Celebrate E-Week !!!
The Fort Worth Section's annual technical conference will kick off National Engineers Week on Saturday, February 17. Among the informative topics for this years meeting are:
In addition to these special subjects, Metrocon will feature in-depth disucssions on the Application of PLCs, Authoring Web Pages, and the Deregulation of Electric Utilities, as well as a keynote address by Astronaut Dave Wolf and presentation of Section Awards. See p. 4 for registration and additional information.
The Section is also hosting a Golf Scramble on Monday, February 19 beginning at noon a the Squawcreek Golf Course. The scramble is limited to 25 4-man teams. A $200 per team entrance fee covers: green fee and cart; awards for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, closest to pin, and longest drive; drawing for door prizes; and post-scramble dinner. Contact Dave Bumpass at 817-377-6812 or 871-428-8498 (home) for additional information.
Hey, check us out!
by Jeff Carrell, Electronic Communications Chairman
Lots happening in the realm of the ISP deal announced in Jan, but first the good news. IEEE Fort Worth Section is *now* on the Internet with our very own web page. Check it out at www.flash. net/~ieeeftw/ There is lots happening on this new page and some still being worked on. If you have any ideas or suggestions, plz email me (webmaster link).
Next, the ISP deal. Flashnet Communications is the name of this ISP, and about the time the time I submitted my January article they changed their minds concerning rate structures. Normally this brings about the general comment of 'oh great.' However, these guys did one better. For $99/yr, anyone can have a full dial-up PPP account, available 7/24 and even 1MB of personal web page space. There is also a one-time setup charge of $25. This is called a 'Regular' Account and is available to anyone, not just IEEE members. This is still $26 cheaper than the deal they had previously worked out for us. So bottom line, these guys have the absolute *best* prices in town and will probably be that way for awhile. Although the Section will not get any monetary benefit, you get a great price on Internet service and we still get our free web page donated by Flashnet Communications. For more info, contact Flashnet at 332.8883 or www.flash. net. If you are going to get a Commercial or Domain Name account, contact me directly first. You can still get setup waived for Commercial or $50 off on the Domain Name setups. In any case, I can provide you with as much info as you might need.
Now, if you remember I talked a bit about Internet training. We still have the access to Flashnet training facilities to do some of our own training. I would like to schedule some 'Internet 101,' 'loading your software,' and 'web page construction' classes in the near future. If you are interested in any of these or have other ideas for classes, plz contact me directly with topics and/or time frames you would like to see these types of classes offered.
I will be having an Internet demonstration kiosk at Metrocon in February, so come to the conference and also check out Internet access.
Want to know more details about e-mail, the Internet electronic communications or related technologies? Send a note to me or Signals editor we will cover it in a future article.
Nominations Chairman Nathan West is compiling his list of nominations for Section officer positions for the 1996-97 year. Anyone interested in volunteering for any position, officers, chapter officers, committee chairmen should contact Nathan.
As always, names of the officer candidates will be posted in the March Signals. Ballots will be sent out in May. Take some time for a very rewarding activity and join us on the executive committee.
IEEE has launched its 1996 Member-Get-A-Member campaign. Follow a few simple rules and not only will you strengthen the IEEE, but your Section will benefit from new, vital membership. (Each new member recruited, before December 31, increases your Section's 1996 Rebate by $3).
What's in it for you? Well, of course, there's the satisfaction of knowing you are a partner in the future health of the IEEE and the electrotechnology profession. In addition, you are sharing with a colleague the opportunity to be part of the world's largest professional, technical society. Then, on August 31, 1996, we will automatically add up the number of members recruited and you will get a special thank you! Recruit one or two members and you'll get an IEEE logo pen. Boost the membership by three or four new members and we'll send you an IEEE logo pocket knife. And, for service above and beyond the call of duty (5 or more new members), you'll receive a gorgeous IEEE logo golf umbrella!
A subscription to Spectrum and The Institute. Winner of the prestigious 1993 National Magazine Award for Reporting, Spectrum publishes incisive articles at the forefront of technology y. The Institute keeps you up on events in and around IEEE.
Low member prices on all IEEE publications and products. From journals to standards, magazines to books, videos to CD-ROMS, IEEE publications provide the best and most comprehensive coverage of the field.
