Get ready to kiss shortwave radio goodbye....

The FCC has just approved the widespread deployment of a technology that may completely destroy the use of the HF radio spectrum for SW listeners, ham operators, and other users including aircraft and emergency communications.

Broadband over Powerline, or BPL, is claimed to offer broadband internet access by carrying digital data over the existing electrical grid. It does so by injecting radio frequency signals onto the powerlines, which, like any other long, unshielded wires, make excellent transmitting antennas! Tests have shown that ham radio or SW radio reception can be completely obliterated in BPL areas. But fuck it, anything for a buck, right?

Read about the latest in corporate whoring from the FCC at:

http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2004/10/14/1/?nc=1

 

I don't know much about either technology, but I would imagine that cheap broadband to the masses would be more important than shortwave radio, correct me if I'm wrong but isn't it only used by hobbyists anymore?? And I'm sure that they would have somthing in place to reverse the BPL system if there were mass complaints.

 

How would this effect Frequency Modulation?

 

The "masses" already have access to broadband via DSL, cable modem, and various WiFi techniques. BPL is an outdated technology that has been tried many times in the past, and abandoned due to interference and other technical issues. Even at it's optimum, BPL would provide nowhere near the bandwidth of any of the other broadband delivery methods. Also, being sent over radiating power lines, it presents real security questions, as well.

In addition to amateur radio, the HF spectrum is widely used for international broadcasting, CB radio, military communications, ship-to-shore, ISM (Industrial, Scientific, Medical) and various public service/public safety services.

There HAVE BEEN mass complaints, and the technology is being deployed DESPITE the results of multiple engineering field studies. Harmful interference to communications has been shown in EVERY area that has been used for BPL testing.

http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/HTML/plc/
http://www.qrpis.org/~k3ng/bpl.html

Unfortunately, the FCC is no longer interested in protecting LICENSED users from interference from such "Part 15" devices, when corporate profits (and campaign contributions) are at risk.

I assume you mean the 88-108 MHz FM broadcast band? This shouldn't be effected, as the BPL frequencies are well below this range. The primary problem will be the HF spectrum, from 3-30 MHz.

 

I'm sorry Ellis. I thought there might be a Ham type band that use FM.

 

There are, but not in the HF spectrum. FM is commonly used by hams in the VHF and UHF bands, though. FM requires too much bandwidth to be usable on HF. Common signal types on HF include SSB, AM, FSK, and CW.

 

This is indeed FCC corporate whoring. Communications infrastructure already exists to transport our broadband traffic. Excess fiber is in abundance for most of the US. This will allow the power utilities to get a piece of the broadband pie.

Though the FCC has adopted the Part 15 non-interference rules that apply to unlicensed RF transmissions, the resolution of any interference must be done in a manner not to disrupt service to the BPL subscribers. The rules apply to protect "licensed radio services" which means those who pay for spectrum usage rights. Ham and shortwave listeners will be the least of the FCC's concern.

 

Why don't we just run fiber-optic lines around the country. The bandwidth would be enormous, there would be no interference, and there could be much competition (many cable TV companies on a single line, for example). There would be an infrastructure cost, but we can afford it if we can spend $200 billion on Iraq.

One contention point is that it would create competition. In most areas, there is only one cable TV company per city. One could literally have hundreds of cable companies on a fiber-optic line. Not everyone wants competition.

Using power lines is somewhat like using telephone lines for internet access. It's not cutting edge technology. It's silly that we are using 50 kilohertz phone lines for computers that run at 3000 megahertz. A hundred years from now, people will be laughing at us about this, much the way we laugh at people in the 1800s using chuckwagons to cross America in 6 months.

 

Fiber would of course be ideal but it's damned expensive! For BPL the grid is all in place, and access would be incredebly cheap. I can't imagine them implementing a technology that would interfere with military and aviation signals, that just dosn't make sense...

But then again I don't know enough about this to be running my mouth...

 

Amateur station operators DO PAY for spectrum usage rights to the frequencies already allocated to them.

 

Well it WOULD make war-driving a hell of a lot easier...be sure to encrypt EVERYTHING over your BPL connection!

 

Fiber optic is initially expensive, but one has to consider the incredible bandwidth it provides. Building the interstate highway system in the 50s was very expensive, but it more than paid for itself.

Fiber optic also has incredible noise immunity and doesn't have the security and interference issues that radiating EM from power lines has. It also doesn't occupy the broadcast spectrum.

 

Totally agree with that, fiber is an amazing medium, incredebly secure, fast, clean. But who's gonna foot the enormous bill??

 

Day late and a dollar short, at least here in the US.

http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn6866

 

I can see this causing havoc in the short term, but in the long term I see no theoretical reason why intereference couldn't be low to negligable. Then again fibres would be a much bettter option though I suppose the 9 micron single mode fibres are still pricey but they do find the money to lay them under the worlds ocean along the with the boosters every few hundred km.

