ITAC Conference Call - August 10, 2010

Roll Call:

Outstanding action items -- http://water.usgs.gov/usgs/itac/docs/outstanding_ais.html

Webinar ideas:

• Web cam installation [possible presenters: Dave Yancey, Jon Dillow (Gary Fisher, Wendy McPherson, reference to presenters,  MD), Brian McCallum (as reference to presenter, GA), ME, Ben Dietsch, NE ($<50 solution)]  - timeline, end of July
• Remote control of data loggers [possible presenters: Dave Owens, WI; MO?, ND?]| - timeline, around September
• Mobi Controller [Burl Goree ] – timeline, around October, or when testing is finished
• SWAMI PC – possibly planned as OSW sponsored webinar?

Dave Berger has been in touch with presenters from the Web Cam Installation webinar, and has been successful in getting commitment from the presenters for additional webinars. Dave noted that the end of September works well for all presenters.

ACTION – Dave will set up two additional webinars (September 21 and 30 are the proposed dates). Dave will get in touch with Ramona regarding the webinar.
ACTION – Ramona will get previous registration information in order to contact those who were unable to participate in the previous webinars.
ACTION – Katherine will send out a new memo announcing the new sessions. Dave will get the memo to Katherine.

Dave Mueller noted that someone should contact Howard Perlman about the Georgia Water Science Center webcam. It appears that the camera allows panning/zooming to private property – a potential liability we do not want.

ACTION – Bob Swanson will get in touch with Howard regarding the Georgia webcam.

We need to start planning for the next webinar. Host the webinar after the Hawaii Face-to-Face (F2F)

ACTION – Dave Berger will contact Burl Goree to discuss the next webinar topic and logistics. Plan to host the webinar in late November.

SharePoint page and tracking widget -- McCulloch, Wicklein

Shaun commented that he has not worked on this yet. Additionally, Shaun noted that David may have found another tracking widget.
Katherine commented that this item pertains to tracking Action Items.
Shaun noted there are significant gaps in the information currently on the SharePoint site.
The site is slowly getting populated and organized.
Navigation of the site is difficult.

Add SharePoint site as an agenda item for Hawaii F2F – SharePoint has a lot of capability; questions – Can you have multiple calendars and workspaces; will it be compatible with our new messaging?
Bob Swanson commented that ITAC should learn how to use the SharePoint site as it will make us good advocates for it.

Katherine commented that she received a call from Christina Bartlett about serving on a SharePoint. Katherine noted that it is important for Office of Water Information to be represented – either Katherine or David McCulloch may serve on the committee. UPDATE – Per Katherine’s 8/11/10 email to Christina Bartlett, David McCulloch and another OWI staff member (to be selected) will participate.

WaterAlert link on water.usgs.gov  -- Lins

• COMPLETE (8/10/10) WaterAlert link can be found in the left Navigation bar.
  

SIMS User Group

• Gary needs additional information from ITAC
• Shaun has not received any information from Gary

ACTION – Shaun will contact Gary. to clarify what his needs are for SIMS Users Group members and get back to ITAC

• ForeSee User Data - Ramona Traynor

Ramona contacted the WaterAlert team, but has been met with resistance from the team regarding putting the ForeSee Survey on the WaterAlert web pages. The WaterAlert team does not feel it will benefit them in their efforts.
Looking to use the ForeSee tool to determine how much the WaterAlert site is being used.
Ramona is unsure how to pursue this. Need to talk to Gary Fisher and David Boldt to see if the survey could be useful.

ACTION – Bob Swanson asked Ramona to send ITAC the latest email thread regarding ForeSee. COMPLETE (8/10/10) – Ramona sent the group the email thread.
ACTION – Bob and Katherine will talk to Gary Fisher to determine what the issues are and why WaterAlert does not think it can use ForeSee.

T1 lines
Use Wyoming as a test site once certified. Shawn Noble is helping with this.
There is a concern that the feeling is NWIS is causing the problem.
Standard T1s may not be cutting it.

Terry has been working with Bob Wakelee. Bob Wakelee agrees that a WAN device may only optimize what already exists. Our network configuration is convoluted - there is a bottleneck somewhere. With new technology, field offices need two T1s coming in. Terry suggested sending email to Ellen Reyerson about the WSC network performance experiences and asking what the plans are for upgrading. Some sites cannot afford to upgrade. We will have better information once the Wyoming test results are in; however, testing may take a while.

Bob Swanson suggested sending a message to the Bureau Telecommunications group on this.  He had a conversation with Bob Lent about the issues in the Northeast. Bob Lent said just about any Center initiating a webinar or an FTP will bring NWIS down. He said that techs are routinely waiting minutes for screen refreshers. This needs to be on the Hawaii agenda. May be the most important of this ITAC.

ACTION – Add to agenda to discuss with Paul. Terry will talk to Paul and get his input.

Hawaii F-2-F logistics

• Web page for Hawaii has been set up.
• REMINDER - Please remember to send your itinerary to Kim for posting to the Web once you make your flight reservations.
• F2F will take place the first week of November
• Gene Summerhill will be in attendance and will help take notes.
• Bob Swanson will resend email to ITAC regarding hotel logistics.

ACTION – ITAC to identify replacements for Dave and Shaun. Katherine asked them to think of who they might nominate / recommend.

Other Business

• Check to make sure content from the old ITAC Quickr site has been migrated to the new SharePoint site.
• Next call – work on agenda for F2F
• Agenda item for next conference call
  • Check where we are on the downlink issue with DCPs (transmission frequency)
  • Contact Dan Schwitalla or Phil Turnipseed for an update.

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ACTION ITEMS:

ACTION – Dave will set up two additional webinars (September 21 and 30 are the proposed dates). Dave will get in touch with Ramona regarding the webinar. UPDATE – COMPLETE
ACTION – Ramona will get previous registration information in order to contact those who were unable to participate in the previous webinars.
ACTION – Katherine will send out a new memo announcing the new sessions. Dave will get the memo with updated session information to Katherine. UPDATE – COMPLETE
ACTION – Bob Swanson will get in touch with Howard regarding the Georgia webcam. UPDATE – COMPLETE
ACTION – Dave Berger will contact Burl Goree to discuss the next webinar topic and logistics. Plan to host the webinar in late November.
ACTION – Gary needs to clarify what his needs are and get back to ITAC.
ACTION – Shaun will contact Gary.
ACTION – Bob Swanson asked Ramona to send ITAC the latest email thread regarding ForeSee. COMPLETE (8/10/10) – Ramona sent the group the email thread.
ACTION – Bob and Katherine will talk to Gary Fisher to determine what the issues are.
ACTION – Add to agenda to discuss with Paul. Terry will talk to Paul and get his input.
ACTION – ITAC to identify replacements for Dave and Shaun. Katherine asked them to think of who they might nominate / recommend.