners. In June, the FCC moved the date that all sets 25 inches and up must include DTV tuners to March 1, 2006. At the same time, the commission opened an inquiry to determine whether to move the DTV tuner mandate deadline for all sets 13 inches and up six months from July 1, 2007 to the end of 2006. It also asked for comments on whether sets with 13-inch or smaller should be included in the DTV tuner mandate as well. NAB said yes on both counts.

CEA responded saying that:

"...such arguments fly in the face of market realities, citing shortened and costly production cycles. It also said any decisions on such deadlines should wait until after a hard analog shut-off date is determined."

First responders havent really said much about size deadlines but you should review the june 9, 2005 FCC press release to stay on top of the issue.

If enough sets are built with the dtv component it reduces the number of dtv converters that will have to be subsidized in the future.

The podcast broadcasts have started. Firehouse.com announced that Radio@firehouse.com is up and running as of August 9. We wish the endeavor much success.

Firehouse continues its perfect timing because the word "podcast" just entered the dictionary according to Bloomberg News. A "podcast" is an audio broadcast downloaded to be listened to on digital audio players.

So tune in and learn while you are polishing that Mack.

As a first responder it is good to be aware of what all personnel are up to and what is going on around you at all times.

In the dtv spectrum transition issue area this means knowing what everybody else is up to, especially the broadcaster community.

The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) issued a press release announcing that Disney/ABC have rejoined NAB.

"Ben Tucker, Chairman of the NAB Television Board and acting President and CEO of Fisher Communications, saluted ABC for its decision. "Broadcasters face many challenges in the public policy arena, and it is important for our industry to speak with one voice before Congress and the FCC," said Mr. Tucker.

David Field, Chairman of the NAB Radio Board and President/CEO of Entercom Communications, said, "NAB's already strong presence in Washington will only be enhanced by the return of ABC to our trade association. We look forward to working together on our issues of mutual concern."

NAB President and CEO Edward O. Fritts also welcomed the ABC announcement. "This is great news for NAB, ABC and the entire broadcast industry," he said. "There is no denying that we are stronger as an industry when we are united."

Their industry certainly does have a way with Congress.

The range of opinions on the value of the DTV transition is spread far and wide. National Journal's August1 article shows differences of opinion of between fourteen and eighteen million dollars. The Congressional Budget Office states that it is worth ten billion dollars.

Drew Clark writes:

"But CBO's estimate is considerably lower than two separate private sector analyses of the value of the broadcast spectrum currently in use from channels 52 to 69.

One of those studies, conducted by the Brattle Group for Qualcomm and the High Tech DTV Transition Coalition, pegged the value of spectrum at as much as $28 billion. Another, by Coleman Bazelon of the Analysis Group and conducted for Intel, puts it at $24 billion."

Time will tell which estimate is closer to the truth.

The Association of Public Safety Communications Officials are having their annual conference in Denver from August 21 through the 25.

If you have never been to one of their conferences then you should know that there is no way to not learn something valuable while attending.

All those radio questions that could not be answered at the Baltimore Expo will be resolved at this conference.