WA5KRP
06-20-2004, 02:42 AM
This came in an email from a League newsletter today:
</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">==>IOWA HAM IS BPL INTERFERENCE "POSTER CHILD"
The ARRL has weighed in on behalf of Iowa amateur and ARRL member Jim
Spencer, W0SR, of Cedar Rapids, who has suffered severe broadband over
power line (BPL) interference for more than two months. A formal complaint
to FCC Enforcement Bureau Chief David H. Solomon calls on the Commission
not only to order Alliant Energy's BPL field trial system to shut down but
to fine the utility $10,000 for violating the Communications Act of 1934
and FCC Part 15 rules. Alleging "ongoing harmful and willful interference
to one or more licensed radio stations," the ARRL asked Solomon to
intervene "on an emergency basis." ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ, who signed
the letter of complaint, said Alliant Energy has been aware since March
30--the date it installed Amperion BPL equipment in Spencer's
neighborhood--that the BPL system was causing harmful interference.
"It's simply unacceptable for Alliant Energy to continue to cause
interference while they're trying to solve the problem," Sumner said.
While the utility has been cooperative, mitigation efforts have been only
marginally successful. The BPL system continues in operation, Sumner
notes, despite repeated requests to eliminate the interference or shut the
system down.
The complaint cites the Commission's own Part 15 rules prohibiting harmful
interference from the operation of an unlicensed intentional,
unintentional or incidental radiator to a licensed radio service. "If
harmful interference is caused, the radiator may not operate," the
complaint says. "There is simply no room for interpretation that would
lead to such harmful interference being permissible for any period of
time--certainly not 10 weeks."
The letter of complaint summarizes and culminates a series of exchanges
and actions in an unsuccessful effort to resolve Spencer's BPL
interference. Sumner said the League got specifically involved in
Spencer's case after United Power Line Council <http://www.uplc.org>
President William R. Moroney invited the League in mid-March to keep his
organization in the loop on any cases of BPL interference that were not
being satisfactorily addressed. When Spencer's case arose, Sumner said,
the League considered it "a good place to start."
Among other approaches, Alliant Energy has tried notching out the HF
amateur bands. After notching attempts in late May, Spencer--a retired
engineer and former Collins Radio employee--still reported "significant
levels" of BPL interference on some bands and power line noise on 160
meter and 80 meters.
An Amperion contractor indicated that the notching--or "power masking"
remains a "beta procedure" as well as "somewhat labor intensive." The
contractor, Tom Luecke, indicated to Spencer in early April that he had
cranked down the BPL system's gain "a notch below where I would like to
have them" on three units closest to Spencer's home.
Although claiming Amperion's equipment to be FCC Part 15 compliant, "We
are not a radio silent technology, nor do we claim to be," Luecke
conceded. "Put another way, you can hear our signal, but we strive not to
interfere with ham operators on the ham bands." He said his company has a
good track record with the amateur community and "would like to think that
the majority of apprehension about Amperion's technology lies in
misinformation."
Sumner said UPLC representatives have made good-faith efforts to persuade
Alliant Energy to comply with the FCC rules. Spencer "has cooperated fully
and patiently" with Alliant Energy's and Amperion's fruitless efforts to
eliminate the interference, the complaint notes. The BPL partner
companies' best efforts to date notwithstanding, Sumner said, the time had
come to say enough is enough.
"The situation in Jim's case is egregious, and it's been going on for 10
weeks," he said. "If this is the best we can expect when a BPL system
causes interference, then the only answer is to prevent them from being
deployed."
The letter of complaint calls on the FCC to notify Alliant Energy
"immediately to cease operation of their BPL devices in accordance with
§15.5©, and to follow up that notification with a Notice of Apparent
Liability."
For additional information, visit the "Broadband Over Power Line (BPL) and
Amateur Radio" page on the ARRL Web site. To support the League's efforts
in this area, visit the ARRL's secure BPL Web site.
[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
This case from Iowa may be the biggy we've all been waiting for. #A BPL provider fails to comply with Part 15 rules, and an amateur is joined by the League to get relief. #Any way you slice it, this test case has huge implications for the future of amateur radio.
