[ETSList] FW: From the ARRL bulletin I received today.

[Drew_Moore]

-----Original Message-----
From: asajm@juno.com [mailto:asajm@juno.com]
Sent: Saturday, October 11, 2003 6:41 PM
Subject: From the ARRL buletin I received today.


==>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.ht
m
l > 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/>.