World's Broadcasters Join Anti-BPL Chorus:
from
The ARRL Letter, Vol 22, No 40
on
October 11, 2003
Website:
http://www.arrl.org/
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World's Broadcasters Join Anti-BPL Chorus:
A subcommittee of an International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
http://www.itu.org/ panel of technical experts responsible for
terrestrial broadcasting issues has joined a growing chorus of concern
about the interference potential of power line telecommunication
(PLT)--better known in the US as Broadband over Power Line (BPL). ITU
Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R) Sub Working Group (SWG) 6E1 expressed
the view that interference produced by systems employing PLT as well as by
Industrial, Scientific and Medical (ISM) equipment and short-range
devices, would compromise broadcast reception.
"SWG 6E1 is of the opinion that any increase in the amount of noise due to
these systems is unacceptable," said a statement from the group's chairman
to the chairman of Working Party 6E (WP 6E). "In particular, broadcast
services should be protected from unwanted emissions from PLT systems,"
the panel asserted, "as these emissions are a byproduct of a system that
is not itself a user of the radio spectrum." The panel recommended the
formation of a group representing all users of the radio spectrum "to
coordinate development of limits to be imposed on the radiation from these
systems."
WP 6E says it will continue to study the effects of PLT/BPL, ISM equipment
and short-range devices on terrestrial broadcasting and send the results
to ITU-R Working Party 1A, which is responsible for spectrum engineering
techniques. WP 1A is scheduled to meet in Geneva October 30 to November 5.
ARRL Chief Executive Officer David Sumner, K1ZZ, expressed strong support
and appreciation for the SWG's conclusions and the ongoing efforts of
parent Working Party 6E to study the issue. "If BPL is a problem for
broadcasters," Sumner said, "it's easy to see that it would be a disaster
for us."
Broadcasters themselves also have exhibited increased concern about the
potential of PLT/BPL to prevent their signals from reaching listeners. The
Research and Development branch of the highly regarded British
Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has released a White Paper
http://www.bbc.co.uk/rd/pubs/whp/whp067.html reporting on a brief trial
in Scotland. The two competing PLT/BPL systems in operation in the town of
Crieff both interfered with HF reception. Tests were conducted at four
locations.
"The forms of access PLT that were tested in Crieff were found to have
demonstrable potential to cause interference to indoor reception of
broadcasting in relevant bands," the White Paper concluded. Significant
interference even occurred in one residential area with an underground
power distribution cable. BBC engineers described the interference as
varying between "annoying" and "a level sufficient to make the broadcast
completely unintelligible." Before commercially licensing PLT, the report
advised, regulators need to undertake further study of other PLT systems
and, among other issues, look into possible ways to make the PLT systems
compatible with radio reception.
A report prepared by the Australian Communications Authority (ACA),
Broadband Powerline Communications Systems--A Background Brief
http://www.aca.gov.au/radcomm/frequency_planning/spps/0311spp.pdf,
concluded that "a potential risk to HF radiocommunications services from
the widespread use of broadband powerline communications systems" appeared
to exist. Citing BPL trials in the US, Europe and Asia, the ACA brief
said, "The results of these trials have not alleviated concerns over the
potential interference risk to radiocommunications."
ARRL's comments
http://www.arrl.org/announce/regulatory/et03-104/, reply
comments
http://www.arrl.org/announce/regulatory/et03-104/reply-comments-index.html and technical exhibits filed with the FCC in response to the
Commission's Notice of Inquiry (ET Docket ET 03-104) are available on the
ARRL Web site. See also the article "BPL is a Pandora's Box of
Unprecedented Proportions, ARRL Tells FCC"
http://www.arrl.org/news/features/2003/07/08/1/. Additional information
and video clips are on the ARRL "Power Line Communications (PLC) and
Amateur Radio" page
http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/HTML/plc/.
To support the League's efforts in the BPL fight, visit the ARRL's secure
BPL Web site
https://www.arrl.org/forms/development/donations/bpl/.
Source:
The ARRL Letter
Vol. 22, No. 40
October 10, 2003
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World's Broadcasters Join Anti-BPL Chorus:
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by N8YV on October 11, 2003
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The good, the bad and the ugly!
