[SMCARA] FW: ARRL Atlantic Division -- Requesting Your Support for House Bill 462

[Mike Hasel]

Hello All,
 
Just something that seems like worth the price of a stamp or phone call,
maybe we could even draft up a letter on behalf of the club and have those
in attendance at the August meeting all sign it.
 
I've copied the sample letter from ARRl below since I couldn't send it as an
attachment here, if you would like a copy of the actual letter in Word
please just let me know and I'll forward it directly to you.


73's
Mike N3KUN 


Sample Letter----------------------------------------------

{Today's Date}

 
The Honorable Steny Hoyer
United States House of Representatives 
1705 Longworth House Office Building 
Washington, DC 205 15 
Fax: 202-225-4300 
Dear Congressman Hoyer:

	On behalf of nearly 700,000 federally licensed Amateur Radio
operators across the nation, I wish to bring to your attention an issue that
affects emergency communication operations.  As a licensed amateur radio
operator living in your district, I request that you cosponsor H.R. 462, the
"Emergency Amateur Radio Interference Protection Act."  This bill urges the
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to conduct a very targeted but
comprehensive evaluation of "broadband over power line" (BPL) systems that
may interfere with public safety and other licensed radio services.

BPL utilizes electric power lines to serve as conductors of broadband
signals. Unfortunately, because the power lines are not shielded, they also
act as antennas and radiate signals into the air.   These radiated signals
interfere with radio receivers tuned to the same frequency range. BPL has
only been deployed to a very limited extent, but amateur radio operators and
several state public safety commissions report they are already experiencing
severe interference that the FCC has been unable or unwilling to correct.  

In deploying broadband, it is vital that further understanding and causation
of interference be studied by the FCC.  H.R. 462 will accomplish this goal,
by allowing the FCC to ascertain what additional rules governing BPL
systems, if any, should be adopted by the FCC in order to reduce the
interference potential to a reasonably low level.   This bill is not opposed
to broadband technology, nor does it slow or frustrate the deployment of
competitive broadband delivery mechanisms.  The purpose of the study will be
to fairly and carefully review evidence about BPL and its effect on first
responders and others who need reliable radio communication.  
	
It is imperative that there is a comprehensive evaluation of the
interference potential of BPL.  The potential impact on public safety
communications must be taken into consideration.  Again, I respectfully ask
that you cosponsor H.R. 462.   Thank you for your attention to this matter,
and for your service to our great state and nation as a whole.    

Sincerely,


{Your Name, Call Sign}
{Your Street Address}
{Your City, State, Zip}
{Your email address}

------------------------------------------------
________________________________

From: dlacmd5-bounces at columbiaara.org
[mailto:dlacmd5-bounces at columbiaara.org] On Behalf Of David J. Prestel
Sent: Sunday, August 05, 2007 5:07 PM
To: dlacmd5 at columbiaara.org
Subject: ARRL Atlantic Division -- Requesting Your Support for House Bill
462



House Bill 462 is currently before the US House of Representatives
requesting a study by the FCC on the potential of interference to Amateur
Radio operation caused by broadband over power line (BPL) signals. That
improperly implemented BPL signals can cause interference to ham operation
is already well documented. Nonetheless, forces within the industry continue
to press for its expansion. The purpose of this bill is to ensure that BPL
is implemented solely on a non-interfering basis. A copy of the legislation
may be seen below my signature, together with the URL from which I obtained
it.

I have attached a model letter to your representative which we're asking you
to print, sign, and fax or mail. Please feel free to modify the wording as
you see fit. We only ask that you not introduce any other issues into the
letter. Mail to our representatives is most effective if each letter
addresses a single topic. Unfortunately, emailed correspondence has proven
to be markedly less effective than written correspondence. Therefore we are
asking you to mail or fax the letter.

Of course, delivering your letter in person would be even more effective
yet! If you know your representative personally, or are willing to visit
their office, that would be extremely valuable.

Please do me the favor of replying to this message to let me know whether or
not you have sent the letter. If you do modify it, please include a copy of
the modified letter in your response. If you do visit your representative to
discuss HR 462, we would very much like to know when you went, whom you met,
and how the visit went. We are especially interested in the questions put to
you by the representative or by members of their staff.

Interference from BPL can affect us all. Your support is essential to help
ensure that BPL is implemented in a non-interfering manner.

Thank you, 


Dave Prestel, W8AJR   

Division Legislative Action Coordinator
Atlantic Division
ARRL



________________________________

Here is a copy of the legislation, as introduced into the House of
Representatives. You may find further information at
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h110-462


Legislation >  2007-2008 (110th Congress) >  H.R. 462
H.R. 462: To request a study by the Federal Communications Commission on the
interference caused by...

HR 462 IH

110th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 462: To request a study by the Federal Communications Commission on
the interference caused by broadband internet transmission over power lines.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 12, 2007

Mr. ROSS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee
on Energy and Commerce

A BILL

To request a study by the Federal Communications Commission on the
interference caused by broadband internet transmission over power lines.

      Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

      This Act may be cited as the `Emergency Amateur Radio Interference
Protection Act of 2007'.

SEC. 2. COMPREHENSIVE BPL SERVICE STUDY LEADING TO IMPROVED RULES TO PREVENT
INTERFERENCE.

      (a) Authority- Within 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act,
the Federal Communications Commission shall conduct, and submit to the
Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, a report
on a study of the interference potential of systems for the transmission of
broadband Internet services over power lines (in this Act referred to as
`BPL service').

      (b) Required Subjects of Study- The study required by this section
shall examine the following:

            (1) The variation of field strength of BPL service signals with
distance from overhead power lines, and a technical justification for the
use of any particular distance extrapolation factor.

            (2) The depth of adaptive, or `notch', filtering for attenuating
normally permitted BPL service radiated emission levels that would be
necessary and sufficient to protect the reliability of mobile radio
communications.

            (3) A technical justification for the permitted, radiated
emission levels of BPL signals relative to ambient levels of man-made noise
from other sources.

            (4) Options for new or improved rules related to the
transmission of BPL service that, if implemented, may prevent harmful
interference to public safety and other radio communications systems.