Continuing education opportunities. The IEEE sponsors over 300 major conferences, 5,000 local meeting worldwide, and numerous seminars, workshops and courses-giving you the opportunity to keep abreast of the latest developments in your field.
Enhance your career by networking with technical experts. Through IEEE, its major technical conferences and local meetings, you're in touch with the technical community that is changing the world.
Increase your professional prestige. Simply by adding "Member, IEEE" to your resume, you gain a competitive edge.
IEEE Financial Advantage Program. The new IEEE Financial Advantage Program brings members and their families value-added benefits on financial services that non-members simply can't get. Members can choose from a variety of low-cost insurance policies, no-fee IEEE gold Visa and MasterCards, mutual funds with no initial investments and no sales charges, home, auto and education loans with special terms for IEEE members...and much more.
To receive a special Member-Get-A-Member recruiting packet call 1-800-678-IEEE or email: new.membership@ieee.org.
FEB Surface-to-Surface Missile Guidance with Passive Homing Control Systems
6 Chapter
Tues, 7:30 pm
Terry A. Frank, Texas Instruments, Inc.
Missile systems employ command guidance, beam riding, inertial and/or
homing guidance techniques. Homing guidance can be active, semiactive,
or passive. An antitank missile system is one SSM application where
passive homing may be desired. This presentation discusses effects of
missile-to-target aspect and range change on passive seeker
performance in battlefield conditions for a short-range,
surface-to-surface, antitank missile using an imaging infrared (IIR)
seeker. Dr. Frank has been involved with stabilized and unstabilized
imaging infrared target tracking systems for Texas Instruments, Inc.
UTD, Engineering and Computer Science Building, Room EC 2.704
FEB FAA's GPS Plan for Civil Aviation in the US Aerospace & Electronic
15 Systems Chapter
Thurs, 7 pm
GPS Regional Implementation Team, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
The FAA is harnessing the Global Positioning System's capabilities to
improve the efficiency and safety of air traffic throughout the United
States. The Southwest Region is currently being equipped with new
facilities. The FAA's Implementation Team will present the status of
the GPS integration into the Air Traffic Control System, and will
discuss some of the advanced technology requirements and benefits.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: Security requires we supply all attendee names.
Please register before Feb. 8 by contacting Ed Worley, (817) 738-1210.
FAA Southwest Regional Headquarters Bldg, 2601 Meacham Blvd., 2 blks.
East of North Freeway (IH 35W). Free parking at first gate North of
Meacham Blvd., on N. Sylvania Ave.
FEB Mental Health Care Delivery Psychology and FW Section
20 Computers on the Colorado Plateau
Tues, 6:30 pm
Doug Irving, Applied Behavioral Scientist
A fascinating excursion into the land of the Hopi, Navajo, and other
peoples of the plateau. When life itself is hard, what are the
challenges of bringing technology to the job? What do we mean by
Behavioral Health Care? What is a "technical infrastructure," and what
are the lessons "probably never learned." Currently in private
practice, Irving has been chair of the Division of Research and
Evaluation of the National Council of Community Mental Health Centers,
Program Evaluator and Director of Research and Development for the
Northern Arizona Comprehensive Guidance Center, Director of Research
and Evaluation of the Southwest Community Mental Health Services New
Mexico, and has taught and consulted in the fields of Behavioral
Science since 1970.
TCU, Sid Richardson Bldg, Lecture Hall #2. On Bowie, east of University
Drive (one block north of Berry Street), south of I-30.
FEB Portable Computing in Windows 95 Consultants' Network
21
Wed, 6:30 pm Dan Spinazzola, Microsoft Product Support Services
Computing on the go can be a necessity for many consultants. Updating
your portable computer's files while traveling or at a client's site
can save time. Many times you may want to transfer that information to
your office computer to keep its files up to date for fax or e-mail
distribution. Mr. Spinazzola will demonstrate & discuss the Mobile
features of the Microsoft Windows 95 operating system.
Ben E. Keith Hospitality Room, Beers Distribution Plant, 7001 Will
Rogers Blvd. Exit I-35W South at Alta Mesa, east to Will Rogers.
