BPL watch VK3

 • BPL whole truth - 3/5/08
 • NATO concerned about BPL - 10/9/07
 • Mt Beauty BPL measurements released - 17/12/06
 • BPL ramp up or just more hype? - 5/12/06
 • Observations on Mt Beauty BPL - 17/11/06
 • Today Tonight TV show hails BPL - 10/11/06
 • ACMA requested to investigate BPL interference - 1/11/06
 • BPL in north-east Victoria - 27/10/06

 • BPL interference - system operational - 618K MP3 - 3/11/06
 • BPL interference - system 'test' mode - 187K MP3 - 27/10/06

BPL whole truth
The United States regulator FCC is labelled as not telling all it new about the interference that may be caused to radio communications by broadband over powerlines.

ARRL general counsel Christopher Imlay says it's obvious that the FCC was overzealous in its advocacy of BPL, and that resulted in a rather blatant cover-up of the technical facts surrounding its interference potential.

Mr Imlay says both the BPL industry and amateur radio would be better off had the FCC dealt with the interference potential in an honest and forthright manner at the outset.

His comments come after the US Appeals Court for the District of Columbia issued a ruling that took issue with the way the FCC arrived at its rules in relation to BPL.

The court's decision could ultimately prompt revisions to the FCC's rules,which could either change the way BPL operates or add more uncertainty about it as a viable broadband enabling technology. There are only 5,000BPL subscribers in the US.
- Amateur Radio Victoria.
3/5/08

Mt Beauty BPL measurements released
The WIA performed field strength measurements on the Mt Beauty BPL trial using its new interference measuring kit.

The measurements were taken outside the home of Ian Paul VK3LJJ and at other locations in the BPL trial area.

The results show very high levels of RF emission from the BPL enabled power lines, between approximately 33 and 49 dB above the expected ambient noise conditions.

Calculations to determine the expected level of interference in S-units, using a dipole antenna, found levels at between S9+10dB and S9+20dB.

Stations experiencing this level of interference would be prevented from transmitting, as they would be unable to determine if the frequency was in use by another station, as required under the terms of their licence.

The BPL interference we measured at the Ian VK3LJJ's QTH will mask all but the very strongest of HF radio communication signals on 40, 30, 20, and 15 metres.

The WIA report has been forwarded to ACMA and the Standards Australia working group on BPL. The report is published on the WIA website at www.wia.org.au
- Amateur Radio Victoria.
17/12/06

BPL ramp up or just more hype?
Key players in the electrical services industry have signalled their hopes of being able to commercially roll out Broadband over Powerlines (BPL) in at least Victoria and Queensland.

Australian company Nilsen Electric, an industry leader formed 90-years ago, has partnered with Scheider Electric and ilevo, a Swedish BPL software and hardware company.

Scheider, which owns ilevo, is using its equipment for the first BPL trial in Victoria at Mt Beauty with power company SP Ausnet.

That trial has resulted in documented substantial and harmful interference to radio communications which is being investigated by the Australian Communications and Media Authority.

Information technology job advertisements placed by Nilsen Electric announces its partnership with Schneider and states the aim of that move is "to capitalise on the existing growth experienced in the BPL space".

The most senior position on offer is a Melbourne-based Broadband over Powerline Operations Mananger for the self-proclaimed "aggressive sales focussed organisation" which is looking for "senior talent to help the company grow it's business".

There are Broadband Sales Executive positions in Melbourne and Brisbane too. Applicants for those are promised "an unsurpassed opportunity to join this exciting and fast growing segment of the market."

The combination of Nilsen, Schneider and ilevo could make it a strong competitor to Mitsubishi Electrics that has partnered with Aurora Energy and now engaged in a commercial pilot trial of BPL with more than 500 customers in Hobart.
- Amateur Radio Victoria.
5/12/06

Observations on Mt Beauty BPL
The harmful and substantial interference resulting from a trial of BPL in Mt Beauty is continuing and a new report takes a more technical look at the situation.

A recent visit to the area by Peter Young found BPL emissions from the SP AusNet trial were categorised as the 'worst case level' of signal strength 9 plus 20dB.

The purpose of his independent observations on 12 November was to determine to what extent, if any, were the effects on spectrum reception.

Mr Young, the former ACMA BPL Project Team Manager, used equipment used included an Icom R-75 high frequency communication receiver, with a calibrated signal level meter, a stepped attenuator, and vertical screwdriver antenna.

