Basically, not only does Broadband over Power Lines cause significant interference to services up to 80 MHz (all AM, shortwave, and lower VHF such as low television channels, including amateur radio, CB, and many legacy mobile communications systems in older services) but the normal operations *of* those HF and VHF services can cause interference back into the BPL. A 100W HF transmitter operated a few hundred feet from a BPL line can cause noise leading to many dropped packets.
The only argument they ever had which was interesting was that it would be cheaper to deploy broadband to rural communities using BPL than cable or DSL, and this is belied by the fact that BPL requires repeater stations every so often. BPL will be deployed to the cities first in direct competition to existing adequate services.
During wide-spread emergencies such as Hurricane Isabel, there was widespread telephone outages. HF and VHF communications was used to a great extent to coordinate resources such as shelters, kitchens, and medical assistance. Although the BPL might very well be down in the directly affected area, noise from BPL would prevent reception of HF and VHF communcations in areas which retained power... the places where help is coming *from*. In addition, practice training such as drills would not be possible during times when BPL was still functional.
John Trindle KG4RZH, certified Amateur Radio Emergency Service communicator.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2004-03-03 05:33 am (UTC)http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/HTML/plc/
FEMA is also quite concerned:
http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2003/12/08/1/?nc=1
Basically, not only does Broadband over Power Lines cause significant interference to services up to 80 MHz (all AM, shortwave, and lower VHF such as low television channels, including amateur radio, CB, and many legacy mobile communications systems in older services) but the normal operations *of* those HF and VHF services can cause interference back into the BPL. A 100W HF transmitter operated a few hundred feet from a BPL line can cause noise leading to many dropped packets.
The only argument they ever had which was interesting was that it would be cheaper to deploy broadband to rural communities using BPL than cable or DSL, and this is belied by the fact that BPL requires repeater stations every so often. BPL will be deployed to the cities first in direct competition to existing adequate services.
During wide-spread emergencies such as Hurricane Isabel, there was widespread telephone outages. HF and VHF communications was used to a great extent to coordinate resources such as shelters, kitchens, and medical assistance. Although the BPL might very well be down in the directly affected area, noise from BPL would prevent reception of HF and VHF communcations in areas which retained power... the places where help is coming *from*. In addition, practice training such as drills would not be possible during times when BPL was still functional.
John Trindle KG4RZH, certified Amateur Radio Emergency Service communicator.