ITAC Teleconference
April 15, 2005 -- 11:00 am -- 12:30 pm ET

Audio Bridge/WebEx Information:

• Conference: ITAC
• Software Application: WebEx
• Telecommunications: Reston Talk
• Date: Friday, April 15, 2005
• Time: 11:00 AM - 1:15 PM Eastern Time
• Dial In Number: 703-648-4848 (District/Region)
  Dial In Number: x4848 (National Center)
• # of Ports/Lines: 15
• Conference Code #: 41902

WebEx Session Info:

• Date: Friday, April 15, 2005
• Starting time:  10:45 am, Eastern Daylight Time (GMT -04:00, New York)
• Duration:  2 hours 15 minutes
• Meeting number:  761 148 983
• Meeting password:  9220
• Host key:  297727
• Teleconference:  
  • Dial-in#: 1-703-648-4848
  • Passcode #: 41902
• Host:  Marilyn Billone 
• Host's email address: mabillon@usgs.gov 

[Please note that although the "starting time" says 10:45 a.m., you don't have to sign in until 11:00 a.m. This gives Marilyn a chance to get ready for the session. I also scheduled it for a bit longer than 1 1/2 hours...just in case.

ITAC membership email abbreviation:   GS-W ITAC

Attendees:

The following members attended today's cyber conference call:

[Web Ex session facilitated by Dottie Harris.]

Agenda:

• Review status of Pending Action Items (Please refer to the file on status that Marilyn forwarded to you all and be prepared to discuss updates.
• Reminder of date change for Maine summer meeting (August 16-18), expected participation?

Discussion Notes:

I. Outstanding action items

II. Sandy Williamson brought up that he has been working with a cell phone that has GPS capabilities. (Reference 4/5/05 e-mail from Skip Dutro and 4/6/05 e-mail(s) from Sandy Williamson.)

Discussion:

• $18/month for data service
• Can download locations.
• Good capabilities and benefits for field people.
• Can upload pictures and data in real-time.
• Intriguing for hazards work; good for storm event-type studies.
• Good to manage crews during floods, for example.
• Good for tracking “trucks.”
• Chris Leeth has a technician who will try this out. Chris will let Sandy know more about his experience with it.
• Internal compass? Sandy’s cell phone does not have this. Cell phone and GPS antennae are same one; this makes it better on batteries. Picks up GPS signal in 20 seconds.
• Jeff Stoner suggested we add this topic to the next call.

III. Next ITAC Telecon/WebEx meeting:

Any conflicts with dates?
Discussion:

• Are Fridays still the best? Friday is good for Sandy and Reston folks. We’ll keep telecons on Fridays.
• Better to have it after ITEM.
• Next ITAC telecon is tentatively scheduled for Fri., 5/27/05. Jeff will send out e-mail to ITAC.

IV. Maine meeting

• Moved to 8/16-18/05; travel day Monday, 8/15/05.
• Greg Allord cannot attend this meeting.

V. Agenda items for Maine Meeting

• Start thinking about agenda items.
• Can always review Outstanding Action Items, as well as discuss ITEM.

Discussion:

• Who will be at ITEM? Not Tim McElhone and not Katherine Lins.
• Tim mentioned there are money issues; dollars are tighter.

Adjourned: 11:35 a.m.

Action Items: No Action Items

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Address questions or comments to:

Kym Burns, ITAC Executive Secretary
(703) 648-5609