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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>From: <a href="http://blog.g4ilo.com/">http://blog.g4ilo.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Atenção que foi publicada no dia 01Abril mas, nunca fiando……………………………<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<h2 style='line-height:140%;background:#F8F8F8'><a name=876045283657260461></a><b><font
size=4 color="#404040" face=Verdana><span lang=EN style='font-size:12.5pt;
line-height:140%;font-family:Verdana;color:#404040'><a
href="http://blog.g4ilo.com/2011/04/death-of-short-wave-imminent.html">Death of
short wave imminent</a><o:p></o:p></span></font></b></h2>
<p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:140%;background:#F8F8F8'><font size=2
color="#404040" face=Verdana><span lang=EN style='font-size:9.5pt;line-height:
140%;font-family:Verdana;color:#404040'>Amateur radio as we know it could be
extinct by the year 2020. That is the only possible conclusion to draw from an
unpublished EU policy document that has been leaked to several ham radio
bloggers including myself. The document proposes that existing RFI standards
protecting the short wave frequencies be torn up as "preventing the use or
increasing the cost of essential technology in order to protect the activities <b><span
style='font-weight:bold'>of a small number of hobbyists makes no political
sense</span></b>." This policy has <a
href="http://www.ban-plt.co.uk/truth-lies.php">already been unofficially in
place at the UK's Ofcom</a>, which was one of the major contributors to the
report.<br>
<br>
The report suggests that withdrawing the standards relating to short wave RFI
would save significant costs by removing the need to deal with complaints about
interference. It also suggests that the UK Telecommunications Act (and similar
laws in other EU countries) be amended to remove any right to protection from
interference of the broadcast, amateur or CB services.<br>
<br>
To support its recommendations the report claims that "short wave
broadcasting is in rapid decline, with most broadcasters moving to the
internet" and that "the intended use of Citizens Band as a personal
communications service has largely been replaced by cellphone usage."
Amateur radio, it says, carries "little communication of any importance
that could not be made using the telephone, cellular network or the
internet." The main use of ham radio, it suggests, is "largely
recreational" and could be replaced by "online simulations and VOIP
chat services." Hams could also make more use of the largely
interference-free bands above 400MHz which otherwise could be sold to
commercial users. Radio amateurs "could still experiment with radio in the
time-honoured manner, they just should not expect to be able to enjoy
interference-free reception on the short waves."<br>
<br>
The reason for the desire to remove the protection of our frequencies becomes
clear when you read the part of the report that describes forthcoming
technologies that are expected to cause problems with RFI compliance. In order
to meet carbon emissions targets and deal with expected power shortages caused
by the early closure of nuclear power plants in countries such as Germany, the
EU plans to introduce <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_grid">smart
grids</a> in all European nations by 2020. These smart grids use BPL technology
to communicate with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_meter">smart
meters</a> in each individual home. The smart meters, in turn, use PLT
technology to communicate with smart devices in order to regulate their use.
When demand for electricity is high, power cuts or the switching on of
expensive standby power stations can be avoided by shutting off inessential
devices instead. Examples of inessential devices given in the report include
amateur radio linear amplifiers - assuming it's still possible to hear anything
on short wave over the BPL and PLT QRM in the first place.<br>
<br>
The EU is also proposing that 80% of properties in member states should be
equipped with solar panels by 2020. To achieve this target, installation costs
will be heavily subsidized by governments, which clearly want to cut costs as
far as possible. Estimates produced by a Chinese manufacturer of solar power
systems suggest the cost saving that would result from eliminating the need for
RFI suppression circuits in the power converters would amount to 4 billion Euro
for the whole of Europe.<br>
<br>
The report concludes that "the cost of protecting the short wave spectrum
from interference from technologies that are essential to be installed
throughout Europe in the next decade to meet emissions targets and maintain the
well-being of all European citizens is quite simply prohibitive" and urges
that EU Commissioners pass the necessary laws by <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span lang=EN style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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