"Bill Evans" wrote in message ...
Perhaps yesterday's, continuing massive power failure in the northeastern
U.S.A. and Canada will convince the power utilities that they should focus
their energies and resources on their core business, rather than entering a
new business that is already served by telephone companies, competitive
local exchange carriers (CLEC), cable television operators, satellite
services and, in some markets, broadband wireless access (BWA) carriers.

According to the August 15th Toronto Globe and Mail, "critics have been
calling for breakers to be installed throughout North America's grids for
some time, only to be told by the grid operators (power companies) that
there is no money to fund such a massive infrastructure overhaul."

Why would regulators, politicians and the power companies' shareholders be
interested in spending billions of dollars entering a new business when they
obviously have major challenges in their own backyard. Seems like time to
"stick to the knitting".

William E. Evans, P. Eng.
VE4UD


Why not post your own comments to that effect on the FCC's EFCS
website?
There is no requirement that one be a US citizen to comment, and you
certainly have a direct interest in the outcome of the proceeding.

Dick W0EX

I've been following this thread and subject with some interest.

It's a good thing that the government might become involved. When a
group of Amateur Radio Operator's (A.K.A., private citizens) toes are
stepped on, gather together under their (arguable) representative
organization (A.K.A., the ARRL), and say, "No, No...look at this data,"
normally the answer from the regulatory branch is, "Ah, Ahem...well,
we'll do a study of this and liet you know what we find," usually with
nothing further heard about it.

But when the Government's toes are stepped on, when they say, "No, No,"
by and large it turns into, "NO, NO!"

============================================

Brian Kelly wrote:

"Carl R. Stevenson" wrote in message ...

"Dwight Stewart" wrote in message
...




Ed Hare, W1RFI, of the ARRL isn't the only one measuring the interference
at the BPL pilot test sites ... I was in a meeting today with folks from
NTIA
(the equivalent of the FCC for federal govt. users of the spectrum) and they
are out doing measurements, too. The meeting was about something else,
but I got the impression that they aren't happy with what they are seeing
either ...


That's the first best piece of news yet today abt BPL. I've been
wondering where NTIA has been in the mix. Given their key position in
Homeland Security I suspect that they will have the final word on BPL.
Assuming they come out opposed to BPL of course.

The second best piece of news today is the new eggs in the face of the
power industry. Their credibility has dropped to zip in 48 hours flat
and methinks that they'll now have bigger problems selling BPL given
the fact that their core technologies need all the attention they can
muster.


73,
Carl -wk3c


w3rv

--
73 from Glenn - KG5UC

"Kim W5TIT" wrote:


Whew....someone finally gets it--just kidding, Dwight.
You probably "had" it all along. That is exactly what
my rattling has been all about. I just don't see this
fight being won (from the amateur radio perspective)
and, I think there a "ways around" BPL interference.
So, where do we spend the energy? Before, or after
and, on what? I'd rather think that the way to fight
BPL and win (for sure) is to get busy designing, testing
and implementing ways around it, *before* it becomes
the major issue that it will--because, like I said, I
don't see this fight being won. Way, way too much
commercial interest--the very people that feed the
pockets of the politicians.


Oh, I think the odds of stopping BPL are sharply against us. In the end,
unless there are some shocking results in the studies being done, we'll have
to learn to deal with it. Hopefully our existing equipment will help us do
so. If not, we'll have to look for new technology. To do that, we need the
results of those studies. If a new solution is needed, I hope it is found
before BPL is widespread.


Dwight Stewart (W5NET)

http://www.qsl.net/w5net/

"Brian Kelly" wrote:

(snip) The second best piece of news today is
the new eggs in the face of the power industry.
Their credibility has dropped to zip in 48 hours
flat and methinks that they'll now have bigger
problems selling BPL given the fact that their
core technologies need all the attention they
can muster.


You're an optimist, Brian. Instead, I see the power industry more likely
claiming they need the new income from BPL to raise the additional funds
needed to modernize the existing infrastructure. Industry has plenty of
people to spin anything into a positive outcome for industry.


Dwight Stewart (W5NET)

http://www.qsl.net/w5net/

Jim Hampton wrote:
What *might* prove interesting is some emergency where communications can't
get through due to interference. Then the high power lawyers step up to the
plate and see if they can do to the power company involved what was done to
big tobacco. Of course, by then the damage will be done. Let someone win a
billion dollars and then see what happens with BPL. I'm not pushing amateur
radio here; I simply see radio communications (fire, police, aircraft, etc.)
as more reliable than cell phones. It is also difficult to call 20 police
cars individually when you need a rapid response to a large problem as
opposed to just pressing the button on a radio transmitter. I am very
rapidly learning to dislike the present administration a *lot*. An
interesting aside with the power companies; Wall Street doesn't like them
generating power. They simply want to buy power and resell it at a profit.
Where is this power supposed to come from?

The same place that we will get our food from after the Midwest is top
soilless, fertilized out and saline, and all the other farmland is
turned into housing developments! "someone else will do it"

With all manufacturing jobs
going offshore and no one interested in actually building (or generating)
anything ...

Uh-huh. And what happens when for some reason or another we NEED to
have a manufacturing capability again? We're doing what Great Britain
did before WW2.

- Mike KB3EIA -

Dwight Stewart wrote in message ...
"Brian Kelly" wrote:

(snip) The second best piece of news today is
the new eggs in the face of the power industry.
Their credibility has dropped to zip in 48 hours
flat and methinks that they'll now have bigger
problems selling BPL given the fact that their
core technologies need all the attention they
can muster.


You're an optimist, Brian.

Yer damned right I am and I haven't "lost" yet.