Now would be a bad time to blink.
WA5KRP
Texas
</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">==>IOWA HAM IS BPL INTERFERENCE "POSTER CHILD"
The ARRL has weighed in on behalf of Iowa amateur and ARRL member Jim
Spencer, W0SR, of Cedar Rapids, who has suffered severe broadband over
power line (BPL) interference for more than two months. A formal complaint
to FCC Enforcement Bureau Chief David H. Solomon calls on the Commission
not only to order Alliant Energy's BPL field trial system to shut down but
to fine the utility $10,000 for violating the Communications Act of 1934
and FCC Part 15 rules. Alleging "ongoing harmful and willful interference
to one or more licensed radio stations," the ARRL asked Solomon to
intervene "on an emergency basis." ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ, who signed
the letter of complaint, said Alliant Energy has been aware since March
30--the date it installed Amperion BPL equipment in Spencer's
neighborhood--that the BPL system was causing harmful interference.
"It's simply unacceptable for Alliant Energy to continue to cause
interference while they're trying to solve the problem," Sumner said.
While the utility has been cooperative, mitigation efforts have been only
marginally successful. The BPL system continues in operation, Sumner
notes, despite repeated requests to eliminate the interference or shut the
system down.
The complaint cites the Commission's own Part 15 rules prohibiting harmful
interference from the operation of an unlicensed intentional,
unintentional or incidental radiator to a licensed radio service. "If
harmful interference is caused, the radiator may not operate," the
complaint says. "There is simply no room for interpretation that would
lead to such harmful interference being permissible for any period of
time--certainly not 10 weeks."
The letter of complaint summarizes and culminates a series of exchanges
and actions in an unsuccessful effort to resolve Spencer's BPL
interference. Sumner said the League got specifically involved in
Spencer's case after United Power Line Council <http://www.uplc.org>
President William R. Moroney invited the League in mid-March to keep his
organization in the loop on any cases of BPL interference that were not
being satisfactorily addressed. When Spencer's case arose, Sumner said,
the League considered it "a good place to start."
Among other approaches, Alliant Energy has tried notching out the HF
amateur bands. After notching attempts in late May, Spencer--a retired
engineer and former Collins Radio employee--still reported "significant
levels" of BPL interference on some bands and power line noise on 160
meter and 80 meters.
An Amperion contractor indicated that the notching--or "power masking"
remains a "beta procedure" as well as "somewhat labor intensive." The
contractor, Tom Luecke, indicated to Spencer in early April that he had
cranked down the BPL system's gain "a notch below where I would like to
have them" on three units closest to Spencer's home.
Although claiming Amperion's equipment to be FCC Part 15 compliant, "We
are not a radio silent technology, nor do we claim to be," Luecke
conceded. "Put another way, you can hear our signal, but we strive not to
interfere with ham operators on the ham bands." He said his company has a
good track record with the amateur community and "would like to think that
the majority of apprehension about Amperion's technology lies in
misinformation."
Sumner said UPLC representatives have made good-faith efforts to persuade
Alliant Energy to comply with the FCC rules. Spencer "has cooperated fully
and patiently" with Alliant Energy's and Amperion's fruitless efforts to
eliminate the interference, the complaint notes. The BPL partner
companies' best efforts to date notwithstanding, Sumner said, the time had
come to say enough is enough.
"The situation in Jim's case is egregious, and it's been going on for 10
weeks," he said. "If this is the best we can expect when a BPL system
causes interference, then the only answer is to prevent them from being
deployed."
The letter of complaint calls on the FCC to notify Alliant Energy
"immediately to cease operation of their BPL devices in accordance with
§15.5©, and to follow up that notification with a Notice of Apparent
Liability."
For additional information, visit the "Broadband Over Power Line (BPL) and
Amateur Radio" page on the ARRL Web site. To support the League's efforts
in this area, visit the ARRL's secure BPL Web site.
[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
This case from Iowa may be the biggy we've all been waiting for. #A BPL provider fails to comply with Part 15 rules, and an amateur is joined by the League to get relief. #Any way you slice it, this test case has huge implications for the future of amateur radio.
Now would be a bad time to blink.
WA5KRP
Texas