Ironworks Gaming Forum - View Single Post

Sir Kenyth · 10-10-2003, 02:03 PM

Here's a touchy subject. Broadband over power line technology is here (BPL). It seems like a great answer. The infrastructure is already in place! There are problems though. Power lines are not designed for RF transfer, they're designed for power transfer. They generate a great deal of interference on 1-80 MHZ because they are not RF sheilded cables. They deny it, but they know it does. The physics behind RF say that a wire HAS to emit RF if it's not sheilded or balanced. Power lines are neither. If you had a receiver set to the 60 Hz. AC current freq that your house uses, you would "hear" your power lines. You'll notice they conveniently avoided frequencies used by commercial radio and other commercial interests. That's why they are not using the frequencies used by most household items like TV and radios for BPL. They picked the frequencies used only by small groups on purpose. They're not stupid. They know this project produces interference. This may not seem like a big problem to the average Joe, but the 1-80 MHZ frequencies ARE used by some groups. Maritime communication, some government agencies, shortwave radio stations, and Amateur radio enthusiasts use these freqs. If this system is widely deployed, it will destroy the ability to receive anything but a strong signal because of the background noise. This will render the HF Ham band frequencies useless for world-wide communication, destroy the world audience of shortwave radio stations, it may add static to local AM radio stations, and possibly adversely affect the more critical communications between vessels at sea and shore. Countries have already banned BPL because of the interference, but the FCC seems on the verge of embracing it here in the US. Every other device that generates harmful interference is banned by the FCC, but the economic promise of BPL seems to be luring them to make an exception in this case. The FCC has allocated frequencies to groups. This means that these groups should retain use of these freqs free of harmful interference. That's the FCC's job. What do you think? Do you think the benefits of BPL should negate the fact that it creates harmful interference and destroys the useability of freqs already allocated to other groups? I think if they're so sure it doesn't cause interference, they should use it on commercial band frequencies to prove their point. I somehow don't think they're quite THAT sure of themselves.

[ 10-10-2003, 02:05 PM: Message edited by: Sir Kenyth ]

10-10-2003, 02:03 PM	#1
Sir Kenyth Fzoul Chembryl Join Date: August 30, 2001 Location: somewhere Age: 55 Posts: 1,785	Here's a touchy subject. Broadband over power line technology is here (BPL). It seems like a great answer. The infrastructure is already in place! There are problems though. Power lines are not designed for RF transfer, they're designed for power transfer. They generate a great deal of interference on 1-80 MHZ because they are not RF sheilded cables. They deny it, but they know it does. The physics behind RF say that a wire HAS to emit RF if it's not sheilded or balanced. Power lines are neither. If you had a receiver set to the 60 Hz. AC current freq that your house uses, you would "hear" your power lines. You'll notice they conveniently avoided frequencies used by commercial radio and other commercial interests. That's why they are not using the frequencies used by most household items like TV and radios for BPL. They picked the frequencies used only by small groups on purpose. They're not stupid. They know this project produces interference. This may not seem like a big problem to the average Joe, but the 1-80 MHZ frequencies ARE used by some groups. Maritime communication, some government agencies, shortwave radio stations, and Amateur radio enthusiasts use these freqs. If this system is widely deployed, it will destroy the ability to receive anything but a strong signal because of the background noise. This will render the HF Ham band frequencies useless for world-wide communication, destroy the world audience of shortwave radio stations, it may add static to local AM radio stations, and possibly adversely affect the more critical communications between vessels at sea and shore. Countries have already banned BPL because of the interference, but the FCC seems on the verge of embracing it here in the US. Every other device that generates harmful interference is banned by the FCC, but the economic promise of BPL seems to be luring them to make an exception in this case. The FCC has allocated frequencies to groups. This means that these groups should retain use of these freqs free of harmful interference. That's the FCC's job. What do you think? Do you think the benefits of BPL should negate the fact that it creates harmful interference and destroys the useability of freqs already allocated to other groups? I think if they're so sure it doesn't cause interference, they should use it on commercial band frequencies to prove their point. I somehow don't think they're quite THAT sure of themselves. [ 10-10-2003, 02:05 PM: Message edited by: Sir Kenyth ] __________________ Master Barbsman and wielder of the razor wit!<br /><br />There are dark angels among us. They present themselves in shining raiment but there is, in their hearts, the blackness of the abyss.