July, 2006

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Attention All Amateurs...
Public BPL Database Restrictions Removed
United Telecom Council (UTC) has removed all restrictions on access to the BPL Interference Resolution Web site. In cooperation with the United Power Line Council (UPLC), UTC administers the database, which FCC Part 15 rules mandate be "publicly available." Ever since the database debuted last October, the ARRL has taken strong exception to access constraints UTC had imposed, including limiting searches solely on the basis of US Postal Service ZIP code and rationing the number of allowable licensee searches. In February, the League filed a formal complaint with the FCC, demanding that the Commission order UTC to "cease its arbitrary limits" on access to the database. ARRL Chief Executive Officer David Sumner, K1ZZ, said the League was happy to hear that UTC now has eliminated search limits and posted all BPL system information.

Attention All Amateurs...
FCC Cites Florida Utility for Interference to Radio Amateur
The FCC has issued a Citation to Lakeland Electric, a municipally owned utility in Lakeland, Florida, for violating Part 15 rules by interfering with a local radio amateur. §15.5(c) of the FCC rules requires that the operator of an "incidental radiator" must cease operating the device after an FCC representative notifies the operator that the device is causing harmful interference. The "incidental radiator" in this case is overhead power lines. Under an agreement, the ARRL and the FCC cooperate in resolving cases of line noise interference to Amateur Radio licensees.

Attention All Amateurs...
Full US House Okays Telecoms Bill with BPL Study Language Intact
On a 321 to 101 vote, the US House of Representatives on June 8 passed the Communications Opportunity, Promotion and Enhancement (COPE) Act of 2006. The House-passed bill, HR 5252, left intact language that required the FCC to study the interference potential of BPL systems. US Rep Mike Ross, WD5DVR (D-AR), one of two radio amateurs in Congress, sponsored the BPL study requirement, "Study of Interference Potential of Broadband over Power Line Systems," contained in Title V, Section 502 of the complex bill. HR 5252 now goes to the US Senate, where a separate--and very different--telecoms bill, the Communications, Consumer's Choice, and Broadband Deployment Act of 2006 (S 2686) is still in committee.

Attention All Amateurs...
FCC Directs Manassas BPL System to Resolve Amateurs'
Interference Complaints In two strongly worded letters, the FCC's Enforcement Bureau has directed the Manassas, Virginia, BPL system to take appropriate steps to eliminate harmful interference to Amateur Radio operators. Several hams in the Manassas area have complained, some repeatedly, about severe interference from the BPL system, operated by COMTek on the city-owned power grid. The FCC minced no words in detailing what it wants the city and BPL operator COMTek to do to ensure its system complies with Part 15 rules governing BPL systems and even hinted that it may shut down all or part of the system. One of the FCC letters followed up on a complaint from Dwight Agnew, AI4II, of BPL interference to his mobile operations.

July, 2006

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