ZCZC AG05 QST de W1AW ARRL Bulletin 5 ARLB005 From ARRL Headquarters Newington CT February 12, 2004 To all radio amateurs
SB QST ARL ARLB005 ARLB005 FCC okays BPL proposal
The FCC has unanimously approved a Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) to deploy Broadband over Power Line (BPL). The NPRM is the next step in the BPL proceeding, which began last April with a Notice of Inquiry that attracted more than 5100 comments--many from the amateur community. The FCC did not propose any changes in Part 15 rules governing unlicensed devices, but said it would require BPL providers to apply ''adaptive'' interference mitigation techniques to their systems. An ARRL delegation that included President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, attended the FCC open meeting in Washington, and later expressed disappointment in the FCC action.
''The Commission clearly recognized that the existing Part 15 emission limits are inadequate to stop interference, but it's placing the burden of interference mitigation on the licensed user that's supposed to be protected,'' said ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ.
Sumner said that if the FCC really believed current Part 15 emission limits were sufficient, it would not have had to require that BPL providers institute interference mitigation systems. The FCC has not yet released the actual NPRM, and a presentation by the FCC's Office of Engineering and Technology (OET) revealed only its broad outlines. Sumner said the League would not take a formal position until it reviews the full NPRM.
Anh Wride of the OET staff spelled out the scope of the NPRM, which only addresses so-called ''access BPL''--the type that would apply radio frequency energy to exterior overhead and underground low and medium-voltage power lines to distribute broadband and Internet service. She said the OET staff believes that interference concerns ''can be adequately addressed.'' Wride said the FCC's BPL NPRM:
* Applies existing Part 15 emission limits for unlicensed carrier-current systems to BPL systems. Part 15 rules now require that BPL systems eliminate any harmful interference that may occur ''and must cease operation if they cannot,'' she noted.
* Requires BPL systems to employ ''adaptive interference-mitigation techniques, including the capabilities to shut down a specific device, to reduce power levels on a dynamic or remote-control basis and to include or exclude specific operating frequencies or bands.''
* Subjects BPL providers to notification requirements that would establish a public database to include such information as the location of BPL devices, modulation type and operating frequencies.
* Proposes guidelines to provide for consistent and repeatable measurement of the RF emissions from BPL and other carrier-current systems.
Mirroring his colleagues' enthusiasm, FCC Chairman Michael Powell called BPL ''tremendously exciting.'' While conceding that BPL has ''a long way to go,'' the chairman said it could be ''the great broadband hope for a good part of rural America.'' Powell also said the FCC's OET has worked very hard to try to ''get their hands around'' the issue of interference and that the FCC would continue its vigilance in that area.
The FCC is expected to issue the complete Notice of Proposed Rule Making within a few days and will invite comments on it sometime after its publication.
Additional information about BPL and Amateur Radio is on the ARRL Web site, www.arrl.org/tis/info/HTML/plc/. NNNN/EX
Education is the foundation upon which good experience builds. Many will say you just need experience. Let me tell you - I've met plenty of on-the-job created engineers. They arn't always good engineers. An education gives you a foundation of skills that is required to make you a great engineer.
Find a school, get an education.
On an interesting side note, Davenport University, a private non-profit school in Michigan, is also offering security degrees. That's something pretty new.
Is it just me, or does this sound a lot like the Hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy?
For those of you that don't recall -
I has many galactic treasures of information such as -
The best way to get a drink out of a Vogon is to stick your finger down his throat
Here is what to do if you want to get a lift from a Vogon: FORGET IT.
or, perhaps the most relevant entry for us:
Earth: Mostly Harmless.
In many of the more relaxed civilizations on the Outer Eastern Rim of the Galaxy, the Hitchhiker's Guide has already supplanted the great Encyclopedia Galactica as the standard repository of all knowledge and wisdom, for though it has many omissions and contains much that is apocryphal, or at least wildly inaccurate, it scores over the older, more pedestrian work in two important respects.
"RFID systems feature a digital signature encryption protocol that has a challenge/response authentication to ensure complete consumer protection.
This technique makes it extremely difficult, if not impossible to duplicate the transponder (tag), or the secret encryption key. And, even if the key were duplicated, it would only be valid for one tank of gas, making it a very expensive tank of gasoline for a would-be criminal. "
My take is that it's more secure than the credit cards in my pocket. So what's the problem then?
