[Adrian ARC] Broadband Over Power Lines (BPL or PLC) A Real Threat to Amateur Radio!!!!!

[Mark Hinkleman]

Hello Fellow AARC Members:
Over the years the ARRL has asked for the support of their members to =
fight a number of threats to the amateur radio spectrum.  I was one that =
never got to involved in these issues in the past. I figured that is =
what my ARRL dues are for. We pay these guys to fight our battles and in =
my opinion they have done a pretty good job.=20
But, I have now found an issue that I think is really big and could have =
a very negative impact on ham radio as we know it.  I feel that the ARRL =
needs all the help they can get on this one!! =20
  I don't know how many of you have heard about the plan that the power =
companies have to transmit broadband internet services over the power =
lines. In a nut shell, if allowed,  they would be able to transmit 2 - =
80 mhz signals over all electrical lines  (nice antennas!!) all the =
time. These are not only cross country lines, these are the lines in =
your nieborhood.  This would be a disaster for amateur radio!  It has =
been proven in the lab, field testing and application that this method =
of transmitting internet services causes interference on all freqs from =
2 to 80 mhz. This has been allowed to some degree in Europe and Japan =
with disastrous results!  There is a lot of money and backing behind =
this issue on the power company side.  On top of that, consider the =
recent blackout.  Boy, that makes a great argument for the power =
companies. What better way to rebuild our aging power grid than with =
money generated from the transmitting of internet services. That will =
make a convincing argument when they solicite support form government =
big shots at the FCC , in Congress, in the Senate, etc. =20

So, what can we do??????    At this stage in the game, the ARRL has =
filed comments to the FCC include a lot of data.  The first comment =
portion of process is closed. But we can now "reply to the comments". =
This is a way of showing that there is a lot of support out there for =
the ARRL position.=20

I have filed comments on the FCC web site and ask that you consider =
doing the same.=20

Here is how to do it:

Step #1:  Read the below web pages to get an understanding of the issue. =
=20

See  http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/HTML/plc/  for a complete tutorial on =
the subject.

See http://www.arrl.org/news/features/2003/06/19/2/  For a nutshell look =
and the minimum background needed to file comments.

Step #2:   File a reply to comments with the FCC (see below)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------=
-------------------------------------------------------------------------=
-------------

Below is a snip-it  info from a letter sent out by the ARRL Great Lake =
director on how to file comments on the FCC web page. this includes some =
sample text that gives you an idea of what to say.  You can type your =
comments right on the web page. Again, it is a very simple process that =
can make a difference.=20

The proper procedure is as follows:

1) Log on to http://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/  (From NU8Z:   go to =
http://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/prod/ecfs/upload_v2.cgi and start with step 5 =
below)
2) Click on the E-FILING box at the top of the opening
screen.
3) Click on MAIN of ELECTRONIC COMMENT FILING SYSTEM (ECFS) from the
list that follows.
4) Click on SUBMIT FILING from right hand column when the next screen
appears.
5) Fill out the form toward the bottom of the sreen.  The PROCEEDING
number is:  03-104, ignore #4 and #5, #6 is your E-mail address, ignore
#11, set #12 to REPLY TO COMMENTS.
6)      Fill in the box for BRIEF COMMENTS (further down the page).=20
When finished, click on BRIEF COMMENT TO FCC.  A typical Reply Comment
might be as follows (please reword to avoid FCC receiving cookie-cutter
replies which could reduce the impact of our collective effort).=20

(I support fully the well founded Comment submitted by The American
Radio Relay League concerning Docket ET 03-104.  I conclude the comments
made by proponents of Broadband over Power Line (BPL) have little if any
credible scientific data to support approval of this docket at this
time.  Further research and innovations in BPL will be needed to avoid
the great risk this innovative technology will not cause irreparable
interference to services licensed to operate in the 2 MHz - 80 MHz
frequency range.  Approval of ET 03-104 would violate the existing FCC
rules on non-interference and  would be contrary to the best interest of
the public.)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------=
-------------------------------------------------------------------------=
---------------------------------------------

Here are the comments that I sent.=20

 =20
The Amateur Radio Service is a valuable national resource that must=20
be preserved and protected from the harmful interference that will=20
be caused by the proposed BPL systems that are now under=20
consideration or study by the FCC.=20
For the above reason I fully support the comments that were=20
submitted by the American Radio Relay League on Docket 03-104.=20
These comments were backed up by creditable data as compared to=20
the comments that were made by the proponents of the BPL system.=20
Further research and innovations in the area of BPL will be needed if =
this=20
system is to coexist with radio services without creating interference.=20
The approval of ET 03-104 would violate the current FCC rules and=20
would not be in the best interest of the public.=20
With the "The war on Terror", Black-outs, etc.,  we (the country) need =
an=20
interference free means of emergency communication now more than =
ever!!!!

PS.. I would suggest that the power companies concentrate their=20
efforts on supplying uninterrupted power to this great country.
When they can do that, they could work on the needed innovation and=20
technology to supply this secondary service (BPL) in an interference =
free fashion.

Thank you in advance for considering my comments.

Kenneth Mark Hinkleman

-------------------------------------------------------------------------=
-------------------------------------------------------------------------=
-------------------------------------------------------------------------=
------


Well that's my pitch.  Please consider getting involved and supporting =
the ARRL's position.  It's easy to do and in my opinion our comments can =
make a difference.=20

If you have any questions, please let me know.

Mark NU8Z


--- StripMime Report -- processed MIME parts ---
multipart/alternative
  text/plain (text body -- kept)
  text/html
The reason this message is shown is because the post was in HTML
or had an attachment.  Attachments are not allowed.  To learn how
to post in Plain-Text go to: http://www.expita.com/nomime.html  ---