[Hallicrafters] FEMA APPEARS TO BACKPEDAL IN BPL "CLARIFICATION" LETTER

[DAN COTSIRILOS]

What is worse Vern as much as I love this hobby compared to the bigger
picture to what they are doing with this country we are all going to be in
FEMA camps.  Dan




----- Original Message -----
From: "Vern Weiss" <telegrapher at hotmail.com>
To: "Sandy W5TVW" <ebjr at i-55.com>; "Bruce Sugarberg" <bsugarberg at core.com>;
<hallicrafters at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Saturday, April 03, 2004 7:53 PM
Subject: Re: [Hallicrafters] FEMA APPEARS TO BACKPEDAL IN BPL
"CLARIFICATION" LETTER


> Isn't it interesting how FEMA has become the only entity in this country
> worthy of having their interests considered?
>
> This whole thing makes me sick.
>
> They're running over us and lying. Period.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Sandy W5TVW" <ebjr at i-55.com>
> To: "Bruce Sugarberg" <bsugarberg at core.com>;
<hallicrafters at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Saturday, April 03, 2004 3:08 PM
> Subject: Re: [Hallicrafters] FEMA APPEARS TO BACKPEDAL IN BPL
> "CLARIFICATION" LETTER
>
>
> > Sounds like they were "taken to the woodshed" by another "agency" and
are
> > backing off their stance!  Probably jobs were threatened!  Someone is
> > getting "bought" somewhere!
> > 73,
> > Sandy W5TVW
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Bruce Sugarberg" <bsugarberg at core.com>
> > To: <hallicrafters at mailman.qth.net>
> > Sent: Saturday, April 03, 2004 1:03 PM
> > Subject: [Hallicrafters] FEMA APPEARS TO BACKPEDAL IN BPL
"CLARIFICATION"
> LETTER
> >
> >
> > | =>FEMA APPEARS TO BACKPEDAL IN BPL "CLARIFICATION" LETTER
> > |
> > | After expressing "grave concerns" to the FCC last fall about the
> > | interference potential of Broadband over Power Line (BPL) systems, the
> > | Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) now appears to be backing
> away
> > | from that strong stance. Now a part of the Department of Homeland
> Security,
> > | FEMA filed comments December 4 in response to the FCC's April 2003
> Notice of
> > | Inquiry in ET Docket 03-104. Many have cited those remarks in their
own
> > | comments opposing BPL deployment. In a January 8 letter that's now
part
> of
> > | the BPL Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) in ET Docket 04-37,
> Michael D.
> > | Brown, the US Department of Homeland Security's under secretary for
> > | emergency preparedness and response, told FCC Chairman Michael K.
Powell
> > | that FEMA wanted to "clarify the record" to ensure that its filing was
> not
> > | "misunderstood or misconstrued."
> > |
> > | "We have become aware that certain distinct approaches to BPL may have
> the
> > | potential to cause interference to FEMA's high frequency radio
> > | communications system," Brown said in his January letter. "However, we
> > | continue to study the BPL proceeding and have not concluded that there
> is a
> > | material interference problem or that all of the distinct
technological
> > | approaches to BPL pose a risk of interference."
> > |
> > | The FEMA official said his agency expects that there may be ways to
> provide
> > | BPL's benefits "without compromising the emergency communications
> > | capabilities available to FEMA."
> > |
> > | The January letter stands in stark contrast to FEMA's predictions last
> > | December that "the introduction of unwanted interference from the
> > | implementation of BPL technology into the high frequency radio
spectrum
> will
> > | result in significant detriment to the operation of FEMA radio
systems."
> > | Saying such interference could "directly impair the safety of life and
> > | property," the agency also had recommended the FCC beef up its Part 15
> rules
> > | to ensure no increase in interference levels to existing FCC or
> > | NTIA-licensed communication systems.
> > |
> > | "The purported benefits of BPL in terms of expanded services in
certain
> > | communications sectors do not appear to outweigh the benefit to the
> overall
> > | public of HF radio capability as presently used by government,
> broadcasting
> > | and public safety users," FEMA asserted last December in comments file
d
> on
> > | the agency's behalf by Chief Information Officer Barry C. West.
> > |
> > | BPL also could render such "essential communications services" as the
> Radio
> > | Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES), the Military Affiliate Radio
> System
> > | (MARS) and the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) useless, FEMA said. FEMA and
ARRL
> are
> > | signatories to a Memorandum of Understanding that focuses on how
Amateur
> > | Radio personnel may coordinate with the agency to support emergency
> > | communications functions. FEMA's December comments also referenced
> ARRL's
> > | "Interference to PLC systems from Amateur Radio Operation."
> > |
> > | Brown's January letter conveys a much milder, conciliatory tone. "We
> know
> > | that the FCC shares our appreciation for the importance of reliable
> > | communications in the context of disaster recovery and are confident
> that
> > | the Office of Engineering and Technology's technical assessment, as
well
> as
> > | the Commission's regulations implementing BPL, will be sensitive to
this
> > | issue," he concluded. "FEMA stands ready to assist in any way the
> Commission
> > | might find helpful."
> > |
> > |
> > | _______________________________________________
> > | List Administrator: Duane Fischer, W8DBF **for assistance**
> > | dfischer at usol.com
> > | ----
> > | Hallicrafters Collectors International: http://www.w9wze.org
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> > | http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hallicrafters
> > |
> > |
> > _______________________________________________
> > List Administrator: Duane Fischer, W8DBF **for assistance**
> > dfischer at usol.com
> > ----
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> > ----
> > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hallicrafters
> >
>
>
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