TSR was the company, I believe, that started in about 1974 with the publication of "Dungeons & Dragons - Rules for Fantastic Medieval Wargames Campaigns Playable with Paper and Pencil and Minature figures"
I know, cuz' I read it on the front of the box, that I still have.;-)
Actually, at release, NWN left much to be desired in the module-building toolset. With a year under their belt, Bioware, and the players have come a LONG way in making NWN a fun game.
Maybe you better go check out what you call a "vastly diminished community".
In conjuction with this release, NeverWinter Nights is actually releaseing their first expansion as well!
The Screen Savers on TechTV had a show on do-it-yourself quiet machines. The online article is available at Yoshi's Mods: Project YS-2
Yoshi's box featured quiet electronics, sound proofing, and testing in Dolby Labs quiet room. His homebrew quiet computer registered 8 to 14dB. Humans start hearing things at 10dB! For reference, a typical PC creates 38dB.
Check out the link fro some practical ideas on how to make your PC quiet.
North of a Chicago there's a road called Half Day Road. Used to take a half a day to get there. A hundred years maybe? Takes an hour now.
In a recent broadband assessment for our area, as part of the Link Michigan project, they defined broadband as enough bandwidth as to not limit your application. That is, there's enough speed to do whatever you want.
So yesterday, perhaps 128K was broadband. It was enough. Today, cable modems at 256K+ download is enough. What about tomorrow?
Tomorrow (dare I say today?) we will see bandwidth serving multiple video streams, voice communication along with all the Internet-normal services. Can we do this in today's "broadband"? No.
"I have a broadband Internet connection" is saying the exact same thing as "I have a fast Internet connection".
"Now we can just give every person a cell-phone number at birth, and they can keep it for their whole lives, and use it like a permanent, worldwide ID."
"Hey - What's your phone number?"
"Sorry, I can't tell you... that would be an invasion of my privacy. Didn't you read the HIPPA and FERPA laws?!?"
consider an old-media domain name: the one your parents gave you.
Let me tell you - I feel very fortunate to have a unique last name. This is one of the reasons: My "old-media domain name" and "new-media domain name" match!
Very handy, when telling people your email address.
I never meet people with the same last name as me. The only ones I know are family. Whoo Hoo!
Hey - Yahoo's sneaky: Yahoo Domains reserves (says "taken") lastnamefirstname.com in their domain search. Must be because I have a yahoo account?
This could prove to be somewhat of a fallback for Wi-Fi. Currently, the 2.4 GHz 802.11b and 802.11g standards seem to be doing very well. Much has been said about the 5 GHz 802.11a being a standard that would hold for the long run.
802.11a, at 5 GHz, is limited in coverage range. Throughput drops off sharply at the edge as well.
The resolution calls for almost doubling the 5 GHz bandwidth, while leaving 2.4 GHz the same. There is also no radio or antenna compatability between 2.4 and 5 GHz.
I can see this taking our beloved "Wi-Fi Metropolitan Area Networks" and turning them into Wi-Fi lans. Something the government would probably like.
Slashdot Mirror
SB QST @ ARL $ARLB005
/EX
ARLB005 FCC okays BPL proposal
ZCZC AG05
QST de W1AW
ARRL Bulletin 5 ARLB005
From ARRL Headquarters
Newington CT February 12, 2004
To all radio amateurs
SB QST ARL ARLB005
ARLB005 FCC okays BPL proposal
The FCC has unanimously approved a Notice of Proposed Rule Making
(NPRM) to deploy Broadband over Power Line (BPL). The NPRM is the
next step in the BPL proceeding, which began last April with a
Notice of Inquiry that attracted more than 5100 comments--many from
the amateur community. The FCC did not propose any changes in Part
15 rules governing unlicensed devices, but said it would require BPL
providers to apply ''adaptive'' interference mitigation techniques
to their systems. An ARRL delegation that included President Jim
Haynie, W5JBP, attended the FCC open meeting in Washington, and
later expressed disappointment in the FCC action.
''The Commission clearly recognized that the existing Part 15
emission limits are inadequate to stop interference, but it's
placing the burden of interference mitigation on the licensed user
that's supposed to be protected,'' said ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ.
Sumner said that if the FCC really believed current Part 15 emission
limits were sufficient, it would not have had to require that BPL
providers institute interference mitigation systems. The FCC has not
yet released the actual NPRM, and a presentation by the FCC's Office
of Engineering and Technology (OET) revealed only its broad
outlines. Sumner said the League would not take a formal position
until it reviews the full NPRM.
