[Ham-Mac] QST: How to E-Mail Comments to the FCC on the Notice of Inquiry
for BPL
Richard Kriss
[email protected]
Mon, 11 Aug 2003 10:59:43 -0500
How to E-Mail Comments to the FCC on the Notice of Inquiry for BPL
If you are concerned with the Broadband over Power Line (BPL) interference
issue and have wondered how to E-Mail comments to the FCC, please read on.
If you want to know more about BPL, please visit the ARRL web page at
http://www.arrl.org/ and download the video prepared by Ed,Hare W1RFI.
Appended to this message are instruction notes from the FCC, two examples
and a template you can copy/paste into your email program. The FCC is very
picky about the format for incoming Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS)
E-Mail messages. I suggest you go to school on the format examples. One
example came from the FCC and the other is a copy of my comments submitted
to the FCC on the Broadband over Power Line Notice of Inquiry. Note the
quote of the FCC's E-Mail acceptance of my comment. My example is for
FORMAT ONLY. Please edit and change the <tagged> data and text to express
your comments to the FCC on this topic.
Per the 8-Aug-03 ARRL Letter (Vol 22, No 31), the due date for comments on
the Notice of Inquiry has been extended to August 20, 2003. Use the Notice
of Inquiry number in the AA5VU example for the <PROCEEDING> number and be
careful on how you enter the <DATE> of your filing.
If you have problems, visit http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs/ to find out more
about the FCC's Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS).
Again, the deadline for comments on ET Docket No. 03-104 for BPL has been
extended to August 20, 2003.
73 de Dick, AA5VU
PS: One of the purposes of the FCC Notice of Inquiry was to obtain technical
comments on changes to the Part 95. My comments were pretty general. Some
technical comments and suggestions from others may help. de AA5VU
---------------------------------------------------
FCC Email submission rules:
***************************************************************
******** ECFS INSTRUCTIONS FILE - SAMPLE - README **********
******** **********
******** EXPLANATION ONLY - DO NOT SEND IN THIS FILE **********
******** **********
******** REPEAT: DO NOT RE-SEND THIS FILE - IT IS ONLY A SAMPLE ******
******** **********
***************************************************************
**
** Email submission rules:
**
** Email submissions should be sent to [email protected].
** Email submissions will allow printable ASCII text only.
** Email submissions must be contained in the body of the e-mail,
** rather than attachments.
** Email submissions must contain only one document per submission,
** multiple documents will be ignored.
** Email submissions must adhere to the format of the
** Electronic Transmittal Form for Email filings.
**
** Email Filings must be accompanied by information
** containing the ECFS Document Index Terms. For automated processing
** via email, this must be computer readable. For this, you must use
** a free-format, computer-readable form, as described below,
** using SGML tags.
**
** The requested info is to be placed after the text in angle brackets.
**
** The tagged info should be contained on a single line.
** Change the text after the brackets.
**
** <PROCEEDING>, <NAME>, <ADDRESS1>, <CITY>, <STATE>, <ZIP>,
** <DOCUMENT-TYPE>, and <TEXT> are required.
**
** List of DOCUMENT TYPES:
** CO COMMENT
** ER ERRATUM
** MN MOTION
** PR PETITION FOR RECONSIDERATION
** RC REPLY TO COMMENTS
** RL REPLY
** RQ REQUEST
**
** For assistance in using ECFS, please contact: (202) 418-0193 or
** submit an email to: [email protected].
**
** For suggestions and comments regarding the system design and
** operation, please contact Bill Cline at [email protected] or
** (202)418-0267, TTY (202) 418-2555.
**
** NOTE TO OUR INTERNATIONAL USERS SUBMITTING ELECTRONIC COMMENTS:
** To enable you to file electronically, please complete the required
** "City" and "Zip Code" fields. Type in "DC" as the state and "00000"
** as the zip.
<PROCEEDING> PUT-DOCKET-NUMBER or RULEMAKING-NUMBER HERE
<DATE> FILED-DATE-IN-MM/DD/YY-FORMAT
<NAME> APPLICANT-OR-PETITIONER-NAME
<ADDRESS1> ADDRESS
<ADDRESS2> ADDRESS
<CITY> CITY
<STATE> TWO-LETTER-STATE-CODE
<ZIP> ZIPCODE
<LAW-FIRM> LAW-FIRM
<ATTORNEY> LAWYER-NAME
<FILE-NUMBER> FILE-NUMBER
<DOCUMENT-TYPE> TWO-LETTER-DOCUMENT-TYPE-CODE (See list of DOCUMENT
TYPES)
<PHONE-NUMBER> SENDER-PHONE-NUMBER
<DESCRIPTION> EMAIL-COMMENT
<CONTACT-EMAIL> EMAIL-ADDRESS-RESPONSE-DESTINATION
<TEXT> ACTUAL TEXT OF MESSAGE...
