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<H1>Broadband over Power Lines - a DXer responds to earlier comments</H1>
<P><FONT face=Verdana>Radio Netherlands Worldwide's<STRONG> Andy
Sennitt</STRONG> writes: </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Verdana>UK-based DXer<STRONG> Mike
Barraclough</STRONG> thought I was being unfair to the DX Clubs when I
wrote that “The traditional DX clubs have been very slow to latch on to the
threat posed by this technology” in reference to </FONT><A
href="http://www.southgatearc.org/news/july2008/ukqrm_group.htm"
target=_blank><FONT face=Verdana>Broadband over Power Lines
(BPL)</FONT></A><FONT face=Verdana>, and Power Line Communications (PLC).
</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Verdana>Mike regarded this comment as a “sweeping generalisation”.
In fact, a number of DX clubs have been doing a lot of important work
in this area, so I am happy to let Mike set the record straight. On reading his
response, I agree that I was not being fair, and I apologise. Mike
writes:</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Verdana>Members of several DX clubs have been aware of the
problems of this technology for quite some time. Both UK broadcast DX clubs have
carried articles about it and there have been talks about the technology at
inter-club meetings. Both are publicising and supporting the UKQRM group. Their
email lists publicise Glenn Hauser’s DX Listening Digest where the subject has
been dealt with extensively for many years.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Verdana>The website of the German shortwave listeners association
the ADDX has extensive information on PLC including statements from the EU
Commission. The EU recognises that equipment should not cause undue interference
and these devices carry a CE certificate. However there is a self-certification
policy, on July 10 The Register reported that 76% of radio equipment tested in
2003 failed to come up to EU specifications, a figure which rose to 88% in
2006.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Verdana>In June 2003 the North American Shortwave Association
submitted an 18 page filing to the FCC in response to their inquiry into
Broadband Over Power Line devices, followed that up with further filings and
attended a meeting in Washington together with other users of the shortwave
spectrum who had expressed their concern about interference. Among much other
material they quoted two ITU regulations:</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Verdana>ITU Regulation 4.11: Member states recognise that among
frequencies which have long-distance propagation characteristics, those in the
bands between 5 and 30 Mhz are particularly useful for long-distance
communications; they agree to make every possible effort to reserve these bands
for such communications. Whenever frequencies in these bands are used for
short-range or medium-distance communications, the minimum power necessary shall
be employed.”</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Verdana>ITU Radio Regulation 15.12:<BR>“Administrations shall take
all practicable and necessary steps to ensure that the operation of electrical
apparatus or installations of any kind, including power and telecommunication
distribution networks, but excluding equipment used for industrial, scientific
and medical applications, does not cause harmful interference to a radio
communication service and, in particular, to a radio navigation or any other
safety service operating in accordance with the provision of these
regulations.”</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Verdana>ITU regulations allocate certain frequencies between 2 and
26 Mhz for the exclusive use of international broadcasts, both analogue and
digital. They are an authorised service and listeners have a right to hear
them.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Verdana>The vast majority of shortwave listeners however are not
members of DX Clubs. DX Clubs themselves have limited resources and personnel,
who are unpaid volunteers.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Verdana>Most shortwave listeners use portable receivers inside the
house with whip antennas. The interference could be much stronger than a radio
amateur with an outside antenna might receive. In the main they are not as
technically astute as radio amateurs. They switch on the radio, key in the
frequency, adjust the volume and listen to the broadcast. They might only listen
to one particular shortwave station. When they get interference they won’t know
where it’s coming from or if and how they can complain about it. In the US the
FCC has placed the burden of identifying and reporting interference from these
devices onto the individual listener; the same seems to be happening in the
UK.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Verdana>Iran, Cuba and China jam broadcasts from overseas. The UK
is a Western democracy and its citizens have a right to listen to broadcasts
from overseas without interference, including those from the three countries
mentioned.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Verdana>International broadcasters are cutting down or cancelling
analogue shortwave broadcasts to the developed world. However most are members
of the DRM consortium and the HFCC. Peter Senger, the then DRM chairman,
approached the EU about BPL some years ago. I would suggest a fresh approach be
made particularly since their headquarters are now at BBC World Service. It may
also be worthwhile for BPL to be on the agenda of the next HFCC meeting; it has
been discussed there before.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Verdana>Related story:<BR></FONT><A
href="http://www.southgatearc.org/news/july2008/ukqrm_group.htm"
target=_blank><FONT face=Verdana>UKQRM Yahoo! Group formed to fight against
BPL</FONT></A></P>
<P><FONT face=Verdana>Fonte: Media Network<BR></FONT></P></BODY></HTML>