Based on his experience and the observations taken, the level of emissions were in the worst case -53 dBm (S9+20d8), and comparable with the levels of the levels measured at previous trials (Country Energy - Queanbeyan, and the Woomera Online trial in Moruya). Which significantly exceeded the US FCC Part 15 Standard for BPL network devices.

Mr Young found that there is "potential interference to licensed users in Amateur Service in the spectrum bands 20, 17, 15, 12 and 10 metres."

Further his report said, "Notably, there is potential to cause interference to users in the Citizen Band Radio Service (CB) 27 MHz, and more concerning interference to consumer medical alert alarm devices permitted to operate around 27.5 MHz.

"Other consumer devices that can be affected include the handset receivers in CT1 cordless telephones that are permitted to operate in spectrum 31/39 MHz, remote control devices, such as garage door openers, model aircraft that are permitted to operate in spectrum around 27 MHz. The degree of degradation will depend on the wanted to un-wanted signal ratio."

Mr Young will be the guest speaker at Melbourne's Moorabbin and District Radio Club talking about the 'broad view' of BPL, including smart metering and power network management capabilities that technology can offer in the future.

It is happening at the Moorabbin and District Radio Club meeting in the Combined Clubhouse, Turner Road, Highett (Melway 77 J9), on 17 November at 8pm.
Read a copy of his 12 November observations report. - 912K PDF
- Amateur Radio Victoria.
17/11/06

Today Tonight TV show hails BPL
The Channel 7 network program is running an on air promotion of an upcoming story, and you guessed it, how BPL can save the world.

The promotion states: "Save hundreds of dollars on phone cost", "Give Telstra the chop" "Fast Internet" all from your power socket! "A 6 month trial has just finished, with overwhelming success"

It includes shots of power transmission lines, a talking head from the BPL lobby and a woman's voice saying it is alternative.

Sound like BPL spin-doctors are in true form. The segment is due to air on Friday 10 November.
- Amateur Radio Victoria.
10/11/06

ACMA requested to investigate BPL interference
The horrific interference being experienced by a radio amateur at Mt Beauty in north-east Victoria is now the subject of a formal written complaint by him to the Australian Communications and Media Authority.

The complaint details the substantial interference that currently prevents use of use of all HF frequency bands by Ian Paul VK3FIOP, following the installation of BPL equipment.

While the ACMA is yet to respond to the complaint, the BPL operator SP AusNet is this week rolling out its six month trial of the technology to about 50 homes in eight streets.

The RF pollution resulting from BPL testing has put a 60dB over signal strength 9 noise across the bands in the shack of VK3FIOP.

A full story will appear in the November 1 update of News Online on the Amateur Radio Victoria website www.amateurradio.com.au
- Amateur Radio Victoria.

BPL in north-east Victoria
BPL in north-east Victoria is of concern being the first trial of this flawed technology in VK3 which is about to get under way in the alpine town of Mt Beauty.

In the middle of it all is radio amateur Ian Paul VK3FIOP who lives in one of the eight streets that the company SP AusNet has installed BPL repeaters (see photo) on power poles and announced it will run a six-month trial.

Ian says the unannounced arrival of BPL has disappointed him because it will restrict his current and future amateur radio operation (he has qualified for the Standard Licence and aiming for the Advanced Licence). There was no pre-warning of the trial on the ACMA BPL web portal.

What Ian is experiencing can be heard in mp3 audio file - 187K MP3.

It blankets the 10m and 12m bands and was S9 +60dB across the entire HF spectrum from 3.5MHz to 30MHz. This is even before the system begins to carry traffic. BPL deployment through the issuing of free modems to households is running at least three weeks behind schedule.

Four days after it went into 'test mode', Ian complained and received a letter from SP AusNet, the BPL operator, warning him "there are potential emissions and possible risk of interference from the BPL systems. Our BPL systems will be using frequencies from 1 -35 MHz."

It proposed to operate a six month trial of the technology. The company chose Mt Beauty back in February this year for Victoria's first BPL trial.

In media reports SP AusNet said being in a valley, Mt Beauty is also ideal because it gives the company a clear test site for interference because there is very little background noise.

Ian's says his QTH was a quiet RF location with an ambient noise level of S2-3 before the arrival of BPL which sends the S-meter into FSD.

Amateur Radio Victoria President, Jim Linton VK3PC, with assistance from Owen Duffy VK1OD and WIA BPL Coordinator Phil Wait VK2DKN, has been working with Ian VK3FIOP to deal with the issues he faces.

'BPL watch VK3' will be following the Mt Beauty story to regularly report on developments.