Dear FCC...
---------------------------------------------------
Example 1 (individual):
<PROCEEDING> 00-221
<DATE> 6/12/01
<NAME> John P. Doe
<ADDRESS1> 123 Kennedy Drive
<ADDRESS2>
<CITY> Newark
<STATE> NJ
<ZIP> 07103
<LAW-FIRM>
<ATTORNEY>
<FILE-NUMBER>
<DOCUMENT-TYPE> RC
<PHONE-NUMBER> 973-555-7893
<DESCRIPTION> Email Comment
<CONTACT-EMAIL> [email protected]
<TEXT> Dear FCC,
I don't want to pay more for my phone. Please remove the surcharge and let
competition rule. Thank you.
Joe
---------------------------------------------------
Example 2 (copy of AA5VU's comment):
> ECFS Received your Submission/Request at
> Mon Aug 11 07:21:07 GMT-05:00 2003 Eastern Time.
Date: Mon, 11 Aug 2003 07:20:52 -0500
Subject: ECFS E-Mail Filing on ET Docket No. 03-104 on BPL
From: Richard Kriss <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
<PROCEEDING> 03-104
<DATE> 08/11/03
<NAME> Richard M. Kriss
<ADDRESS1> 904 Dartmoor Cove
<ADDRESS2>
<CITY>Austin
<STATE> TX
<ZIP> 78746
<LAW-FIRM>
<ATTORNEY>
<FILE-NUMBER> see text below
<DOCUMENT-TYPE> CO
<PHONE-NUMBER> 512-327-9566
<DESCRIPTION> Email Comment
<CONTACT-EMAIL> [email protected]
<TEXT> Dear FCC,
First, I appreciate the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) extending
the time for comments on the Engineering and Technology Notice of Inquiry
Docket No. 03-104 regarding Carrier Current Systems, including Broadband
over Power Line (BPL) Systems to August 20, 2003.
As a licensed amateur radio operator, FCC call sign AA5VU, I am very
concerned with the spectrum pollution (interference) associated with the new
broadband over power line technology the FCC is considering for approval for
use by the power line industry.
The industry plans to use a form of power line carrier (PLC) technology
using existing low and medium-voltage power lines to deliver broadband
(internet) services to homes and businesses. It uses frequencies between 2
MHz and 80 MHz; and ARRL laboratory and in field tests have documented that
BPL causes interference (spectrum pollution) to HF and low-VHF frequencies
currently in use by the Government (Department of Defense and Homeland
Security), law enforcement agencies, amateur radio and commercial
businesses. Further, the current BPL technology itself may be susceptible
to transmissions from other existing services.
To appreciate the level of interference, please visit the ARRL web page at
[http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2003/08/08/2/?nc=1] and listen to the BPL
interference recorded from one of the FCC test sites. To me it sounds like
a strong Geiger counter sound jamming the frequency band such that normal
signals can not be received. Contrary to power industry claims, the ARRL
tests convinced me the current BPL technology will generate major
interference to existing services, including amateur radio. The ARRL
President, Mr. Jim Haynie is prepared to provide the FCC with more details.
He can be reached at 214-366-9400 or [email protected]
Regarding the FCC Notice of Inquiry ET Docket No. 03-104, I recommend
tightening of the FCC Part 15 requirements and/or standards for power line
carrier (PLC) devices to assure they will not cause interference (or be
susceptible from) to existing services. In addition, I would appreciate
documentation from the FCC that adequate testing has been performed to
assure broadband over power line technology will not cause interference to
existing services. Hopefully, this testing will be well documented and made
public before the technology is approved for use by the power line industry.
I sincerely hope the power line industry discovers a technical solution to
the BPL interference issue so we can all enjoy the benefits of having
broadband internet to our home via power lines.
FCC support to my comments for consideration will be appreciated.
Regards
Richard M. Kriss, AA5VU
---------------------------------------------------
Template for your message:
ECFS - E-mail Filing
<PROCEEDING>
<DATE>
<NAME>
<ADDRESS1>
<ADDRESS2>
<CITY>
<STATE>
<ZIP>
<LAW-FIRM>
<ATTORNEY>
<FILE-NUMBER>
<DOCUMENT-TYPE>
<PHONE-NUMBER>
<DESCRIPTION>
<CONTACT-EMAIL>
<TEXT>
---------------------------------------------------
The End!