FEB Photonic Packet Switching for Broadband Networks Lasers &
21 Electro-optics Chapter
Wed, 7 pm
Rodney S. Tucker, University of Melbourne, Australia
UTA, Nedderman Hall, Room 100. Cooper and Border Streets in Arlington.
Legislative Report
Nestled in the 100-plus pages of the legislation authorizing funds for the Department of Defense (DoD) next year is a provision that allows the Pentagon, the nation's largest consumer of electricity, to shop around and buy electricity from the most economical source. Section 357 of the House bill (HR 1530) allows the military departments "to take advantage of changing electric power marketing conditions by increasing the available option to outsource for energy on military installations." The new authority was not discussed in hearings, nor was DoD's reaction to the change published in the record.
The House report claimed that adoption could reduce DoD's $2 billion per year electric bill by 20%. Estimate of possible savings vary widely from $250 to $600 million a year.
IEEE-USA's Energy Policy Committee is drafing a position statement that warns officials against "radical changes" in policies that affect power transmission systems. Coordinated planning and operations of power supply networks have produced "huge savings" in generating capability and significant economies in the "costs of fuel used by power producers." The draft concludes that government policy "should ensure fairness in competition through reasonable oversight and encourage pricing practices that provide an economic incentive to expand transmission when it is economically efficient to do so."
Congress is considering a proposal that makes significant changes in pension law by allowing employers to withdraw "excess assets" from existing defined-benefit pension plans. Under a 1990 law companies can withdraw surplus pension plan money only if the funds are used for health benefits for retirees. The new language allows companies to take out an estimated $40 billion from "over-funded" pension plans for unrestricted uses. House Republicans on the Ways and Means Committee initiated the action in late September. The change would create about $9.5 billion in revenue, a justification for including it in the budget bill.
Currently, companies whose pension plans hold assets above 125% of current liability may withdraw funds in excess of 125% from the plans but must pay stiff penalty taxes - up to 50%. The House proposal waives the penalty tax for six months and then lowers it to 6.5%. Employers would be able to withdraw plan assets above a minimum threshold, which can vary from 125% to 150% of current liability, depending on plan structure.
A telling argument against the idea was raised by Republican Rep. Harris Fawell (IL), a member of the Economic and Educational Opportunities Committee. "My first concern," he said, "is that so-called excess assets can be withdrawn from a pension trust even by employers in bankruptcy who can then terminate the plan with no guarantee the remaining assets will be sufficient to pay for all benefits." Fawell agrees with the actuarial community in saying that the minimum threshold for asset reversions should be based on plan termination liability rather than current liability. The Administration has also urged Congress to reject the proposal.
IEEE-USA joined other engineering societies in a protest against the measure. In a letter to Rep. Phil Crane (R-IL) and others, the American Association of Engineering Societies (AAES) characterized pension benefits as deferred compensations, "a right that workers earn as part of the employment compact." AAES said: "We oppose the pension withdrawal provisions. . .because it could endanger the retirement income of workers, undermine the solvency of the PBGC, and be costly to taxpayers if the government is called on to bail out corporate pension plans unable to meet their obligations." AAES added that if Congress retains the provision , it should limit its applicability to companies that provide pension portability: "In order to be eligible for the penalty tax waiver, companies would have to permit workers who leave before retirement to transfer the present value of their vested future pension benefits to an IRA or another tax-qualified plan. . ."
In a separate letter House and Senate leaders on Nov. 13, IEEE-USA Chairman Joel Snyder vigorously opposed the House proposal: "The so-called pension asset transfer provision constitutes a serious threat to the retirement security of millions of defined-benefit pension plan participants."
The Commerce Department dismantling is stuck. The question facing GOP strategists in Congress is whether to send the bill through as a free-standing piece of legislation to tie it to "must-pass" legislation such as a continuing budget resolution or budget reconciliation.
There are Commerce-kill bills in both House and Senate. Both bills are similar and preserve many of Commerce's core functions as parts of other departments or as independent agencies.
IEEE-USA joined a groups of over 60 business and trade associations in urging the Speaker of the House not to proceed with unilateral plans to dismantle Commerce. In a letter dated Nov. 3, the group proposed creation of a "non-partisan commission to develop recommendations on how to restructure the Federal government to best support the nation's competitive and strategic needs. Such a review would clearly reflect a seriousness of intent to tackle Federal government spending while also ensuring that all who have a stake in the outcome have the opportunity to be heard in the course of a thoughtful and rational debate."
