[UK-CONTEST] PLT Petition

[Colin]

Watch out for the Editorial in the forthcoming June RadCom.

73

Colin, G3PSM

Dave Lawley wrote:
> Sometimes items appear on here with an apology for being 'off topic' 
> i.e. not contest related. I make no such apology in this case since if 
> you aren't already affected by in-house PLT, you may well be soon.
>
> In April the Government responded to the 'SaveShortwave' e-petition. The 
> response is here  http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page19025  and it may 
> appear to be the usual whitewash but it does say that equipment is 
> required to meet the EMC regulations. PLT devices do not, so a new 
> petition has been raised which is essentially asking Ofcom and BERR to 
> do their job and take these non-compliant devices off the market.
>
> GB2RS news this week refers to this new petition and encourages users of 
> the HF spectrum to sign the petition 
> http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/SaveShortwave2
>
> A few weeks ago I was helping a new 2E0 set up his station is south east 
> London. The ham bands sounded ok, just rather noisy as you would expect 
> in a suburban location. I tuned down below 20m and starting abruptly at 
> about 13.8MHz there was a high-pitched buzz, 20dB over 9 which extended 
> down to just above 10MHz, stopped then reappeared a little below the 
> band and continued down to 7.5MHz. This was clearly PLT and it rendered 
> all signals in the broadcast bands and all other signals completely 
> uncopiable. It was almost certainly raising the noise floor in the ham 
> bands as well. It is a real menace.
>
> Have a listen outside the ham bands for this noise. Don't be complacent 
> and assume the notches will always be there but even if they are, PLT 
> may be raising your noise floor in the ham bands. Please sign the 
> e-petition and also consider joining the UKQRM group on Yahoo. Visit 
> http://www.ukqrm.org/ - on here is guidance on how to raise a case with 
> Ofcom - make sure they issue a case number - and they will get the PLT 
> devices removed, replacing with either CAT5 or WiFi.
>
> 73, Dave G4BUO
> _______________________________________________
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> UK-Contest at contesting.com
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>
>   

-- 

*/Colin J. Thomas, G3PSM/*

*/External Relations Committee Chairman,/*

*/International Amateur Radio Union, Region 1/*

*/Tel:     +44 23 8048 2749/*

*/GSM:  +44 23 7759 548982/*

*/Email: colin at g3psm.net/*