"Phil Kane" wrote in message . net...
On 25 Mar 2004 12:59:21 GMT, N2EY wrote:

It's generally agreed that Access BPL will be a bad thing in any urban
radio environment.

Generally agreed by whom?

ARRL, FEMA, NTIA, the remaining amateur radio publications, just
for starters. :-)

But not the Wall Street Journal, or the chief engineer of the FCC, or the
Commissioners....;-) ;-)

Both the Commissioners and the Chief of the Office of Science and
Technology dance to the tune of the politicians who control them.

But Phil - they're "professionals", just like Len!

It embarasses the hell out of me.....

Why? You don't work for FCC any more, Phil.

Irrelevant to the BPL situation. FCC could prevent BPL from going forward if
they wanted to.

Unless an Access BPL system goes across state borders, about
all that the FCC can regulate is the incidental RF radiation from
the system. Incidental RF radiation is a main subject in Part 15,
Title 47 C.F.R. Part 15 doesn't deal in "communications" systems
and NPRM 04-29 is only about revisions to Part 15.

Again, irrelevant. And probably incorrect. The noise from BPL systems will
clearly cross state lines.

The "it doesn't cross state lines" argument was tried by the CBers
and it failed in court on the "effects are able to cross state
lines" theory. To avoid such hassles again, The Congress amended
the Comm Act (Section 301) to give the FCC authority over all
(non-US government) radiofrequency signals or energy transmitted
(intentionally or incidentally) at any place in the US and received
at any other place in the US regardless of intrastate or interstate
considerations.

Thanks, Phil.

So Len is wrong - *again*.

Now ----

Are you aware than an entrepreneur in RURAL eastern Oregon has set
up a 600-square-mile system of "Wi-Fi" wireless access points to
bring high-speed broadband internet service to an area whose main
activities are ranching, a rail yard (Hermiston, OR) and the
wide-open spaces of the US Army's Umatilla Chemical Weapons Depot.
Not exactly "high-density urban population".....and he expects to
recoup his investment with no problem.

No, Iwas not aware of that! Details, links, please? Being able to
point to such an installation would be an asset in comments to FCC.

This was reported in The Oregonian (Portland, OR) newspaper last week.

Somebody should tell WSJ.

So much for "no other method to serve the unserved areas but BPL".

Indeed!

73 de Jim, N2EY