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 Previous: Emergency Communications Portable Base Station |  Next: Expedition 8 Commander Makes First QSOs for ARISS Roy Neal, K6DUE, Event |
NEWINGTON, CT, Dec 8, 2003--Expressing "grave concerns" about likely interference from unlicensed Broadband over Power Line (BPL) systems, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has told the FCC that BPL could "severely impair FEMA's mission-essential HF radio operations in areas serviced by BPL technology." FEMA filed comments December 4 in response to last April's FCC BPL Notice of Inquiry, ET Docket 03-104. FEMA expressed primary concern over BPL's potential impact on the FEMA National Radio System (FNARS), which operates on HF and serves as the agency's primary command and control backup medium as part of the Federal Response Plan.
"FEMA has concluded that introduction of unwanted interference from the implementation of BPL technology into the high frequency radio spectrum will result in significant detriment to the operation of FEMA radio systems such as FNARS," FEMA's comments assert. "FNARS radio operators normally conduct communications with signals that are barely above the ambient noise levels." FEMA further noted that FNARS HF stations typically are in residential areas of the sort that BPL--a form of power line carrier (PLC) technology--might serve.
BPL also could render such "essential communications services" as the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES), the Military Affiliate Radio System (MARS) and the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) useless, FEMA said. FEMA and ARRL last year signed a Memorandum of Understanding that focuses on how Amateur Radio personnel may coordinate with the agency to support emergency communications functions.
Calling the HF spectrum "an invaluable and irreplaceable public safety resource," FEMA said there's no current alternative to HF in terms of meeting national security and emergency preparedness requirements at the national, state and local levels. The agency recommended beefing up the FCC's Part 15 rules to ensure no increase in interference levels to existing FCC or NTIA-licensed communication systems, "because any noise increase inevitably would diminish the ability to maintain essential communications," FEMA said, and would "directly impair the safety of life and property."
The BPL interference situation is reciprocal,
FEMA noted, citing "Interference
to PLC systems from Amateur Radio Operation". That paper points out that Amateur
Radio transmitters likely would interfere with BPL systems. BPL users likewise
would experience service interruptions when its transmitters "overpower the
signal levels expected by BPL modems," FEMA predicted.
 Broadband over Power Line (BPL) systems would use low and medium-voltage power lines like these to deliver broadband Internet service to homes and businesses. |
FCC adoption of proposals to encourage widespread development and deployment of BPL also could result in consumer confusion regarding who would resolve interference issues and how. FEMA said it believes licensed radio services "will be perceived by consumers as responsible for the interference, since most consumers do not understand that their unlicensed Part 15 devices 'must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.'"
"The purported benefits of BPL in terms of expanded services in certain communications sectors do not appear to outweigh the benefit to the overall public of HF radio capability as presently used by government, broadcasting and public safety users," FEMA concluded.
FEMA Chief Information Officer Barry C. West, who filed the comments on the agency's behalf, characterized the issues it raises as being "of great importance to the national public safety." Because FEMA now is part of the Department of Homeland Security, its perspectives on BPL could carry substantial weight at the FCC, which may issue a Notice of Proposed Rule Making as early as February.
The ARRL announced last week that it plans to complete an independent BPL engineering study within a couple of months. The study will explore how BPL might affect HF and low-VHF amateur operation as well as how Amateur Radio operation could affect BPL systems.
Additional information about BPL and Amateur Radio is on the ARRL Web site. To support the League's efforts in this area,
visit the ARRL's secure BPL Web site.
| Previous: Emergency Communications Portable Base Station | Next: Expedition 8 Commander Makes First QSOs for ARISS Roy Neal, K6DUE, Event |
