As someone who works for an electric utility, and in the telecomm
department which handles Radio Interference calls for powerline noise, it
would seem that utilities would expect a flood of such calls because hams
are the PRIMARY source of RFI complaints today. Used to be hams were the
minority of complaints over 20 years ago. TVI was primary then. Now it's
the other way around thanks to cable & Sat TV. The only thing that's
change is the TVI complaints went away making RI a part-time job for just
one guy now.
But what you say is probably true in another part of my company where they
put a mechanical engineer with an MBA (with no telecom experience) in
charge of a "Telecommunications Project" to look into BPL and other
wireless options. Need I say more? I sure hope other utilities are going
about it a little different--and it sounds like some are (like in NC).
73,
de ed -K0iL
-----Original Message-----
I've heard comments inside the electrical power industry on BPL that there
is
expectation that many amateur radio operators will not complain because it
is
their only option for high speed low cost internet access and VOIP in rural
areas with no cable or dsl options. Many amateurs have already chosen to
live
in those areas for low noise rx conditions and may be willing to sacrifice
living with extra rf noise to keep peace in their internet family.
Look how few amateur radio comments there were to the FCC on BPL, less than
1% of us.
The power industry knew that there would be too much resistance if they
tried
to use the commercial broadcast FM or TV bands because of the potential of
millions of interference complaints.
A large number of amateur operators now restrict their operation is some
way
now to have peace in the house and with neighbors because of lowest cost
design in home electronics; no rf shielding, inadequate filtering.
Laws only protect those in Power.
Cliff N7HIY
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