February 2012 - EXTRA, Volume 4, Issue 2

In this issue:
- ComSoc Training New Course Announced; Registration Remiders for March
- WCET Spring Exam Reminder; Application Deadlines
- Recertification information now available online
- New Fundamentals Book That Complements WEBOK Just Released by Wiley

Registration for March ComSoc Training Courses Now Open:
New One Day Intro and the 5-Day Intensive is Back by Popular Demand
Introduction to Professional Wireless Communications 
14 March 2012 - 9:00am - 4:30pm EST - ONLINE
Instructor: Lee Vishloff

This course will first introduce terms and definitions such as radios/antennas, basestations/access points, key Air interfaces (TDMA, CDMA, OFDM), key applications such as location, voice, data, video and broadcasting, and Key Performance Indicators (capacity, bandwidth, throughput, transmission, reception, delay, latency, etc.). It then continues to cover wireless systems architecture: the protocol OSI TCP/IP reference models with physical, data link, network, transport and services/application layers as they apply to systems in use today. The last part of this training will cover prevalent products and standards in the market place such as 3G/4G Cellular, home RF, Satellites, GPS/Location, wireless sensors, RFID, Android and iOS smartphones, and CDN/Cloud services.

This is a basic and general introduction to wireless communications. It covers:

- Networking issues (MAC , network and transport layers)
- Wireless devices, services and applications
- Network, devices/terminals, and resource management

Gain an understanding of the:

- Difference between wireless & mobile as they are two different concepts and have their own distinct technical issues
- Reach the wireless industry has around the world
- History of wireless coming to age

You will learn about wireless transmission and how antennas come into play. Air interface techniques, multiple access and key applications of wireless are covered. Cellular networks and systems; handover and spectrum allocation methods are explained. You'll understand the difference between wireless networks and fixed networks. RFID and how it works in medical implants and vehicular communications is included in this lecture. Learn more about the iPhone Apps development, Android / htc and Symbian / nok. Short self-test questions throughout the course help course participants test their understanding.

Earn 0.6 IEEE Continuing Education Units for participating. Learn More. Register Today.
Save $25.00 when you sign up early. Registration closes 5 March 2012.
 

5-Day Wireless Communications Engineering Intermediate Fundamentals Review and Current Practices
19-23 March 2012 from 9:00am - 11am EST (2 hour break) then 1:00pm - 3:00pm EST.
Four hours of instruction each day for 5 days with a break built in so you can manage your other responsibilities during the week long training. 20 hours of total instruction earn you 2 IEEE Continuing Education Units upon completion of the course.

It is particularly suited for persons working in a relatively narrow or specialized aspect of wireless communications, as it aims to provide a comprehensive overview of how different facets of wireless practice fit into the overall design, implementation, and operation of wireless networks. It will help attendees understand current technology and operations and assess prospective future developments in wireless communications. The course can also help candidates seeking certification in wireless communications engineering technology in their preparation for the exam.

Instructors:
Alan Bensky                             Daniel Wong

Register by 29 Feburary and save $100. Registration open through 8 March 2011.
Learn more. Register Today.

Visit www.comsoc.org/training to review full course descriptions, course agendas, course materials and instructor biographies. All online courses are taught live and recorded. Course participants have access to the streaming video (voice over powerpoint) for 7 days after the course has been taught and access to the file has been provided. Questions are asked using the Questions feature on the GoTo Webinar platform -- instructors address questions after the long break and via email in written format. Self test questions asked throughout the course help you test your understanding. They are optional. Send questions about these courses directly to Marilyn Catis at m [dot] catis [at] comsoc [dot] org.

- WCET Spring Exam Reminder; Application Deadlines

Curious about taking the exam but not sure how to gauge if you are ready? Review the 10 steps identified to help you understand if taking the test now makes sense for you. Applications to sit for the exam this Spring are being accepted through 23 March 2012. Once your application has been submitted you will recieve an authorization to test letter whereby you will be instructed to select your exam date and testing center location. The Spring 2012 test window is open from 9 April through 5 May 2012. Learn more about how to prepare.

- Recertification Information Now Available Online

Recertification is required every five years, determined by the expiration date of your current certification (shown on the passing candidate certificate). For example, credential holders who earned their certification in 2008 need to recertify by the end of 2013. There are two ways of earning recertification: by passing the current WCET certification exam or by earning Professional Development Units (PDUs) through contributions to the profession and/or personal professional development. The recertification fee is $300 for IEEE/IEEE ComSoc members and $350 for non-members. The same fee applies whether you take the certification exam or submit an accounting of PDUs earned since your certification.

The first option for earning recertification is to pass the current WCET certification examination. The exam is updated regularly, and the current exam will test a candidate's knowledge of developments in the field since his or her previous certification.

The second option is to earn PDUs through teh WCET Continuing Certification Program (WCCP). PDUs quantify a candidate's professional and educational/learning activities. PDUs can be earned through participation in activities related to contributions to the profession and/or professional development in the area(s) covered by WCET. Learn more about recertification.

- New Fundamentals Book That Complements WEBOK Just Released by Wiley

 Focused more on core, fundamental topics in each area it covers, a new book written by K. Daniel Wong, "Fundamentals of Wireless Communications Engineering Technologies" or FWCET for short, shows how the topics covered relate to each other in at least two important ways. First, it illustrates how increasingly complex sub-systems and concepts are built from simpler sub-systems and concepts; and secondly, that characteristics in one area might affect design decisions in other areas in wireless systems in ways that are sometimes surprising. Similar to the "Wireless Engineering Body of Knowledge" (WEBOK) on which Wong was a contributor, FWCET also stresses the linkages between theory and actual practice. Published by Wiley this month, FWCET is 568 pages long and you can review the contents online. Read the full article.