Mixed Conclusions on Powerline Networking Vs. Ham radio.

[KB3PXR]

http://hardware.slashdot.org/story/0...g-vs-Ham-Radio This is one form of BPL that most people don't talk about.

[N0SYA]

pity the amateur that lives near these devices

[KB3PXR]

True or those wireless phone jacks. They operate FM including the 60 Meter and the 40 Meter bands.

[KA5S]

True or those wireless phone jacks. They operate FM including the 60 Meter and the 40 Meter bands.

About ten years ago NCDXCC MEMBERS noticed interference on 3520 kHz. These were tracked down to carrier-current modems used by a cable company to plug in pay-per-view boxes anywhere in a dwelling. We had about fifty audible from my then-QTH, and I located a number of them with a handheld HF receiver and a loop. The NCDXCC, the ARRL and the FCC persuaded the cable folks to move off 80 meters AND Last I heard, they were on an8 MHz a coastal radio frequency.

Perhaps I should find one of the 3520 boxes and try for WAS with it.

"Turns your whole house into a giant antenna!"


Cortland
KA5S

[N0SYA]

Heh!!!!!!!!!

[K0RGR]

Well, did you expect the guy who's biggest advertiser is a BPL company to admit there is really a problem? It's much easier to play like a modern day "reporter" and give equal weight to the claims of both sides, even if physical evidence to the contrary jumps up and bites you in the fanny.

The truth is that ARRL's lab did a wonderful job of working with the Homeplug Alliance to develop a product that is much easier on hams. Homeplug-compliant gear is supposed to notch the ham bands by 30 dB. That's enough that if your neighbor has one, it shouldn't kill you, though it might make QRP and DXing much less pleasant. I do not know about the newer Homeplug standard that's coming out now.

Indeed, one BPL solution that's been given a relatively clean bill of health does not use the HF bands on overhead powerlines, and uses Homeplug for the link into the home. If they were all like this, BPL would not be a big threat.

[K4KYV]

Remember, Homeplug Alliance was vehemently opposed to the original 60m band we were supposed get, claiming that the 5 mHz amateur signals might interfere with their Part 15 junk.

Then the events of 11SE01 gave the FCC an excuse to renege on its original proposal and all we got was that pitiful handful of 5 mHz CB channels.

[KA4DPO]

Pauls article is full of it. He tries to be balanced but throws in the "properly designed station" barb as if to say most amateurs are rubes.

These are part 15 devices in the US and I would have no problem QRMing them into submission. That seems to be the only way to really bring attention to the issue.

[N5FOG]

Netgear makes a few of these "power line network adapters" and they are some of the WORST HF QRM generators I've ever seen. I tried one just for kicks and it made noise S-9 all over the bands. I got in the mobile and drove down the street and could pick it up almost 10 houses down still at S-9 then it faded shaply. My house is a three story house so that may have some impact (higher radiator) but it still amazed me that a part 15 device would creat that LOUD of a signal.