Rob,
You make some good points, but I don't think it's big business that has
caused this apathy, it's big government. After the FCC rcvd the last
round of comments and with over 95% of those comments opposed to BPL
being allowed, the FCC Commissioners ignoring those comments voted
unanimously in favor (except 1 abstention) of BPL. They're just doing
what they were appointed to do, especially Abernathy given her "conflict
of interest" background. Based on those facts, I've focused my letter
writing to my congressmen and also the President who is clearly
supporting BPL.
I'm not giving up, but I'm not wasting my time with the FCC any longer.
It wouldn't matter if all 678,000 hams wrote comments opposing BPL (if
they're all still alive) or asking for tighter restrictions. They're
going to do whatever they want. The FCC has completely walked away from
their previous responsibilities as national spectrum manager as
demonstrated by the Nextel interference issue probably resulting in the
costly rebanding of 800Mhz. So it's not just Amateurs having this
problem with the FCC, it's everyone with an FCC license.
Until the FCC starts hiring qualified technical people (FCC Chief
Engineer E. Thomas not being one of them) and then starts listening to
them, this mess will only get worse. Just FYI: If BPL is built out, I
won't be whittling or taking any naps (well, maybe once in awhile); I'll
just go on longer bicycle rides and spend more time with my kids. I too
have been a ham since I was 15, so I will miss it very much if we can't
get Big Government to change the course of this run-away train. Of
course, for awhile I will still get on the air and try to make QSOs no
matter how much it interferes with BPL--at least until they set-up quite
hours from 5am until 11pm.
73,
de ed -K0iL
-----Original Message-----
From: Rob Atkinson, K5UJ
At this point, I'm disappointed in the no. of comments filed in docket
04-37. The total as of a few minutes ago was 1012. I'm disappointed
in the apathy; the resignation; the attitude that it's all over and that
we are weak and powerless against big business.
While the comment period ended yesterday, the deadline for REPLY
comments is June 1. Anyone still on the fence has about 1 MONTH to file
a REPLY comment. You can find a pro-BPL statement in the FCC docket
04-37 on their website and file your own anti-BPL comment as a RESPONSE.
Comments are important as a first step in building a body of statements
that may serve in part as a foundation for some other form of proceeding
in the future should one prove to be necessary.
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