THE GOOD:
Finally, a "big gun" lobby takes up the fight against BPL, bringing MAJOR political and financial clout to bear on the issue. Very few, apart from the military, could exceed the political clout that the Broadcast Industry lobby carries.
THE BAD:
Broadcasters are among amateur radio's most powerful "natural" enemies, by tradition. Ever since the "200 meters and below" days, commercial broadcasting has had its "eye" on amateur spectrum.
THE UGLY:
This fight may inadvertently re-open old wounds between amateur radio and the many other radio services. It is not as much an alliance against BPL as it is mutual self-interest, and when it's all overwith---regardless of the outcome---my fear is that we (amateurs) will face renewed pressures from these long-time rivals.
BPL may be the catalyst for wholesale changes in the way amateur radio conducts itself in the political arena. Either way, I think we will end up losing something. If BPL wins, we may be in an untenable position. If the "alliance" wins, the strongest members may turn on us with greater force than ever before.
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RE: World's Broadcasters Join Anti-BPL Chorus:
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by W1RFI on October 11, 2003
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> THE GOOD:
> Finally, a "big gun" lobby takes up the fight
> against BPL, bringing MAJOR political and financial
> clout to bear on the issue. Very few, apart from the
> military, could exceed the political clout that the
> Broadcast Industry lobby carries.
NTIA also has a dog in this fight and they spent several days in three different trial areas. I had been to two of them and know exactly what they are going to find. They will find what was documented on ARRL's video.
> THE BAD:
> Broadcasters are among amateur radio's most
> powerful "natural" enemies, by tradition. Ever since
> the "200 meters and below" days, commercial
> broadcasting has had its "eye" on amateur spectrum.
I don't believe that Amateur Radio could have obtained the recent international change to 40 meters without the support of the broadcasters. And they may well appreciate amateur radio a bit more seeing as we may well help pull their chestnuts out of the fire on this issue.
73, Ed Hare, W1RFI
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RE: World's Broadcasters Join Anti-BPL Chorus:
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by KG6AMW on October 12, 2003
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As more and more groups who populate HF look carefully at BPL, they will begin to see it as nothing more than a gross polluter in its current form. The BPL folks might one day work out the problems, however by then most homes will be wired with fiber optics and their third rail concept will not be viable. As for conflict with broadcasters and their lust for amateur frequencies, this concept seems dated given the fact we have fewer major broadcasters present in HF. These international broadcasters have restructured their operations and taylored their broadcasting for specific countries that don't have major TV/internet facilities. I believe Ed's comments go to the heart of this. The 40 meter accommodation would not have occurred if conflict or lust was present.
KG6AMW
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RE: World's Broadcasters Join Anti-BPL Chorus:
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by N6TGK on October 12, 2003
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I think it's great that another large lobby has voiced concern over BPL. I just hope it isn't too late considering how FCC Commissioner Kathleen Q. Abernathy was frothing at the mouth recently when she was describing BPL as "broadband nirvana."
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RE: World's Broadcasters Join Anti-BPL Chorus:
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by K8LQ on October 12, 2003
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N8YV: THE BAD:
Broadcasters are among amateur radio's most powerful "natural" enemies, by tradition. Ever since the "200 meters and below" days, commercial broadcasting has had its "eye" on amateur spectrum.
Broadcasters could have had it years ago....I don't agree....
N8YV should thank God that Broadcasters are now involved!
The Amateur community would have failed on it's own,
we are nothing to anyone....yes we get Kudos for Emergency Communications for disasters but believe me, at anytime, the Local government where you live could pick up the slack with their own equipment and civilian volunteers. We just have a little more experience in pressing a microphone button.
I'm sure that several well placed broadcast engineers (who are hams)have spoken to their GM's on the Boards of the NAB and State Boards about the problem.
Thanks to the NAB for getting involved!!!
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RE: World's Broadcasters Join Anti-BPL Chorus:
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by KC8VWM on October 16, 2003
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Yes, I do believe the FCC has opened up a Pandora's box of unprecedented proportion if they allow widespread BPL usage.
What we fail to understand here in the BPL trials is that it is a trial.