IEEE-USA has established a Public Policy Form on the World Wide Web. Through the Forum, you can obtain copies of IEEE-USA position statements, public policy materials, information on government fellowships and internships, questions posed for member input, and a whole host of other public policy resources and links. To access the Forum, point your Web browser at IEEE-USA's home page: http://www.ieee.org/usab.
IEEE-USA government relations information is available by email including IEEE-USA's Public Policy Agenda for the 104th Congress (info.ieeeusa.agenda@ieee.org); a list of current IEEE-USA position statements (info. ieeeusa.pos@ieee.org); a chronological log of IEEE-USA testimonies and communications with public policy-makers (info.ieeeusa.policy @ieee.org); and the IEEE-USA Legislative Report newsletter (info.ieeeusa.legrpt@ieee. org). For more information, contact Chris Brantley (c.brantley@ieee.org).
The National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) is looking for volunteers to help write the Fundamentals of Engineering (F.E.) Examination and the Principles and Practice of Engineering (P.E.) Examination. All Professional Engineers (P.E.s) are eligible.
After contacting the NCEES, prospective volunteers will be sent a packet of information, including the item writers' guide, and will be informed of future workshops. If selected to be an item writer, the volunteer will receive reimbursement from NCEES for all travel, lodging and food expenses for workshops attended. In addition, a small honorarium will be paid for each accepted problem.
Interested P.E.s should contact one of the following individuals:
F.E.: Roger Hadley, P.E. (ext. 231) or
P.E.: Tom King, P.E. (ext. 220)
National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying, 280 Seneca Creek Road
P.O. Box 1686, Clemson, South Carolina 29633-1686, 803-654-6824, 803- 654-6033 (fax), 74224.1240@compuserve.com.
Last summer, NCEES announced changes in the P.E. exam designed to make the test more relevant to electrical, electronics and computer engineers. IEEE-USA's Licensure and Registration Committee endorsed the changes, noting that they helped foster the "breadth-and-depth" exam encouraged by IEEE-USA since the 1970s.
EEs interested in developments affecting their intellectual property rights have a new resource in IEEE-USA's World Wide Web environment. The IEEE-USA Intellectual Property Committee Web site gives an up-to-date overview of the committee's work in the fast-changing world of intellectual property rights.
In addition to a summary of the committee's activities, the site offers seven IEEE-USA intellectual-property position papers, descriptions of legislation pending in Congress, Intellectual Property Committee key contacts, and links to other relevant Web resources. The site can be accessed through IEEE-USA's Home Page at URL <http://www.ieee.org/usab>, or directly at URL <http://www.ieee.org/usab/ DOCUMENTS/FORUM/COMMITTEE/ipc.html> (case-sensitive).
President Bill Clinton presented three US IEEE members with National Medals of Science and Technology at a White House ceremony on Oct. 18. IEEE Fellow Dr. Hermann A. Haus and Senior Members Dr. Jerome J. Cuomo and Richard J. Gambino received the awards, the highest presidential honors for science and engineering, for accomplishments directly contributing to long-term economic growth and improved standards of living.
The medalists "have stretched our horizons, expanded the frontiers of knowledge, peeled away the secrets of nature, cured disease, and created new industries such as that of optical storage," said the President. "All of them have performed research that will pay off richly for the United States in the 21st century."
Haus earned the National Medal of Science for his fundamental and seminal contributions to the field of quantum electronics, noise and ultra-fast optics, and for his service to the engineering profession through teaching. He is an Institute Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he has conducted studies in modelocking, integrated optics and nonlinear optics since 1974. He was named an IEEE Life Fellow in 1991.
Cuomo and Gambino were honored with National Medals of Technology for their work as part of an IBM research team that discovered and developed amorphous magnetic materials, which are the basis of erasable, read-write, optical storage technology. Their achievements laid the foundation for today's worldwide magneto-optic disk industry.
COMPUTER ENGINEERS SOFTWARE/HARDWARE
WANTED: RF ENGINEERS DFW and elsewhere