Smart Meters banned, ham radio mentioned...

[K1ZJH]

http://news.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=11/01/07/192201

Use of smart meters raises concern of interference to first responders, including ham radio operators.

[WA8LGM]

Finally, someone with a few smarts saw that new and innovative does not mean it is practical for everyday use. Good on 'em.

[NA0AA]

One of my fellow RACES members reports that after his block was changed to SmartMeters, the background noise level went to 20 dB over S9 at his QTH. He blames the cheap switching power supplies in the meters for the problem. This is going to cost the utilities tons to change and would cost what, five cents per meter to use a quality power supply?

[VA3TSE]

Is it that kalifornian smart meters HAVE to use BPL to communicate? Over in Germany, the smart meters themselves do not comprise the communications equipment, but leave it open to the utilities to use any existing channel, like broadband cable or phone lines or... So, without any of those, the smarts end within the meter....

[W1RFI]

> One of my fellow RACES members reports that after his block was changed to SmartMeters,
> the background noise level went to 20 dB over S9 at his QTH.

Has he reported this as harmful interference to the utility, ARRL or the FCC? Unfortunately, we are seeing cases of interference that hams are simply choosing to live with. The utilities and smart-grid industry then claim that their devices do not cause interference because there are no reports.

Ed Hare, W1RFI

[W1RFI]

Info on smart meters is posted at:

http://www.arrl.org/smart-meters

So far, the reports of interference received by ARRL have been to 900 MHz Amateur operation. If we start getting reports involving other bands, the page can be updated.

Ed hare, W1RFI

[KD4MOJ]

The smart meters here are 9000mhz spread spectrum.... I haven't noticed any interference since they installed one at my house... then again, I don't work 900Mhz.

...DOUG
KD4MOJ

[GM4BRB]

It is my honest belief that SmartGrid Technology such as Smartmeters are just part of an implementation of the 'Post Industrial' Western World 'Vision'. 'SmartGrid' technology is in England now too. These meters and the SmartGrid is all about consumption limitation and these factors form an ideal leverage for the Global Control Maniacs in the supply and demand equations, right?!

[AF6LJ]

It is my honest belief that SmartGrid Technology such as Smartmeters are just part of an implementation of the 'Post Industrial' Western World 'Vision'. 'SmartGrid' technology is in England now too. These meters and the SmartGrid is all about consumption limitation and these factors form an ideal leverage for the Global Control Maniacs in the supply and demand equations, right?!

Actually they came out and stated that is their goal is to encourage conservation through dynamic pricing. In this state they also have announced the desire to have AC systems retrofitted so that the thermostat setting can be polled and adjusted.
They want to remote control your thermostat.

[AD7N]

they also have announced the desire to have AC systems retrofitted so that the thermostat setting can be polled and adjusted.

They're only shooting themselves in the foot, by forcing specific appliances to be directly controlled at the utility level.

The ultimate "smart grid" I imagine is in the home, using home automation technology. Every appliance can be remotely controlled by the homeowner from an Appliance Controller device. It would have utility input from the smart meter telling it to implement energy savings at certain demand times. This homeowner-programmed device would determine what gets cut and how to meet the required savings the utility is asking for.

Ultimately the utility just wants a reduced use during peak demand. They can do this with tiered pricing, and peak/demand time-based pricing. The customer wants to save cash too, and having a device the homeowner can program would save the utility's beehind in lawyer fees.

If the homeowner wants to pay though the nose and keep the AC on max, they can.

If they want to save cash, the Appliance Controller device would reduce the AC temp by a few degrees, dim the lights by 15%, etc.. The device would know exactly how much each appliance draws, it's usage statistics,etc.

This Appliance Controller would probably be broken down into several parts:
1) smart power panel with sensors and appliance fingerprinting technology
2) dirt-simple graphical interface for the homeowner - computer controllable, probably similar to a standard internet router in concept.
3) smart appliances that can be controlled.

Of course, getting security right would be a top priority too! I'd hope lessons learned from the last 20 years of IT could be applied while this industry is still just starting out.

Lightyears from current situations, but the cornerstone of it all is homeowner controlled! Anything less then that, and the utilities will be facing lawyer fees and decades of court wrangling.