Topband: Internet access via power lines reborn in Europe

[Mike]

There is a similar system being developed in the United States called
Home Plug. I hope they are right about the interference, but I am very
skeptical. I suspect that the power line advocates idea of no interference
and a Topband DXers idea of no interference are many dB apart. If you 
look at the RF characteristics of a home wiring system it is about the
most uncontrolled kludge you can imagine. Also this whole idea flies
in the face of all the EDSI and FCC standards for conducted emissions. 
Its like the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing. What
happens when I plug in a computer with an EMI filter on its power
input that uses shunt C across the line into the same outlet as my power
line modem. The shunt C in the EMI filter will put an RF short across the
output of the modem. Lighting connections (especially 3 way switches)
will look like big antennas hanging off the home wiring. Plug in a long
extension cord and you've got yourself a notch filter. I would love to 
pull up to a test sight with a general coverage receiver and listen to 
all the crap. 

Of course the sad thing is that once these folks have there foot in the
door, it will be hard to shut it given the popularity of the internet. The 
only hope will be that eventually all this will go away as people migrate
to optical fiber when they get really bandwidth hungry.

Mike, W4EF..................