BPL?
 

"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



Probably because they are waiting for a guberment buy out to finance it.

Dan/W4NTI

"Bill Evans" wrote:

Perhaps yesterday's, continuing massive power
failure will convince the power utilities that
they should focus their energies and resources
on their core business, rather than entering a
new business (snip)

(snip) critics...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. (snip)


It's very simply, Bill. BPL offers far more potential profit than further
investment in existing infrastructure does.

Besides, power companies aren't really bothered by the occasional power
outage, especially since angry consumers can't go elsewhere to get power.
The companies lose a little money while the power is off, but they know
consumers will crank up those heaters and air conditioners just as soon as
the power comes back on - pretty much making up any loses from the power
outage itself.

On the other hand, the potential money from BPL is enough to get those
companies, and their investors, really excited. And, unless we come up with
something really strong to fight it, something much stronger then rhetorical
evidence from the UK, it is going to be almost impossible to stop.

What we need is well done studies from the areas where BPL is now being
tested - studies showing the actual impact on radio (frequencies, noise
levels, and so on). And, to be honest with you, I'm not even sure that will
be enough.


Dwight Stewart (W5NET)

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

"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".

The only issue investors care about is income. They won't make any new
income by sinking capital into repairs and upgrades, they would
generate new income with BPL. Capitalism 101.


William E. Evans, P. Eng.
VE4UD

w3rv

"Dwight Stewart" wrote in message
.. .
"Carl R. Stevenson" wrote:

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 ...


I'm glad to hear that. Hopefully the studies will generate results that
will get someone's attention. Regardless, BPL is obviously going to be
tough
to fight.


Dwight Stewart (W5NET)

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


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.

Kim W5TIT

"Brian Kelly" wrote in message
...
"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".

The only issue investors care about is income. They won't make any new
income by sinking capital into repairs and upgrades, they would
generate new income with BPL. Capitalism 101.


William E. Evans, P. Eng.
VE4UD

w3rv


No rattling chains, there... And, I think you're right...

Kim W5TIT

"Kim W5TIT" wrote in message
...
"Dwight Stewart" wrote in message
.. .
"Carl R. Stevenson" wrote:

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 ...


I'm glad to hear that. Hopefully the studies will generate results
that
will get someone's attention. Regardless, BPL is obviously going to be
tough
to fight.


Dwight Stewart (W5NET)

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


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.

Kim W5TIT



If it was JUST ham radio that would affected then your right. No way in
hell. However it isn't just ham radio. Its any user at all on HF and low
VHF...and PROBABLY due to harmonics , etc way up the spectrum.

I think we a missing the boat of how to fight this thing tho. The ARRL
recently signed a agreement on 'first response' being a HAM RADIO thing.
This with DHS (Department of Homeland Security). Should we not be pushing
this fact? Its gonna be real tough to be a first responder with all kinds
of radio goodies and no way to hear each other.

Oh sure now I hear....it not gonna bother the 2 meter and above bands.
WANNA BET?????????????

Dan/W4NTI

"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

I have recently been reading on this thread and agree with all points
made in it.

In my observation, it goes like this:

When a lot of Amateur Radio Operators (A.K.A., private citizens) get
their toes stepped on, gather under the banner of their (arguably)
representative organization (A.K.A., The ARRL) and say, "No, No! Look
at these problems," the answer from regulatory agencies is, "Ahem...yes,
well we'll do a study of this data and let you know the results," and
then nothing else is heard about it.

But When the GUM'MIT get's IT'S toes stepped on and says, "No, No,"
generally it's, 'NO, NO!"

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

Dan/W4NTI wrote:

"Kim W5TIT" wrote in message
...

"Dwight Stewart" wrote in message
...

"Carl R. Stevenson" wrote:

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 ...


I'm glad to hear that. Hopefully the studies will generate results

that

will get someone's attention. Regardless, BPL is obviously going to be

tough

to fight.


Dwight Stewart (W5NET)

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


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.

Kim W5TIT




If it was JUST ham radio that would affected then your right. No way in
hell. However it isn't just ham radio. Its any user at all on HF and low
VHF...and PROBABLY due to harmonics , etc way up the spectrum.

I think we a missing the boat of how to fight this thing tho. The ARRL
recently signed a agreement on 'first response' being a HAM RADIO thing.
This with DHS (Department of Homeland Security). Should we not be pushing
this fact? Its gonna be real tough to be a first responder with all kinds
of radio goodies and no way to hear each other.

Oh sure now I hear....it not gonna bother the 2 meter and above bands.
WANNA BET?????????????

Dan/W4NTI



--
73 from Glenn - KG5UC

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? 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.


73 from Rochester, NY
Jim AA2QA



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