[UK-CONTEST] set top box

Fri May 25 11:36:41 EDT 2007

What is disgusting is the fact that hardly anything has been done to 
protect the Amateur Radio Service over the past forty or so years, we 
now have a regulator which is hell bent on selling off every available 
piece of spectrum to the highest bidder, we have no decent controls to 
stop pieces of electronic kit (like baby minders) polluting our spectrum 
and we have been sold the mother of all dummies with the licence for 
life concept.

And on top of that we have people who “tut-tut” this and “tut-tut” that 
who will then wonder why they cant use HF any more because BPL/PLT has 
killed it off!

Very British “head in the sand” attitude!

G3SJJ wrote:
> I was referring to your wording and the whole tenure of of your posting.
>
> Chris G3SJJ
>
>
>
> David - M0ZLB wrote:
>> Couldn't agree more but that's the way it has panned out in this 
>> country.
>>
>>
>>
>> G3SJJ wrote:
>>> Disgusting
>>>
>>> Chris G3SJJ
>>>
>>>
>>> David - M0ZLB wrote:
>>>> Actually, thinking about it a bit further, if my opinion is 
>>>> "outdated and incorrect" then can someone show me where the 
>>>> legislation is that a) ensures that the amateur service is 
>>>> protected, b) all "CE" (crappy European") stuff is equivalent to or 
>>>> better than FCC part 15 to further protect the service!
>>>>
>>>> If this isn't enshrined in legislation somewhere (and lets face it, 
>>>> it isn't) then this is the very bare minimum that RSGB and 
>>>> associated interested parties should be striving for instead of the 
>>>> two highest officers of the RSGB swanning off on a Dayton jolly 
>>>> recently!
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> David - M0ZLB wrote:
>>>>> Hi Colin,
>>>>>
>>>>> Hmmm...things must have changed in the last 6 months or so (?)
>>>>>
>>>>> I have an HF beam in the back and noticed late last year that 
>>>>> about 5.30pm I was receiving +6 interference especially on 20m, it 
>>>>> was like the wife's hair dryer! At 9.30pm, it disappeared!
>>>>>
>>>>> I spent ages looking for the culprit and then thanks to friend of 
>>>>> mine with a portable HF set, we found the problem - a set of 
>>>>> garden lights in my neighbours garden that were on a timer system. 
>>>>> I hadn't noticed it until the nights started to draw in and the 
>>>>> clocks went forward.
>>>>>
>>>>> Spoke to RSGB EMC Committee - that's another story, most of them 
>>>>> are either dead or retired, eventually got absolutely no-where so 
>>>>> spoke to Ofcom!
>>>>>
>>>>> Quote from Ofcom - "tough, you are unprotected"
>>>>>
>>>>> Charming!
>>>>>
>>>>> So what to do? Go round to the neighbours and complain and risk 
>>>>> them asking questions in return about the antennas (whilst also 
>>>>> knowing that I don't have a legal leg to stand on!) or lump it!
>>>>>
>>>>> Luckily as the nights are shorter, its not so much of an issue at 
>>>>> the moment.
>>>>>
>>>>> I believe that the CE mark should be equivalent to FCC Part 15 
>>>>> inasmuch as products should be able to resist RF interference and 
>>>>> in turn, not be able to produce interference! Unfortunately it 
>>>>> doesn't, my investigations lead me to believe that few if any 
>>>>> products are properly tested and as we are an unprotected service, 
>>>>> we are really buggered!
>>>>>
>>>>> I had it out with the Chairman of the RSGB EMC Committee and his 
>>>>> attitude was very much "there's nothing we can really do", and 
>>>>> when I really pressed him he hid behind the "I'm only a volunteer" 
>>>>> excuse although he did ask me to join the EMC Committee but I 
>>>>> declined as I would probably lose my temper with them!
>>>>>
>>>>> One of my friends not 7 miles away, started interfering with a 
>>>>> mast mounted TV pre-amp when on 50mhz - he followed exactly the 
>>>>> same course of action and got no-where - in fact the EMC Committee 
>>>>> didn't even offer to send someone round to see if the problem 
>>>>> could be resolved at his end which should th every least they 
>>>>> could do!
>>>>>
>>>>> Over to you :)
>>>>>
>>>>> David
>>>>> M0ZLB/KG4ZLB
