FW: [Kenwood] BPL

[Alan Wolke]

I agree with Jay.

The benefits touted to the naive talk about it bringing broadband to
everyone with a power line.  However, the realities of getting it there mean
that it actually costs more to get out to the rural areas than other
services.  The only place where the ecomonics are reasonable due to
repeaters, etc. are in populated areas - where cable and DSL are already
generally available.  Because of this - I think that BPL will die of its own
short-comings.

BPL is the Y2K issue of 2004/5.  All of the consultants that made a TON of
money hyping up the Y2K problems have all now run out of money, and are
finding new employment hyping up BPL to local community councils.  When
these rascals come to town, we just need to stand strong, and present good
scientific information (like below), along with the known interference
issues to public service, safety, business and amateur communications.


Jay Eimer wrote:

> That's right.  The story fed to the public is (1) with DSL you have to
> live close to the switching center.  (2) with cable they have to run the
> coax, which is expensive.  (3) with wireless you have to buy (or worse,
> rent!) a radio receiver, and put up a (heard this one before?) big, ugly
> antenna.  But (4) the power lines already come right to your house!
> Isn't that neat!
>
> But they skip the amps, repeaters, bypasses over step-down transformers
> (all MORE expensive than the other options, BTW) and then claim it's
> CHEAPER?  Sorry, economically BPL only makes sense in relatively dense
> areas (NOT a rural solution) and then only if it is subsidized by the
> electricity ratepayers.
>
> FYI, that subsidy is illegal in many states, regulated in others by
> their corporation or public utility commissions.  Where it's not, it is
> something the shareholders might like to "know about".
>
> And finally, if we can "hear" BPL, what makes you think the hackers
> can't - it is about as secure as an HF transmission during good
> propagation conditions (1/2 the world can hear every word you type).
>
> Fight this one through the utility regulators (illegal and or unjust
> subsidy - making inner city poor pay for suburban rich folks broadband)
> and through privacy rights groups.
>
> And of course, tell your congresscritters this.  Frequently.
> If they're Democrats, they'll love to go after a "shady corporation".
> If they're Republicans, they'll love to go after "corrupt regulators".
> Either way, your voice carries more weight.
>
> Jay
> AD5PE
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: kenwood-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> [mailto:kenwood-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Ed Swiderski
> Sent: Friday, October 15, 2004 07:33
> To: kenwood at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: Re: FW: [Kenwood] BPL
>
>     You would think they would be more interested in looking into
> wirless access. Using the power lines just seems to me like antiquated
> technology. But it sounds good to the masses. Guess that's why I'll
> never make it in politics. I make to much sense.
>
> Ed KU4BP
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Michael E. Rees" <docmickey at outdrs.net>
> To: <bcarling at cfl.rr.com>; <kenwood at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Friday, October 15, 2004 8:00 AM
> Subject: RE: FW: [Kenwood] BPL
>
> That isn't all.  Yesterday John Kerry was here in Las Vegas for the AARP
> convention.  When asked about BPL, John Kerry said he is in favor of
> BPL. He just said he supports BPL as a means of getting the internet to
> rural areas so kids can have a better education and wants to push its
> installation and use.  The point is he wants to push BPL.
>
> KD7CVJ
> Mike
>
> HMC(SW)
> USN Retired
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: kenwood-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> [mailto:kenwood-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Brian Carling
> Sent: Friday, October 15, 2004 4:07 AM
> To: kenwood at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: Re: FW: [Kenwood] BPL
>
> BPL is NOT the greatest threat to HF radio for hams
> at present. WINLINK is a far greater threat, and ARRL is endorsing it.
>
> Wait until one of these unattended high power digital
> pests starts interfering with your QSO and you will understand.
>
> On 15 Oct 2004 at 2:30, Daniel Seagraves wrote:
>
> > On Thu, 14 Oct 2004, Mort Arditti wrote:
> >
> > > Here is a thought. Use maximum legal CW power,  use a directional
> > > antenna and aim at the power lines. If the lines are close, it is
> better.
> > > Will this  cause interference to BPL? I don't know.
> > > If the BPL supporters do not care about us, why should we care about
>
> > > them. Besides, it could be fun.
> >
> > We can't cause deliberate interference. If the FCC finds out, you'll
> > lose your ticket, and you can bet the BPL users will gripe about you
> > whether you interfere with them or not.
> >
> > The only way we're going to continue to use HF as we do now is to come
>
> > up with some whiz-bang error correction that can get a signal through
> > S9+30 of noise. The war is over, we lost, we have to deal with this.
> > We can't just keep doing what we've always done and expect things to
> > never change. It's just like the restrictions and changes made to
> > pilots after 9-11. They have had to put up with major changes - They
> > used to be able to cruize around and just look at the scenery without
> > a "reason" to fly. They used to be able to invite kids up to the
> > flight deck if they wanted to. Times have changed, and the past is
> > gone forever. It doesn't matter if the change is for the better or
> > not, we have to deal with it... or die.
> >
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--
Alan Wolke, W2AEW
"i usta cuDn't speL enjinere, noW i ar wuN"