Okay gang, get your pens out! From www.arrl.org:
US House Resolution Calls on FCC to Evaluate BPL Interference, Review Rules
ARRL General Counsel Chris Imlay, W3KD, Rep Mike Ross, WD5DVR, and ARRL CEO
David Sumner, K1ZZ, met in Ross's Washington office April 26.
NEWINGTON, CT, Apr 28, 2005--Rep Michael Ross, WD5DVR, of Arkansas, has
introduced a resolution in the US House of Representatives calling on the
FCC to "conduct a full and complete analysis" of radio interference from
broadband over power line (BPL). The resolution, H. Res 230, says the
Commission should comprehensively evaluate BPL's interference potential
incorporating "extensive public review and comment," and--in light of that
analysis--to "reconsider and review" its new BPL rules. If approved by the
full House, the non-binding resolution, introduced April 21, would express
the requests as "the sense of the House of Representatives." The FCC adopted
rules to govern so-called Access BPL last October 14 in ET Docket 04-37.
"We are grateful to Congressman Ross and his staff for taking a leadership
position in recognizing that the BPL interference issue deserves more
careful consideration than the FCC was willing to give it under former
Chairman Powell," said ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ. The resolution has been
referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, on which Ross
serves.
The resolution's prime focus is on BPL's potential to disrupt critical
public safety radiocommunication. It cites National Telecommunications and
Information Administration (NTIA) studies that "have determined that
broadband over power line creates a 'high risk' of radio wave interference,
and that harmful interference to public safety mobile radio receivers can be
expected at distances of 75 meters from the power line where broadband over
power line is in operation, and at distances of up to 460 meters from fixed
stations, such as VHF police or fire dispatch communications facilities."
The resolution notes that the same NTIA study determined that BPL
interference to aeronautical and airline travel communications "could be
expected at distances up to 40 kilometers from the center of the broadband
over power line system, and that interference to outer marker beacons for
airline instrument landing systems could be expected at great distances as
well."
Many public safety agencies and support services, including emergency
medical services, fire, and law enforcement, utilize Low-Band VHF (30-50
MHz), the resolution points out. Thirteen states--California, Connecticut,
Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina,
South Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia and Wyoming--use the band for state
police operations, while it's the primary public safety radio band in nine
states.
The resolution further notes that the Association of Public Safety Officials
Inc (APCO), and the National Public Safety Telecommunications Council
(NPSTC), urged the FCC to withhold final action in the BPL proceeding for at
least a year, pending a "conclusive determination" of BPL's potential to
interfere with public safety and other licensed radio systems operating
below 80 MHz. It also cites comments filed by the Missouri State Highway
Patrol, which uses a statewide radio system with more than 1400 Low-Band VHF
users. The Missouri State Highway Patrol commented that the overall effect
of BPL implementation would be "a potentially significant increase in
interference to the mission of critical public safety communications," the
resolution says.
The resolution recounts that the FCC has struggled for years to resolve
widespread harmful interference to the radiocommunications of first
responders on 800 MHz and "should not have proceeded with introduction of a
technology which appears to have substantial potential to cause destructive
interference to police, fire, emergency medical services, and other public
safety radio systems" without first conducting a comprehensive evaluation.
ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, has urged ARRL members to contact their US
representatives to support the resolution when it reaches the floor of the
House. A sample letter is available on the ARRL Web site, although members
are encouraged to express their support in their own words. If you're not
sure who represents your congressional district, visit the United States
House of Representatives Web site.
To expedite delivery, send all correspondence bound for Members of
Congress--preferably as an attachment--to hres230@arrl.org or fax it to
703-684-7594. The ARRL will bundle correspondence addressed to each Member
of Congress for hand delivery.
Jim, W8KGI
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