Instead, I see the power industry more likely
claiming they need the new income from BPL to raise the additional funds
needed to modernize the existing infrastructure. Industry has plenty of
people to spin anything into a positive outcome for industry.

WHAT?? The gurus have been bleating for years that the power
distribution infrastructure needs a cash infusion of somewhere in the
neighborhood of $50 to $100 *BILLION* dollars to catch up.

Never mind, you're either dumber than a box of rocks or an almost
decent troll. I rather suspect the former. Now go back to work and
finally figger out how to put up a pole to support yer scanner
antennas . .


Dwight Stewart (W5NET)

w3rv

"Dwight Stewart" wrote in message
.. .
"Brian Kelly" wrote:

(snip) The second best piece of news today is
the new eggs in the face of the power industry.
Their credibility has dropped to zip in 48 hours
flat and methinks that they'll now have bigger
problems selling BPL given the fact that their
core technologies need all the attention they
can muster.


You're an optimist, Brian. Instead, I see the power industry more likely
claiming they need the new income from BPL to raise the additional funds
needed to modernize the existing infrastructure. Industry has plenty of
people to spin anything into a positive outcome for industry.


Dwight Stewart (W5NET)

http://www.qsl.net/w5net/


The crux of the matter is that the greater part of the power industry is
investor-owned. That says it all as to how easy this will be to win, etc.

Kim W5TIT

"Jim Hampton" wrote in message ...
What *might* prove interesting is some emergency where communications can't
get through due to interference. Then the high power lawyers step up to the
plate and see if they can do to the power company involved what was done to
big tobacco. Of course, by then the damage will be done. Let someone win a
billion dollars and then see what happens with BPL. I'm not pushing amateur
radio here; I simply see radio communications (fire, police, aircraft, etc.)
as more reliable than cell phones.


BPL, if allowed, will put several states' statewide public service
agency radio system out of business, teo include California, which
also has a low VHF statewide radio system. So much for protection from
part 15 interference!

It is also difficult to call 20 police
cars individually when you need a rapid response to a large problem as
opposed to just pressing the button on a radio transmitter. I am very
rapidly learning to dislike the present administration a *lot*.


If they ram BPL through in the face of massive negative evidence
there'll
be a whole lot of people feeling much more than just dislike!


An
interesting aside with the power companies; Wall Street doesn't like them
generating power. They simply want to buy power and resell it at a profit.
Where is this power supposed to come from?



Do you ever get the feeling that Wall Street is more *the* problem
than the solution to our problems? The bean counters are in absolute
control and The Bottom Line rules. No matter who or what gets hurt,
nor how badly. If they have to send all our good jobs and
manufacturing offshore and rely on capitol gains to rake in all that
stock gain and profit, they'll do it in a heartbeat, regardless of
what it does to the country.



With all manufacturing jobs
going offshore and no one interested in actually building (or generating)
anything ... well, I'll bet 50 years down the road they'll be teaching
courses in business schools about what *not* to do. And these will be the
years referred to in the books.



Assuming it stays glued together another 50 years.

Dwight Stewart wrote in message ...
"Brian Kelly" wrote:

(snip) Never mind, you're either dumber than
a box of rocks or an almost decent troll. I
rather suspect the former. (snip)


Excuse me? You posted a message speculating that the current power outages
will hinder BPL and I responded with my opinion that the power outages will
more likely be used to support BPL.

Then explain exactly how/why you think the introduction of BPL will
impact the economics of upgrading the power grids, e.g., how big a
chunk of the $50-$100 billion dollar upgrade tab do you expect BPL
would raise for that cause?

To that, you respond with the garbage
above. You really need to learn some basic manners, Brian.

I have a low tolerance level for people who consistently "don't get"
the obvious.


Dwight Stewart (W5NET)

w3rv

Dick,

50 years from now I doubt I'll care .... poor statement, perhaps ...
Seriously, I'm worried about our kids and grandkids. It does not look
pretty.

73 from Rochester, NY
Jim AA2QA


"DickCarroll" wrote in message
om...
"Jim Hampton" wrote in message
...
What *might* prove interesting is some emergency where communications
can't
get through due to interference. Then the high power lawyers step up to
the
plate and see if they can do to the power company involved what was done
to
big tobacco. Of course, by then the damage will be done. Let someone
win a
billion dollars and then see what happens with BPL. I'm not pushing
amateur
radio here; I simply see radio communications (fire, police, aircraft,
etc.)
as more reliable than cell phones.


BPL, if allowed, will put several states' statewide public service
agency radio system out of business, teo include California, which
also has a low VHF statewide radio system. So much for protection from
part 15 interference!

It is also difficult to call 20 police
cars individually when you need a rapid response to a large problem as
opposed to just pressing the button on a radio transmitter. I am very
rapidly learning to dislike the present administration a *lot*.


If they ram BPL through in the face of massive negative evidence
there'll
be a whole lot of people feeling much more than just dislike!


An
interesting aside with the power companies; Wall Street doesn't like
them
generating power. They simply want to buy power and resell it at a
profit.
Where is this power supposed to come from?



Do you ever get the feeling that Wall Street is more *the* problem
than the solution to our problems? The bean counters are in absolute
control and The Bottom Line rules. No matter who or what gets hurt,
nor how badly. If they have to send all our good jobs and
manufacturing offshore and rely on capitol gains to rake in all that
stock gain and profit, they'll do it in a heartbeat, regardless of
what it does to the country.



With all manufacturing jobs
going offshore and no one interested in actually building (or
generating)
anything ... well, I'll bet 50 years down the road they'll be teaching
courses in business schools about what *not* to do. And these will be
the
years referred to in the books.



Assuming it stays glued together another 50 years.


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