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Topband: The Quest to save AM radio

To: Topband@contesting.com
Subject: Topband: The Quest to save AM radio
From: Ken Claerbout <k4zw@verizon.net>
Reply-to: k4zw@verizon.net
Date: Wed, 11 Sep 2013 19:29:00 -0500 (CDT)
List-post: <topband@contesting.com">mailto:topband@contesting.com>
"Exactly right. Isn't small government wonderful?" That's really not the 
problem. Many federal agencies, including the one I work at, have plenty of 
money and personnel. It's more a function of priorities and who sets them.

Years ago when I was in a Master's program, one of the courses I took was 
Telecommunications Law taught at the George Mason University School of Law. It 
was taught by an adjunct professor who was an attorney at the FCC. I was the 
only engineer in the class. It was a fantastic class, the best one of the 
program! One of the things we looked at was expanding broadband access in the 
US. BPL was prominent at the time. I remember trying to make the case about its 
interference potential to existing services and I was basically told I hear 
you, your right, but you are barking up the wrong tree. It was clear many of 
the decisions were being made by policy types and not by people that understood 
its implications, especially the technical part. If BPL was going to be 
defeated, it would happen because it wasn't financially viable, not on 
technical merits, because it harmed existing services. Who could be against 
greater broadband access for the public? Are other services like guys with t
 heir ham radios and AM broadcast stations (who listens to AM) going to trump 
that objective?

I'm more dubious about greater enforcement than some it appears. It's an uphill 
battle on many fronts. Aren't there powerline RFI cases that have gone 
unresolved for years because the FCC won't step in or won't enforce their own 
standards? Besides, how long have guys like K1MAN and KZ8O been on double 
secret probation, and nothing can be done about them? 

Ken K4ZW
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