[RFI] So-Called Utility "Smart Meters"

[Charles Johnson]

Georgia Power installed one of these meters at my QTH about a year ago. 
No problems at all. And what I really like about it is that it can be 
read remotely - no more meter reader driving up the road to the house at 
50 MPH!  My tower and antennas are close by. It is only a meter, no load 
regulation such as AC or hot water heater. Our house is about 500 feet 
from the road and after numerous incidents of meter readers causing 
various problems, I gave the meter reader supervisor notice that his 
people could no longer drive up the road. They had to park at the 
highway and walk. It wasn't too long after that that we received a 
letter saying we would one of the first to get the new remote meters. I 
like it!
73, Charles, K4ZRJ

  

EP Swynar wrote:
> Good Morning All,
>
> The good folks here at the Ontario Hydro generating outfit (or WHATEVER it is that they might call themselves this week) have elected to install so-called "smart meters", in place of the regular old-fashioned ones, at the street AC drop point outside of everyone's house...
>
> For the uninitiated, "smart meters" automatically keep track of power usage in each home, and then charge rates according to whether or not it's "peak / prime" time, or otherwise...apparently (as I understand it) these odious devices are in constant communication wirelessly with "Big Brother", feeding the data to some central collection point, to calculate final billing...and they mark the end of days for the old-fashioned, traditional humanoid meter reader.
>
> Oh yes, did I mention that this is all a "...GOOD thing" for Ontario...?
>
> Anyway, I'm VERY curious if any Hams reading this, who may have already had smart meters installed at their respective QTHs, have experienced any sort of RFI either to, or from, the readers...? I wrote a strongly-worded letter to the local co-ordinator of this effort, and received a phone message back from one of his minions that I would be hearing from them shortly...that was about a month ago.
>
> The monitor was installed at my QTH here a coupla days ago, but the system is not yet operational.
>
> Any sage words from the ranks of the knowledgeable...? 
>
> Thanks in advance, & my vy
>
> ~73!~ Eddy VE3CUI - VE3XZ
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