Anh Wride of the OET staff spelled out the scope of the NPRM, which
only addresses so-called ''access BPL''--the type that would apply
radio frequency energy to exterior overhead and underground low and
medium-voltage power lines to distribute broadband and Internet
service. She said the OET staff believes that interference concerns
''can be adequately addressed.'' Wride said the FCC's BPL NPRM:
* Applies existing Part 15 emission limits for unlicensed
carrier-current systems to BPL systems. Part 15 rules now require
that BPL systems eliminate any harmful interference that may occur
''and must cease operation if they cannot,'' she noted.
* Requires BPL systems to employ ''adaptive interference-mitigation
techniques, including the capabilities to shut down a specific
device, to reduce power levels on a dynamic or remote-control basis
and to include or exclude specific operating frequencies or bands.''
* Subjects BPL providers to notification requirements that would
establish a public database to include such information as the
location of BPL devices, modulation type and operating frequencies.
* Proposes guidelines to provide for consistent and repeatable
measurement of the RF emissions from BPL and other carrier-current
systems.
Mirroring his colleagues' enthusiasm, FCC Chairman Michael Powell
called BPL ''tremendously exciting.'' While conceding that BPL has
''a long way to go,'' the chairman said it could be ''the great
broadband hope for a good part of rural America.'' Powell also said
the FCC's OET has worked very hard to try to ''get their hands
around'' the issue of interference and that the FCC would continue
its vigilance in that area.
The FCC is expected to issue the complete Notice of Proposed Rule
Making within a few days and will invite comments on it sometime
after its publication.
Additional information about BPL and Amateur Radio is on the ARRL
Web site, www.arrl.org/tis/info/HTML/plc/.
NNNN
Cisco has a good program that integrates with higher ed. You can read about it at Cisco's Net Acadamy
And Universities like Davenport University integrate it into their curriculum, here.
Education is the foundation upon which good experience builds. Many will say you just need experience. Let me tell you - I've met plenty of on-the-job created engineers. They arn't always good engineers. An education gives you a foundation of skills that is required to make you a great engineer.
Find a school, get an education.
On an interesting side note, Davenport University, a private non-profit school in Michigan, is also offering security degrees. That's something pretty new.
Is it just me, or does this sound a lot like the Hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy?
;-)
For those of you that don't recall -
I has many galactic treasures of information such as -
The best way to get a drink out of a Vogon is to stick your finger down his throat
Here is what to do if you want to get a lift from a Vogon: FORGET IT.
or, perhaps the most relevant entry for us:
Earth: Mostly Harmless.
In many of the more relaxed civilizations on the Outer Eastern Rim of the Galaxy, the Hitchhiker's Guide has already supplanted the great Encyclopedia Galactica as the standard repository of all knowledge and wisdom, for though it has many omissions and contains much that is apocryphal, or at least wildly inaccurate, it scores over the older, more pedestrian work in two important respects.
Perfect.
Coleco Football?
That game has been reproduced, and is readily available at, like, Toys R Us or Wallmart.
12 bucks or so. Knock yerself out.
http://www.ti.com/tiris/docs/news/news_releases
"RFID systems feature a digital signature encryption protocol that has a challenge/response authentication to ensure complete consumer protection.
This technique makes it extremely difficult, if not impossible to duplicate the transponder (tag), or the secret encryption key. And, even if the key were duplicated, it would only be valid for one tank of gas, making it a very expensive tank of gasoline for a would-be criminal. "
My take is that it's more secure than the credit cards in my pocket. So what's the problem then?
RFID's for school?
What ever happened to:
Teacher: "Raise your hand when I call your name. Johnny?"
Johnny: "Here."
Teacher: "Sally?"
Sally: "Here!"
Sheesh... always worked when I was in school....
TSR = Tactical Studies Rules, you geeks.
;-)
TSR was the company, I believe, that started in about 1974 with the publication of "Dungeons & Dragons - Rules for Fantastic Medieval Wargames Campaigns Playable with Paper and Pencil and Minature figures"
I know, cuz' I read it on the front of the box, that I still have.
You guys seem to be getting hung up on the money thing. The real issue here is identification.
Identity theft is a problem, as we all know. This is just another way to counter-act that.
