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KG0GG > BPL 24.10.04 20:16l 105 Lines 3910 Bytes #999 (0) @ EU
BID : 11985_KG0GG
Read: DF1ND GUEST
Subj: ARRL Asks FCC to Shut Down New York B
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Sent: 041012/0044Z @:KG0GG.#BEL.#NWSD.SD.USA.NA #:11985 FBB7.00i $:11985_KG0GG
From: KG0GG@KG0GG.#BEL.#NWSD.SD.USA.NA
To : BPL@ARL
NEWINGTON, CT, Oct 11, 2004--As the FCC is poised to act this week on
BPL rules, the ARRL has asked the Commission to shut down a BPL field
trial system in Briarcliff Manor, New York, that has been the subject
of interference complaints since last March. The ARRL says the system,
being operated by <http://www.ambientcorp.com/> Ambient Corporation
under an FCC Experimental license, continues to cause harmful
interference to Amateur Radio stations, and the FCC must require it
to cease operation immediately.
"The operator of the system has attempted what it referred to as
'adjustments' in this system in order to reduce the severe interference
potential to licensed radio services such as the Amateur Service," said
ARRL General Counsel Chris Imlay, W3KD. "These 'adjustments' have come
to be inaccurately referred to as 'notching' of certain bands, and as a
solution to interference to Amateur Service stations, they are incomplete
and inadequate."
The ARRL's October 8 letter of complaint was sent to the FCC Enforcement
Bureau and a copy went to Ambient, which manufactures the BPL equipment
and is headquartered in Newton, Massachusetts. The complaint asserts that
the Briarcliff Manor system is causing interference and fails to comply
with either applicable FCC regulations or with the terms of its FCC
experimental authorization.
ARRL member Alan Crosswell, N2YGK, a resident of the community, has
documented the interference complaints and posted information on his
" <http://www.columbia.edu/~alan/bpl/> BPL in Briarcliff Manor" Web site.
ARRL said the BPL facility at Briarcliff Manor should not be permitted
to resume operation until it can demonstrate "full compliance" with FCC
rules regarding the non-interference requirement and the system's
experimental authorization.
Accompanying the League's complaint were exhibits substantiating the degree
of interference. One exhibit shows the results of adjustments Ambient made
to the system in the wake of "multiple interference complaints from licensed
radio amateurs." The complaint maintains that these adjustments both failed
to adequately reduce the problem interference overall and, in some places the
BPL system continues to send out radio noise at levels that fail to comply
with FCC emission limits. The ARRL study says Ambient has been trying for
more than a year to mitigate interference at the Westchester County site by
using "notching" techniques, "but to no avail."
The ARRL said measurements taken at Chappaqua Road and North State Road in
Briarcliff Manor occupy an entire ham radio band and are still strong more
than a quarter mile from the BPL injectors.
"The levels of interfering BPL signals are sufficient to obscure virtually
all Amateur Radio received signals and preclude Amateur Radio communications
in the areas and on the bands identified in the report," the ARRL concluded.
The ARRL called on the FCC not only to shut down the Briarcliff Manor BPL
system immediately but to impose "appropriate monetary forfeitures" against
Ambient.
The Briarcliff Manor BPL system, which is operated by the local electric
utility <http://www.coned.com/> Consolidated Edison, was the focus of a
March 2004 front-page Wall Street Journal article, "In This Power Play,
High-Wire Act Riles Ham-Radio Fans," by technology writer Ken Brown. ARRL
staff members accompanied Brown to the BPL site so he could hear the
interference firsthand.
The full FCC will consider the rules for BPL systems when it meets in
open session on Thursday, October 14.
For more information on BPL, visit the " <http://www.arrl.org/bpl/>
Broadband Over Power Line (BPL) and Amateur Radio" page on the ARRL Web site.
Allen G. Pitts, W1AGP
Media and Public Relations Manager
ARRL
(860) 594-0200 x328
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