[TenTec] House Resolution 230

[JAMES HANLON]

Okay gang, get your pens out!  From www.arrl.org:
US House Resolution Calls on FCC to Evaluate BPL Interference, Review Rules

ARRL General Counsel Chris Imlay, W3KD, Rep Mike Ross, WD5DVR, and ARRL CEO 
David Sumner, K1ZZ, met in Ross's Washington office April 26.
NEWINGTON, CT, Apr 28, 2005--Rep Michael Ross, WD5DVR, of Arkansas, has 
introduced a resolution in the US House of Representatives calling on the 
FCC to "conduct a full and complete analysis" of radio interference from 
broadband over power line (BPL). The resolution, H. Res 230, says the 
Commission should comprehensively evaluate BPL's interference potential 
incorporating "extensive public review and comment," and--in light of that 
analysis--to "reconsider and review" its new BPL rules. If approved by the 
full House, the non-binding resolution, introduced April 21, would express 
the requests as "the sense of the House of Representatives." The FCC adopted 
rules to govern so-called Access BPL last October 14 in ET Docket 04-37.

"We are grateful to Congressman Ross and his staff for taking a leadership 
position in recognizing that the BPL interference issue deserves more 
careful consideration than the FCC was willing to give it under former 
Chairman Powell," said ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ. The resolution has been 
referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, on which Ross 
serves.

The resolution's prime focus is on BPL's potential to disrupt critical 
public safety radiocommunication. It cites National Telecommunications and 
Information Administration (NTIA) studies that "have determined that 
broadband over power line creates a 'high risk' of radio wave interference, 
and that harmful interference to public safety mobile radio receivers can be 
expected at distances of 75 meters from the power line where broadband over 
power line is in operation, and at distances of up to 460 meters from fixed 
stations, such as VHF police or fire dispatch communications facilities."

The resolution notes that the same NTIA study determined that BPL 
interference to aeronautical and airline travel communications "could be 
expected at distances up to 40 kilometers from the center of the broadband 
over power line system, and that interference to outer marker beacons for 
airline instrument landing systems could be expected at great distances as 
well."

Many public safety agencies and support services, including emergency 
medical services, fire, and law enforcement, utilize Low-Band VHF (30-50 
MHz), the resolution points out. Thirteen states--California, Connecticut, 
Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, 
South Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia and Wyoming--use the band for state 
police operations, while it's the primary public safety radio band in nine 
states.

The resolution further notes that the Association of Public Safety Officials 
Inc (APCO), and the National Public Safety Telecommunications Council 
(NPSTC), urged the FCC to withhold final action in the BPL proceeding for at 
least a year, pending a "conclusive determination" of BPL's potential to 
interfere with public safety and other licensed radio systems operating 
below 80 MHz. It also cites comments filed by the Missouri State Highway 
Patrol, which uses a statewide radio system with more than 1400 Low-Band VHF 
users. The Missouri State Highway Patrol commented that the overall effect 
of BPL implementation would be "a potentially significant increase in 
interference to the mission of critical public safety communications," the 
resolution says.

The resolution recounts that the FCC has struggled for years to resolve 
widespread harmful interference to the radiocommunications of first 
responders on 800 MHz and "should not have proceeded with introduction of a 
technology which appears to have substantial potential to cause destructive 
interference to police, fire, emergency medical services, and other public 
safety radio systems" without first conducting a comprehensive evaluation.

ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, has urged ARRL members to contact their US 
representatives to support the resolution when it reaches the floor of the 
House. A sample letter is available on the ARRL Web site, although members 
are encouraged to express their support in their own words. If you're not 
sure who represents your congressional district, visit the United States 
House of Representatives Web site.

To expedite delivery, send all correspondence bound for Members of 
Congress--preferably as an attachment--to hres230 at arrl.org or fax it to 
703-684-7594. The ARRL will bundle correspondence addressed to each Member 
of Congress for hand delivery.

Jim, W8KGI