ARRL Section Manager Represents Ham Radio in State Senate BPL Inquiry:

ARRL Western Washington Section Manager Ed Bruette, N7NVP, testified December 9 before the Washington Senate Technology and Communications Committee during an informational inquiry on Broadband over Power Line (BPL). The committee invited Bruette to speak after Gloria Sharp, WA7GYD, of Ellensburg, contacted a senior committee staffer to ask if Amateur Radio would be represented at the hearing. As a result, the panel added Bruette to the list of spokespersons.

"My presentation outlined the Part 15 device limitations, the interference issues both to and from Amateur Radio, BPL trials in Europe and Japan, and the other users of the HF and VHF spectrum who will be impacted by interference by BPL," Bruette said in summing up his 15-minute presentation. "I included the first 37 seconds of the BPL video made by ARRL Lab Manager Ed Hare, W1RFI, along with an NTIA spectrum allocation chart that I modified to show the potential loss of spectrum."

Bruette followed remarks by two industry representatives. He said the committee's feedback was positive, as was the reaction from the four radio amateurs in the audience.

Bruette said he was surprised to hear one industry representative characterize power lines as antennas. He also said he was pleased to learn that the Chelan County Public Utility District had received letters from local hams expressing concern about BPL.

Source:

The ARRL Letter Vol. 23, No. 01 January 2, 2004

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