[TowerTalk] (Off-Topic) BPL In Congress Your Action is Requested

[Eugene Balinski]

Please consider calling or writing your member of Congress

 Just over a week ago Representative Michael Ross, WD5DVR,
of Arkansas, introduced a resolution in the US House of
Representatives calling on the FCC to "conduct a full and
complete analysis" of radio interferencefrom broadband over
power line (BPL). A copy of HRes 230 is availableon the
ARRL Web site in .PDF format at:

http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/HTML/plc/filings/hres230/HRes230.pdf

It was too late to get the news into June QST but it did go
out via ARRL Bulletins and the ARRL Letter:

http://www.arrl.org/w1aw/2005-arlb012.html and

http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/05/0429/

This is an important step in our effort to slow and stop
the
deployment of BPL. In recent months there have been a
couple of test BPL systems installed in Massachusetts
(Western Massachusetts Electric) and Connecticut (United
 Illuminating). They really do cause significant
interference even in the limited test areas that already
have been installed.

1) It is important for you to contact your representative
in the House of Representatives now and ask them to support
House Resolution 230. Please send a letter in the next two
weeks if at all possible.
Ask him or her to sign on as a co-sponsor for HRes 230.
There are roughly 1500 licensed Amateurs in each
congressional district. A sample letter is available on the
ARRL Web site:

http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/HTML/plc/filings/hres
230/HRes230-SampleLtr.doc

Express your support in your own words. If you're not sure
who represents your congressional district, visit the
United States House of Representatives Web site at

http://www.house.gov/

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

2) Two New England Congressmen are on the House Energy and
Commerce Committee, and will have a direct role in what
happens with H Res 230. They are Rep Charles Bass (D-2) who
represents much of southern and all of western New
Hampshire, and Rep Tom Allen (R) who represents
northern and eastern Maine. We're interested in working
with ARRL Members in those districts who know either
Representative or someone on their staff - we'd like to
make sure they are well informed about BPL. Please contact
me if you can help out.

3) Finally, we need those of you with contacts within the
law enforcement and public safety community to help us out.
If you know any officials in your area who participate in
the National Public Safety Telecommunications Council
(NPSTC) or the Association of Public-Safety Communications
Officials International (APCO), please encourage them to
continue their efforts to block BPL interference.
These two groups have filed comments with the FCC with
concerns of BPL interference. These groups represent
associations such as the American Red Cross, The
International Association of Chiefs of Police, the
International Association of Fire Chiefs and the
International Association of Emergency Managers.

In summary, it is important to get the point across that
this resolution does not hinder Broadband, but, rather
seeks to delay the BPL docket (FCC ET 04-37) until further
study can be made. We need to stress the importance of how
BPL is not only causing interference to Amateur Radio
operators, but it is causing interference within the Law
Enforcement and Public Safety area. While contacting your
epresentatives it needs to be mentioned that ARRL has filed
a petition for reconsideration to the FCC.

Thanks for your support and direct action on this important
topic!
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