I believe Mike Martin of RFI Services has placed the cart before the
horse. The testing of whether a PLC system will interfere with existing
services in the MF and HF portions of the spectrum should be carried out
BEFORE authorization is given by the FCC. It sounds, though, as if the FCC
will make its decision before RFI Services conducts its test and publishes
the results.
The way the FCC is going about it, PLC likely will be authorized before it
is proven that no interference will result.
Why do we tend to make public policy more on the basis of "economic might
makes right" rather than on the basis of rational scientific studies?
It is going to be very difficult for the FCC to reverse itself and take
away a PLC service after the powerline industry and the users of PLC have
invested in their equipment and the businesses. I am afraid that the only
way the FCC would reverse its decision would be if those who are interfered
with have more money to pay for lobbyists and more money to contribute to
the political party that appoints the FCC commissioners than the proponents
of PLC.
At this stage of the process, however, the amateur radio enthusiasts and
others who use the MF and HF spectrum may be able to discourage the FCC
from acting in favor of PLC if they can present evidence of the likelihood
of serious interference and the bases upon which other countries decided
not to allow PLC. (i.e., their evidence of destructive interference).
Ed Douglass, AA9OZ
(an amateur radio operator and DX chaser who looks for weak signals and is
very concerned about what PLC will do to his enjoyment of the hobby)
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