Len Over 21 wrote:


As long as an Access BPL provider doesn't radiate incidental RF beyond
Commission regulations, the FCC CANNOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

Unless that incidental RF radiation interferes with other licensed radio
services, then the FCC can shut it down. Part 15 devices have no
protection, even if within the allowable limits of radiation.

Len Over 21 wrote:

In article , PAMNO
(N2EY) writes:

In article ,
(Len Over 21) writes:

In article ,

(N2EY) writes:

In article ,

(Len Over 21) writes:

In article ,

(N2EY) writes:

In article ,

(Len Over 21) writes:

You best reread the Telecommunications Act of 1996.

Why?

For one thing, you MIGHT learn something new. :-)

Just think...you could then be the Informed Guru preaching to the
masses in r.r.a.p. all about how they should act, do, perform, etc.

You're voluntarily offering to relinquish your long-established position
to a mere radio amateur?

Dave K8MN

William wrote:
If the Access BPL system does not radiate incidental RF beyond
FCC regulations, the FCC is powerless to do anything about an
Access BPL system.


They assume that it always will, thus the FCC can and will shut it down.

The FCC will *not* completely shut it down;
there's too much money involved.
Engineering standards, reality,
"truth, justice and the American Way" don't even come into it.
Remember that, in Washington,
"money makes the world go 'round" and bullsh*t lubricates the gears.
They will just re-write the regulations to accommodate BPL, then
let it die of natural causes after their political contributors
have squeezed as much money out of foolish investors as possible.
That sounds OK, except for one problem: the power companies will use
the new regulations to dismiss complaints about their
continuing power line noise caused by shoddy line work.
The power companies get a "two-fer" (sucker money from BPL
and relief from the FCC hassling them over line noise),
and the pols get bigger contribution checks.
Everyone wins, except us.

In article ,
(William) writes:

If the Access BPL system does not radiate incidental RF beyond
FCC regulations, the FCC is powerless to do anything about an
Access BPL system.

They assume that it always will, thus the FCC can and will shut it down.

There's been the tacit, but erroneous, assumption that the FCC can
control BPL. It does not. All it can do, if the NPRM goes through,
is to recognize it exists and to set levels of incidental RF radiation
from BPL.

Even if there is an over-regulation level of incidental RF radiation, the
FCC is hardly likely to "shut anything down."

The FCC has taken NO action to "shut down" electric power utilities
for producing random RF noise from power lines.

The FCC has taken NO action to "shut down" the manufacture of
those so-called wireless or carrier-current telephone jack devices
even though some radiate beyond Part 15 limits.

The FCC has taken NO action to "shut down" the manufacture of
many different RF-emitting devices ranging from high-efficiency lamp
units to wireless doorbells due to excessive Part 15 radiation.

All the FCC has done is to threaten and, in a few rare cases,
fined individuals (in or out of ham radio) and corporations (notably
in broadcasting) a nominal amount. FCC's Media Bureau and the
"enforcement bureau" recently jumped the levied fine amounts for
broadcasting infractions...but that was largely due to more of the
citizenry accessing the FCC lately and getting angry at them. The
FCC has generally been rather out of touch with the mainstream of
America during most of its 70 year life.

So far, the singular case of the Cedar Rapids Access BPL test site
departure remains the only important event. That largely because
of a concerted effort by local radio amateurs in that city. That group
should be applauded and cheered. But are they?

No. The newsgroup gurus, renowned absolutely correct experts
that they are (according to their prodigious word output), want to
salute the ARRL instead "for keeping up the fight" (in ephemeral
words)...or try to say the gurus were "right all along" because it is
"a failed system that will never succeed." :-)

A few guru growlers simply snarl and point fingers in here, doing
nothing outside of the newsgroup, just looking for arguments and
a freedom to mean-mouth their "enemies." :-)

Too bad there couldn't have been a true discussion on this topic.
Too many old wounds from previous topics are still festering and
those wounded feel the League should always triumph.

LHA / WMD

In article ,
(Len Over 21) writes:


So far, the singular case of the Cedar Rapids Access BPL test site
departure remains the only important event. That largely because
of a concerted effort by local radio amateurs in that city. That group
should be applauded and cheered. But are they?

Yes.

(Len Over 21) wrote in message ...

What "help" did the ARRL do in Cedar Rapids, Iowa?

Filed a complaint with FCC that helped get the system shut down.

Identify that "help."

From "Amateur Radio Newsline" of July 2, 2004: (Note that ARN bills
itself as an alternative to ARRL, and is hardly a cheerleader for the
League.)

Quoting:

"BPL: SCORE ONE FOR THE GOOD GUYS"

"A major broadband-over-power line pilot test by Alliant Energy in
Cedar Rapids, Iowa is shut down after local hams document the harmful
interference and the Federal Communications Commission gets a formal
complaint from the A-R-R-L."

(some snipped)

"It took nearly three months to accomplish the mission, but amateurs
in Cedar Rapids - armed with ample data and the muscle of the American
Radio Relay League - convinced Alliant to prematurely halt their B-P-L
test."

"Jim Spencer, W0SR, first discovered the interference on his HF radio
right after Alliant launched its B-P-L testing March 30. Spencer, who
quickly mobilized other Cedar Rapids hams to form a technical
committee, says the interference was so severe that it wiped out his
and others' ability to use their radios."

"Spencer says the group worked with Alliant officials to try to
resolve the interference and conducted several test measurements with
the utility's cooperation."

"Spencer tells Amateur Radio Newsline the group appealed to Alliant to
shut down the system and stop the interference on several occasions."

"But it was clear the B-P-L industry was telling Alliant's managers
something else."

(more snipped)

"Spencer says communications between his technical group and Alliant
officials were civil, but they accomplished little action. He says he
and others filed complaints with the FCC. "I think in 21
communications I received one simple response basically told me to go
back to the power company - the operator of the system," Spencer says.
"And, of course, I had done that all the time."

"So, we had been asking the utility company to close it down, we had
been asking the FCC to help us and then the ARRL went and escalated
that.""

"Wade Walstrom, W0EJ, is the ARRL's Midwest Division Director.

He says the league's FCC complaint finally got the utility's
attention."

""The thrust of the complaint was that they were now aware that the
system was causing interference and didn't shut the system off so now
that makes it willful interference," Walstrom said... Alliant stopped
the B-P-L pilot test on June 25 saying it had gathered the necessary
data to make a determination on whether a general rollout of B-P-L
would be worth pursuing, according to Spencer."

(rest snipped)

The Cedar Rapids group WENT OUT AND DID IT BY THEMSELVES.

No, they didn't. It was a team effort, and ARRL was on the team.

You're just plain wrong about the "did it themselves" part, Len.

They TOOK ACTION.

And it wasn't effective until ARRL filed the complaint.

They didn't go around mumbling catechisms for the league and do
nothing. THEY DID SOMETHING.

So did ARRL.

What have you done, Len, except stuff the FCC's inbox with spam? ;-)

---

Here's another bit of news you may find interesting, Len:

http://www.qrz.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard...ST&f=3&t=65515

They're the Reply Comments of a young radio amateur. Just graduated
from high school. Very well written, to the point, and hopefully
effective. And he's just 18. You would never guess it from the writing
style.

But he's not a newcomer. According to his QRZ.com profile, this ham
was licensed at the age of 10 and has been an active radio amateur
ever since.

If Len Anderson (a life-long non-radio-amateur) made the rules, that
young ham would have not been allowed to hold any class of amateur
license until he was at least 14 years old.

Kinda says it all.....