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Colin wrote:
>>>>>> David,
>>>>>>
>>>>>> A somewhat outdated and incorrect opinion I'm afraid!
>>>>>>
>>>>>> The RSGB in association with our sister IARU Societies in Region 
>>>>>> 1 managed to have the the then European Directive 89/336/EEC 
>>>>>> amended. This through the good offices of MEP EA8AK who works 
>>>>>> closely with the Region 1 Eurocomm Committee. Incidentally RSGB 
>>>>>> General Manager Peter Kirby is Vice-Chairman of this committee.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> The relevant extract of the now Directive 2004/108/EC dated 15th 
>>>>>> December 2004 states -
>>>>>>> (2) Member States are responsible for ensuring that 
>>>>>>> radiocommunications,
>>>>>>> including radio broadcast reception
>>>>>>> and the amateur radio service operating in accordance
>>>>>>> with International Telecommunication Union (ITU) radio
>>>>>>> regulations, electrical supply networks and telecommunications
>>>>>>> networks, as well as equipment connected
>>>>>>> thereto, are protected against electromagnetic disturbance.
>>>>>> The UK Government has signed up to this agreement and Ofcom are 
>>>>>> now responsible to uphold this Directive. Recent meetings between 
>>>>>> the RSGB and Ofcom have served to reinforce this position and the 
>>>>>> EMC Committee would be interested to receive reports of recent 
>>>>>> instances where this position has not been followed.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> In brief Peter, if Virgin Media don't do anything about it 
>>>>>> contact the EMC and seek their advice.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> By the way I apparently cause problems to my Virgin Media/NTL 
>>>>>> Samsung DTB but only when running 400W to my long wire. Really 
>>>>>> asking for trouble!
>>>>>>
>>>>>> 73
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Colin, G3PSM
>>>>>>
>>>>>> David - M0ZLB wrote:
>>>>>>> Peter,
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Unfortunately, due to the abysmal lack of protections that we 
>>>>>>> have in this country, its unlikely Virgin will waste any time on 
>>>>>>> your neighbours equipment as the ball lies fairly and squarely 
>>>>>>> in your court - now in the US, the set top box would be classed 
>>>>>>> as unable to prevent the intrusion of spurious interference and 
>>>>>>> the responsibility would lie with the neighbours equipment.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Fair? Course not!
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Anything we can do about it? Course not!
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Reason for the problem? - many years of negligent management by 
>>>>>>> our National Society and their failure to secure us "protected 
>>>>>>> status" like our US friends.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> And don't bother with Ofcom - as we meekly accepted a free 
>>>>>>> licence for life the concept of contract law went straight out 
>>>>>>> of the window! We don't pay any "consideration" for our licence 
>>>>>>> and that therefore negates any supposed contract - they don't 
>>>>>>> legally have to provide, supply or protect us in any way!
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Another example of piss poor administration of our hobby!
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Try a good low pass filter though!
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> David
>>>>>>> M0ZLB/KG4ZLB
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> peter Jackson wrote:
>>>>>>>> I know this isn't contest info but don't know where to send it. 
>>>>>>>> I have a tvi problem with a neighbour when I am on 80M, not 
>>>>>>>> sure about other bands yet. I come through on his Virgin Media 
>>>>>>>> set top box. I feel sure Virgin will have to come and sort it 
>>>>>>>> out but I wondered if there is a filter made for this purpose. 
>>>>>>>> I don't kown what frequencies the signals come in at. Any help 
>>>>>>>> would be appriciated.
>>>>>>>> 73 Pete G3KNU
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