[DX] ARRL BPL Video

Fri, 8 Aug 2003 02:10:41 -0000

Chip
I was in Austin this past weekend and heard Jim Haynie, W5JBP, talking
about BPL.  I got to tell you this is some scary stuff.  One interesting
question he asked us was how many people live less than 90 feet from
overhead lines.  A staggering 70-80% of the audience raised their hands.
I don't remember if Jim mentioned how far this "pollution" radiated.
Jim did say when you do write to your congressman, senator or the FCC to
call it what it is ---"spectrum pollution"!  This will get the attention
of the authorities.  Guys we need to face the fact that the ARRL is the
only group fighting this battle for Amateur Radio.  I've been a league
member for well over 20 years.  I don't agree with everything they do
but I still support them with my membership.  Oh and they send me QST as
a bonus!

Whether you are a league member or not we all need to fight this battle!

73
Bernie, W3UR

PS - Yes I write the How's DX column and am considered a contributing
editor.  Even if I weren't I'd still be a member!

--
Bernie McClenny, W3UR
Editor of The Daily DX, The Weekly DX and How's DX.
http://www.dailydx.com

-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On
Behalf Of [email protected]
Sent: Friday, August 08, 2003 01:34
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [DX] ARRL BPL Video

Chip,
You call for additional studies, I suppose by W1RFI and the good folks
at the League.  I too am "puzzled"--- only I am puzzled by your request
since you gave up your ARRL membership almost 2 years ago.  

Angry? No, not hardly.  That is your choice and I can respect it, even
though I don't understand it or agree with it-- especially when the
League is the only group fighting for us. 

You ask, "How many of us live --under-- in- the- air, 
 residential power lines?"    I guess my question is how many of us
don't?  Unless you live out in the country and generate your own power,
how are you actually going to be immune from this garbage? 

I have been fighting my power company for the past 10 months since I
moved to this QTH trying to correct a hardware problem adjacent to my
house that gives me a constant 24/7 10-20 over S-9 line noise, that is
there rain or shine!  It has taken a complaint filed through the Public
Service Commission and a threat from the FCC to get them to even look at
this.  How responsive do you think the utility companies will be when
they roll out this stuff and trash our bands.  I am just grateful to the
League for going to bat for us and think all of us need to circle the
wagons on this one or we can all start collecting stamps or doing
needlepoint.  We need to file our comments with the FCC, contribute to
the BPL fund and get others to do the same.  Otherwise, amateur radio is
doomed if we don't.  

73,
Hal, KC8FS

In a message dated 8/7/2003 7:43:25 PM Eastern Daylight Time, Chipn1ir
writes:

> I must confess that I am puzzled by the anger by some hams over BPL.
The only 
> data I have been able to dig out on the web, regarding the US, is a
summary 
> of W1RFI's data-taking trip. IF I understand it correctly--and I trust
I will 
> be corrected with fact if I am wrong-- W1RFI made measurements well
within the 
> near field of the emissions; underneath the lines; generally parallel
to the 
> lines;and so on. Is there any data which supports those damning
interpretations 
> from an actual ham residence? How many of us live --under-- in- the-
air , 
> residential power lines? Is there any record of complaint from a ham
in the 
> towns visited by W1RFI regarding RFI from BPL? Has any ham volunteered
to assist 
> the ARRL in gathering data from a residence in which the BPL is
active, and the 
> ham experiences major QRM? If not, then why not?
> 
> Incidentally, I have tried 8 times to download the video from the ARRL
site, 
> without success. This is with a T1 line.
> 
> I have major concerns that if we present 'evidence' which is biased in
some 
> way, then we, as a licensed service, will have the argument thrown
back at us. 
> We are already seeing how the FCC perceives our use of the  60M band
as purely 
> an emergency  service role (which is a valuable role indeed), rather
than a 
> hobbyist or technical advancement one. If that is how the FCC sees the
future 
> of the amateur service, then why is the issue of BPL so compelling? If
there 
> is an emergency, then BPL would be down--and the QRM would be gone (if
it 
> really was a problem to start).
> 
> I would be very interested in studies that show that BPL introduces
S9+ QRM 
> 30 miles away, or skips to the west coast for example. Is there any US
data on 
> that? 
> 
> Please do not respond in anger to my comments. I am merely posing a
critique 
> of the data so discussed. I also feel that if there is more data which
bears 
> greater applicability, then I, and others, might be so 
> pursuaded.
> 
> 73,
> Chip N1IR
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