Could Broadband Over Power Lines be Dangerous?

falconfighter writes " Broadband over Powerlines, once touted as the solution to many internet problems (developing 3rd world countries, etc.) has a new hazard. The system basically involves putting high amounts of modulated RF on a power line. The Amateur Radio Relay League has the most informative page on the topic. The hazards include exceeding MPE (maximum permissable exposure), RF burns, and disrupting the HF bands of radio. This last one would also work in reverse, meaning hams, airplanes, or the military keying up their radios could take out large areas of internet service (with airplanes, potentially over several hundred miles)."

Comments

terrorism potential?

[circletimessquare]

someone smarter than me might be able to figure out how to modulate rf over powerlines, whether for broadband purposes or not, to cause death and destruction in strange new ways

just by thinking this, is ashcroft going to knock on my door now?

seriously though, am i way off base or are their novel and creative ways to use power lines to do weird rf resonance things that might be analogous to that cliche of an opera star exploding a crystal glass with her voice? would it be easy?

please forgive my ignorance if i sound silly

Politics at play

[tjstork]

HAM radio operators have a vested interest in opposing the use of broadband over power lines because the RF interference screws up their sets.

So, they are going to do anything they can to fight this, tooth and nail, and if it means using Photoshop to conjure up a broadband over powerline baby with 18 twisted limbs, they probably would. Not that I would blame them for doing so, as I'm not really sure I like the idea myself.