THIS SHOW IS NOW OVER. THANKS TO ALL THAT ATTENDED
The Race was on…
…to see who could be first in to encounter ‘Evolving Connectivity 2012’ at Epsom Downs. The show had to open early due to the number of visitors lining up to collect their entrance badges for the event hosted by the CAI at Epsom Racecourse. As ever, the first of the 2 days proved extremely popular with interested installers, retailers and distributors. The Gala Dinner and Awards also draws a crowd on the first day and surrounding hotels enjoy a welcome spring intake.
The imminent closure of the digital switchover programme in October has driven traditional antenna installers into seeking new markets with the saturation of new terrestrial upgrades slowing down the aerial trade. Therefore a new approach was taken this year breaking with the tradition of separate seminar room and exhibition hall.
The talks were stationed in a seated area at one end of the exhibition and the allocation of 100 chairs was full as the CAI’s senior executive, Tim Jenks welcomed the crowd to a new era of spectrum changes, potential problems and undoubted opportunity to be involved in new work streams. His down to earth approach to spectrum changes and the interference issues was light-hearted, but informative and well received.
Tim was followed by the BBC’s lead research engineer, Mark Waddell which called for an extra 50 seat arrangement but still left 30 or more standing at back. Mark went through the work the BBC’s research teams had been doing in relation to Long Term Evolution spectrum allocation and White Space Devices. This was crammed with technical information content and will provide useful reference material.
Mark was ably followed by OFCOM’s principal on spectrum policy, Chris Adams as he discussed the options the government’s regulator had open to them in order to police and manage how the UHF spectrum is used economically. Chris urged installers to be closely involved by submitting to any consultations that in the public domain, begging for grass-roots input from the aerial trade.
To conclude the day CAI Vice Chairman and tutor, Les Hampson teamed up with Tim Jenks to talk through the new initiatives on IRS & SMATV Distance Learning and the new CAI diploma in signal reception.
The presentations will be available shortly for all members to download via the member’s area and hopefully some video footage of the talks once they are edited.