[Mldxcc] fwd: Report your PG&E noise problems here!

[Ken Anderson]

Date: Wed, 28 Apr 2010 20:42:20 -0700
From: Garry Shapiro <garry at ni6t.com>
Subject: [NCCC] Report your PG&E noise problems here!
To: NCCC Main Reflector <nccc at contesting.com>,  ncdxc Chat
        <chat at ncdxc.org>
Message-ID: <4BD9001C.1040608 at ni6t.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

Colleagues,

Many of us have reported frustration and dissatisfaction in trying to
get powerline noise issues resolved by PG&E. We now have a collective
opportunity to get PG&E back on the right track.

HISTORY. PG&E divides its territory into divisions, e.g. Cupertino,
which handle service issues locally. At any given time, some handle
issues like noisy poles more efficiently than others. As  a result,
while some of us have reported prompt and efficient handling of noise
complaints, most have encountered resistance and inaction from our local
yards. Many PG&E managers regard ham RFI complaints as nuisances, and
assign a low or zero priority to servicing them. Rotated to the next job
within two years, they find it easy to indefinitely postpone action.

Riley Hollingsworth's (K4ZDH) ten-year tenure in FCC amateur enforcement
temporarily changed the dynamic. After he was brought in by Jim Maxwell,
W6CF and Bob Vallio, W6RGG, PG&E's posture changed. Jeff Butler, a PG&E
VP, was assigned responsibility for servicing languishing noise
complaints. Due to Mr. Butler, PG&E response to noise complaints
improved dramatically--a virtual "golden era". This ended when Mr.
Hollingsworth retired in 2008 and Mr. Butler was unceremoniously sacked.
IMHO, the situation now has returned to the "bad old days", pre-Riley.

PRESENT. In my area, noise complaints are responded to and sources
identified, but the poles are not subsequently serviced. The local
compliance officer says he has too many tags and too few crews and
equipment to service his huge backlog--but the company apparently has
plenty of money for political lobbying. ARRL and FCC have a cooperative
agreement in which ARRL acts as a front end for noise complaints. ARRL
receives complaints and writes to PG&E top management, informing them of
amateur complaints and requesting resolution. But ARRL has no
enforcement power, and, to my knowledge, the response from PG&E HQ has
been little or no response at all.

PLAN. I propose that we become proactive as a GROUP. I have spoken at
length with fellow sufferers, Pacific Division Director Bob Vallio,
W6RGG and Mike Gruber, W1MG, from ARRL. We have a plan. The first step
is to gather information from NCCC and NCDXC members about recent noise
complaints and where they are in the process. This complainant group
will be identified to PG&E by ARRL, with PG&E to be given 60 days to
respond. If response is inadequate or not forthcoming, Laura Smith, the
current Enforcement officer at FCC, will be brought in. If you have an
unresolved powerline noise issue with PG&E, you need to participate in
this survey. Some have unresolved problems going back years; report /any
/problem that has not been satisfactorily resolved.

Please answer the questions below in as much detail as you care to
provide, and email your response to me at _garry at ni6t.com._ The sooner
you respond, the sooner we can get this ball rolling.
________________________________________________________________________

NAME and CALLSIGN:

ADDRESS:

PG&E facility servicing you, if known:

NOISE INCIDENTS and their STATUS:

Please include all relevant information, including:

    * complaint dates (especially multiple complaints about the same source)
    * nature of the problem
    * observations you have made and data you have taken (e.g. spectra,
      audio recordings, search techniques)
    * trouble ticket numbers (if known)
    * PG&E personnel you dealt with; list both positive and negative
      encounters
    * personal efforts to identify the source
    * current status

Send your response to me, Garry Shapiro, _garry at ni6t.com
_Questions? Call me at (408) 353-6068