[TenTec] Re: [WCARC] BPL Rollout A PLAN of ACTION

[Arthur Bernstein]

Hello to all,
It's quite obvious that we cannot go around and intentionally interfere 
with another service. However, if, in the the course of our normal 
operating practices, we do disrupt the normal functioning of BPL systems 
(and from what I've been told it wouldn't take much), then we are not 
violating any regulations.
This is a potentially disasterous situation for ham radio as we know it.
I had to chuckle a bit when I read the attached email that stated  that 
intentionally interfering with communications could result in hefty 
fines....etc...Isn't that what BPL is going to do? The  directors of the 
power companies have been prewarned, haven't they? If so, this is 
intentional interference to licensed services. Or are we talking in 
tongues here?
What could conceivably hurt us is the apathy of the ham community.
Just a thought.
73,
Art., N2KA..
.

Bill KB9IV wrote:

>Hello All,
>
>I believe the part for intentionally interfering or causing
>interference to a FCC authorized
>communication will result in hefty fines, incarceration.
>Even planning or
>organizing it is a crime.
>I'd drop it if I were you...............lets stick to Ten
>Tec.
>
>Best 73,
>
>Bill  KB9IV
>
>
>----- Original Message ----- 
>From: "Stuart Rohre" <rohre at arlut.utexas.edu>
>To: <WCARC at yahoogroups.com>;
><antenna-discussion at antennex.com>;
><TCARES_packet at yahoogroups.com>; <wc-ares at yahoogroups.com>;
><glowbugs at piobaire.mines.uidaho.edu>;
><qrp-l at mailman.qth.net>; "QRPp International Membership"
><membership at QRPp-I.com>; <tentec at contesting.com>
>Sent: Wednesday, March 03, 2004 5:15 PM
>Subject: [TenTec] Re: [WCARC] BPL Rollout A PLAN of ACTION
>
>
>  
>
>>Folks,
>>I have hit upon a way to derail BPL, if we all, as hams,
>>    
>>
>work together.  I
>  
>
>>followed the links to the BPL "Computerworld" news story
>>    
>>
>and then the links
>  
>
>>to the companies involved and some of the computer web
>>    
>>
>magazines and printed
>  
>
>>versions that are hyping BPL.  In short order, I had reams
>>    
>>
>of info and
>  
>
>>places to watch BPL RFI develop!
>>
>>I suggest we all get on the air, and contact hams with
>>    
>>
>directional CQs in
>  
>
>>the trial areas.  Get them to go to the trial
>>    
>>
>neighborhoods with 100 watt
>  
>
>>mobiles and carry on normal communications and listen for
>>    
>>
>BPL RFI.   Then
>  
>
>>see if they find reports in the press of BPL failures.
>>    
>>
>Write their local
>  
>
>>paper about the potential threat to Disaster and Homeland
>>    
>>
>Security, (FEMA)
>  
>
>>communications.   Monitor and record BPL test
>>    
>>
>transmissions in the
>  
>
>>neighborhood before transmitting; so that you know you are
>>    
>>
>near a BPL user.
>  
>
>>We HAVE to have operational tests, and BPL must cease if
>>    
>>
>it interferes with
>  
>
>>licensed services, that is us, and Public Safety, FM
>>    
>>
>broadcast, Coast Guard,
>  
>
>>etc.  Document what you find and report to Ed Hare at
>>    
>>
>ARRL.   FCC has
>  
>
>>already affirmed that BPL must play by the part 15 rules
>>    
>>
>to cease operating,
>  
>
>>if it causes RFI.
>>
>>Copy your Congressmen and Senators with a BPL protest and
>>    
>>
>fact sheet of its
>  
>
>>hazards to Homeland Security, Public Safety Comms., Coast
>>    
>>
>Guard Short wave,
>  
>
>>MARS, FM broadcasts, etc.
>>
>>Contact these Computer trade mags and papers and point out
>>    
>>
>the downfalls of
>  
>
>>BPL they have not mentioned, (RFI to and from).   I have
>>    
>>
>identified even a
>  
>
>>user of a trial in the Cincinnati neighborhood, Hyde Park.
>>    
>>
>"Go park in
>  
>
>>front of her house", tell your Ohio ham friends, "and do
>>    
>>
>some mobile
>  
>
>>transmitting."   Fern Hofstetter and 100 others are in the
>>    
>>
>Hyde Park trial.
>  
>
>>She has not had RFI up to the time of the news story.
>>
>>In the next Six Mos.,  in Cincinnati neighborhoods of
>>    
>>
>Wyoming, Delhi, and
>  
>
>>Terrace Park, more roll out BPL will be installed.   Also,
>>    
>>
>the power co.
>  
>
>>there serves Oh, IN and parts of Kentucky and plans BPL
>>    
>>
>there.  As hams
>  
>
>>here, we could aim beams that way and possibly record BPL
>>    
>>
>RFI,  Refer to
>  
>
>>ARRL web site sound files for samples.  Report that to FCC
>>    
>>
>and Ed Hare at
>  
>
>>ARRL.  You will need good filters and sensitive receiving,
>>    
>>
>but I would
>  
>
>>hazard a guess that once that genie is out of the bottle
>>    
>>
>of the power line,
>  
>
>>it will propagate well if conditions are ripe.
>>
>>Also, hams in Cincinnati should contact Brian Hamrick of
>>    
>>
>Ch. 5 TV there who
>  
>
>>did a favorable BPL story and give him a sample of the BPL
>>    
>>
>RFI sound file
>  
>
>>and the downside of the BPL roll out.   Point out the
>>    
>>
>disaster comms
>  
>
>>effects, and show him the ARRL video on BPL.
>>
>>In Ossining NY, contact Police Chief Ken Donato, who has a
>>    
>>
>trial BPL
>  
>
>>connection at the PD.   He, of all people, should
>>    
>>
>appreciate the downsides
>  
>
>>to Homeland Security.  Also, hams in Westchester Co. NY
>>    
>>
>should look around
>  
>
>>for the BPL homes there, and try to find the users and see
>>    
>>
>if mobiling in
>  
>
>>front of their locations affects BPL.
>>
>>Other power companies besides Consolidated Edison in NY,
>>    
>>
>(above), who are
>  
>
>>rolling out BPL trials are Pepco in Washington DC, Ameren
>>    
>>
>in St. Louis MO.
>  
>
>>and Penn. Power and Light.  Southern Telecom and Ambient
>>    
>>
>in Alabama are
>  
>
>>going to try BPL, and Main.net in Atlanta GA.
>>
>>We should contact "Network World Fusion" with numerous
>>    
>>
>accounts of how BPL
>  
>
>>can interfere and get our ARRL reps to do likewise.   It
>>    
>>
>only took me about
>  
>
>>5 minutes to find user name, companies involved, towns and
>>    
>>
>even
>  
>
>>neighborhoods by the news stories on the web.  The
>>    
>>
>Internet can be a
>  
>
>>powerful ally in fighting BPL, if we all surf a bit and
>>    
>>
>stay on top of these
>  
>
>>trials, and get ARRL to do likewise.  If enough buzz is
>>    
>>
>made about the BPL
>  
>
>>problems potential, it will get reasonable investors and
>>    
>>
>technocrats
>  
>
>>concerned that maybe this is not viable after all.
>>
>>Good Luck and 73,
>>Stuart
>>K5KVH
>>
>>
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>>
>>
>>    
>>
>
>
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>  
>