When we put 100,000 users or more on those same BPL lines after the "trial studies", it only takes simple math to understand that the interference levels will increase dramatically.
For the short term they may benefit from the power companies spent money.
In the long term the FCC may lose on this issue because they will have a wave of interference complaints from not only special interest groups such as amateurs or SW broadcasters, but also from the PUBLIC IN GENERAL.
These complaints will be of such proportion, that they will dwarf amateur radio operator complaints altogether.
I would suspect they may simply be unable to provide the already thin resources to investigate all the BPL related interference complaints.
The FCC does have a responsibility in investigating such complaints. My concern as a taxpayer (not an amateur) is that it will cost us significantly more money to fund these interference investigations.
Now don't get me wrong, I think the FCC already does a great job investigating and resolving interference complaints.
I am concerned about the future implications that BPL will have on departmental resources to provide solutions and their ability to resolve an increased workload of public inquiries about BPL related interference complaints.
Charles Bushell,
KC8VWM
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RE: World's Broadcasters Join Anti-BPL Chorus:
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by W9WHE on October 16, 2003
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I can think of 2 groups that are politically powerful enough to stop BPL in its tracks:
1) The U.S. Millitary; and
2) NITA.
The BIG question is, WHERE DO THEY STAND? If either voices strong opposition, then BPL is doomed.
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RE: World's Broadcasters Join Anti-BPL Chorus:
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by W1RFI on October 16, 2003
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>I can think of 2 groups that are politically powerful
> enough to stop BPL in its tracks:
>
>1) The U.S. Millitary; and
>2) NITA.
>
>The BIG question is, WHERE DO THEY STAND? If either >voices strong opposition, then BPL is doomed.
NTIA generally would speak for all government use.
NTIA has weighed in. Their reply comments are among those in the "government" portion of the links at:
http://www.arrl.org/~ehare/bpl/hyperlinks.html
NTIA is also working on a report of its extensive testing in 3 of the trial areas. They are doing the same type of testing done by ARRL, but a lot more of it. I have been to all three of the trial areas and know what they should find. They made their test plan public, and it appears to be thorough, investigating the way that fields vary vs distance (should correlate with the 15-25log(distance ratio) ARRL's modeling showed. They also intend to measure the fields at relatively high distances, perhaps at the height of the lines or higher.
I have confidence that NTIA is looking only for a realistic assessment of the interference potential from the BPL systems installed to date.
73,
Ed Hare, W1RFI
73,
Ed Hare, W1RFI
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RE: World's Broadcasters Join Anti-BPL Chorus:
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by KC8VWM on October 17, 2003
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<<<<The BIG question is, WHERE DO THEY STAND? If either >voices strong opposition, then BPL is doomed.
NTIA generally would speak for all government use.
NTIA has weighed in. Their reply comments are among those in the "government" portion of the links at:
http://www.arrl.org/~ehare/bpl/hyperlinks.html>>>>
My Comments,
The BIG thing to remember here is not in the fact that they are opposed or not opposed to BPL, but rather it is in the fact that THEY ARE STARTING TO ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT BPL!
Now that we have their undivided attention, how do we effectively handle what we want to tell them!?
73
Charles Bushell
KC8VWM
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RE: World's Broadcasters Join Anti-BPL Chorus:
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by W1RFI on October 23, 2003
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> Now that we have their undivided attention, how do
> we effectively handle what we want to tell them!?
We don't. At this point, the most effective thing that Amateur Radio can do wrt NTIA is to let them develop their own independent position. They spent several days each in 3 of the test cities. I have been to each of those trial areas and I know exactly what they are going to find. They published their test plans and they look to be reasonable. I did talk with the NTIA person in charge of overseeing this project and I know that he had seen ARRL's material, and they understand the issues ARRL has raised. At this stage, they want to determine the extent to which they feel those issues are correct and appropriate.
But it is important that what they find be solely their own conclusions, so kicking back and letting them do their thing is the best approach, IMHO. They worked with the involved utilities and BPL manufacturers to turn the systems on and off for testing purposes.
I feel comfortable that they are only looking to make an accurate and honest assessment.
73,
Ed Hare, W1RFI
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