 

Theoretically, BPL could be interference free if the utility companies would restring all their powerlines using shielded conductors. But obviously they won't do this because of cost issues. If they were going to do this, they could more easily and cheaply string optical fiber on their poles alongside the existing powerlines, and provide much greater bandwidth than BPL ever could.

In the real world, BPL is just an attempt by the energy industry to use their political clout with the current administration to grab a piece of the ISP market away from telecom and CATV suppliers, without having to upgrade their aging infrastructure the same way the telcos and cable providers did. So they will adopt a technology that will cause mass interference, and strongarm the corporate-friendly FCC into relaxing the Part 15 rules that have protected licensed communication services for decades.

 

I have a Futaba RC radio and it says that it's a violation of FCC rules to change the crystal unless it's done by an authorized service technician. The FCC is very picky about some things.

 

any word on the health effects of this new tech? i'm already concerned about electromagnetic fields as it is.

 

Yes, part 15 equipment is not supposed to be serviced by the user, particularly any portion that effects transmitter frequency, power output, or spectral purity.

Unfortunately, a key provision of the part 15 rules is being waived for the benefit of BPL operators. Traditionally, Part 15 equipment has been required not only to not interfere with licensed services, but to accept any interference that it might be subjected to FROM licensed services. Some tests have shown not only that BPL can wipe out ham radio reception, but also that a ham transmitter within legal power levels can disrupt the operation of the BPL system!

In the past, operators of equipment that interfered with licensed services were required to fix the interference IMMEDIATELY, or shut the interfering device down. And as long as operators of licensed equipment (Ham, CB, broadcast stations, Public Service comms, etc.) were in compliance with whatever regs govern their operation, they had no legal responsibility for interfering with Part 15 gear. Proposed changes to the Part 15 regs (at the behest of the power companies) would only require them to make a "good faith effort" to eliminate interference to other services, and would allow for the shutting down or restricting the operation of an otherwise legal transmitting station that was disrupting the BPL system, until the interference can be resolved, possibly at the expense of the LICENSED operator.

Shouldn't be any real concern here, as the signal levels drop off with the square of distance, like any other radio signal. The power levels involved in BPL are relatively low.

 

I have been a shortwave radio hobbyist for about 25 years now, and would be saddened to see the hobby all but destroyed by this new internet transmission scheme. There are other alternatives, as suggested in other posts. I think the FCC should reconsider BPL.

For those of you who have not had the pleasure of experiencing the magic and mystery of shortwave, you have no idea what is at stake. At those frequencies (3-30 MHz) even very small signals will bounce off the ionosphere and cause major interference. With a good antennas and radio it is sometimes possible to hear automotive spark plugs sparking from halfway around the world. I used to carry on conversations with people in Australia from California with only 5 watts of power. I also bounced shortwave signals off of invisible ion trails left behind by meteors during a meteor shower, talking to people hundreds of miles away for brief periods. On shortwave frequencies, you can hear the sounds of the earth- plasma discharges, the aurora borealis, lightning strikes from the other side of the world travelling across hundreds of millions of miles along magnetic field lines, etc. You can also hear extraterrestrial sounds, like the music of Jupiter and quasars. So there is tremendous scientific interest in being able to hear faint signals at these frequencies. It's all about having sensitive "ears".

If BPL goes into effect, the whole shortwave band will be nothing but annoying noise and this could prevent future scientific discoveries from happening, not to mention ruining an important and historically rich hobby that could otherwise be enjoyed by people around the world. Also, there are people today who rely on shortwave radio to keep in touch, and is essential during emergencies. It is affordable global communication for villagers living in the third world. All that is needed is a radio transceiver and an antenna. It can easily run on solar power and there is no need for satellites, cell towers, phone lines, computers, or other company-owned infrastructure. BPL, however, will take away this free and highly independent means to keep in touch. Once it goes into effect, the only way to make a call to someone would be through some capitalistic communication company via their wires, fibers, cell towers, and satellites. They will then control us and charge more and more money to use the internet or make calls and we will be helpless.

I owe my entire career to the fascinating and mysterious science of shortwave radio, a hobby that I never grew bored with after a quarter of a century- there are always new discoveries to be made in it, and it has an extraordinary history. Shortwave radio blows away computers, digital electronics, lasers, and most other electrical technologies in terms of intrigue and discovery. It turns out that today's most passionate and knowledgable electronics engineers are or had once been shortwave hobbyists. They are the ones who often figure out the most innovative developments. However, BPL is going to put an end to this inspiring science, and the world will suffer as a result. It would be like taking away the night sky for astronomers.