I use an RF ID tag to buy gas now. The Mobil Speedpass is very handy. But easily stolen.
Easily stolen like your credit card, credit card number, password, ssn... etc etc.....
Instead of injecting technology into the human body, why don't we just apply the human body to technology as a means of identification?
Biometrics
Anyone remember Gattica?
Piccolo site -
c o_piccolo.html
http://www.ikarus-modellbau.de/Ikarus/USA/index-e
To err is human....
Here's what you can get in the way of small flying machines today:
Ikarus Piccolo mini rc helicopter
280 grams (.6 lb), about 50cm long (20 in)
Some videos at dreamhobbies.com
Good fun.
Reminds me of sixdegrees.
The problem with these systems is that the only work if all your friends, and friend's friends are playing.
This will be successful when some service such as Yahoo or MSN provide the functionality to their already huge memberships.
Hook your tivo to your broadband. Much better.
Oh wait... broadband probably is a "land line" again...
The latest news on the Treo 600 can be found at the very active message base at
Treo|Central's forums. Click on the Treo600 family messagebase.
It's always a riot to watch the geeks yammer as new hardware is released. This one reminds me of Zaurus' release...
Cheers!
(Score:5, Cool)
Diminished community? What do you know?
Actually, there are many, many online players of NeverWinter Nights. The persistant worlds out there alone, have hundreds of players.
Check out the NWN Worlds links yourself.
Actually, at release, NWN left much to be desired in the module-building toolset. With a year under their belt, Bioware, and the players have come a LONG way in making NWN a fun game.
Maybe you better go check out what you call a "vastly diminished community".
In conjuction with this release, NeverWinter Nights is actually releaseing their first expansion as well!
Shadows of Undrentide
Because having the watch on a cable just didn't pass the consumer testing phase.
Such a simple design... surely it will breeze right through the UL and FCC approval processes...
Yoshi's box featured quiet electronics, sound proofing, and testing in Dolby Labs quiet room. His homebrew quiet computer registered 8 to 14dB. Humans start hearing things at 10dB! For reference, a typical PC creates 38dB.
Check out the link fro some practical ideas on how to make your PC quiet.
North of a Chicago there's a road called Half Day Road. Used to take a half a day to get there. A hundred years maybe? Takes an hour now.
In a recent broadband assessment for our area, as part of the Link Michigan project, they defined broadband as enough bandwidth as to not limit your application. That is, there's enough speed to do whatever you want.
So yesterday, perhaps 128K was broadband. It was enough. Today, cable modems at 256K+ download is enough. What about tomorrow?
Tomorrow (dare I say today?) we will see bandwidth serving multiple video streams, voice communication along with all the Internet-normal services. Can we do this in today's "broadband"? No.
"I have a broadband Internet connection" is saying the exact same thing as "I have a fast Internet connection".
It's all relative.
Close study of the Igniter shows that a key component is a Champion Y-8 Spark Plug?
This is Rocket Science, man!
Sweet! I hope it's clear out tonight... now... where's my baseball glove?
"Hey - What's your phone number?"
"Sorry, I can't tell you... that would be an invasion of my privacy. Didn't you read the HIPPA and FERPA laws?!?"
Sheesh...
consider an old-media domain name: the one your parents gave you.
Let me tell you - I feel very fortunate to have a unique last name. This is one of the reasons: My "old-media domain name" and "new-media domain name" match!
Very handy, when telling people your email address.
I never meet people with the same last name as me. The only ones I know are family. Whoo Hoo!
Hey - Yahoo's sneaky: Yahoo Domains reserves (says "taken") lastnamefirstname.com in their domain search. Must be because I have a yahoo account?
Ever try to make a laptop computer a bedside alarm clock?
;-)
Maybe the developers did...
Product design has got be the wackiest job....
This could prove to be somewhat of a fallback for Wi-Fi. Currently, the 2.4 GHz 802.11b and 802.11g standards seem to be doing very well. Much has been said about the 5 GHz 802.11a being a standard that would hold for the long run.
802.11a, at 5 GHz, is limited in coverage range. Throughput drops off sharply at the edge as well.
The resolution calls for almost doubling the 5 GHz bandwidth, while leaving 2.4 GHz the same. There is also no radio or antenna compatability between 2.4 and 5 GHz.
I can see this taking our beloved "Wi-Fi Metropolitan Area Networks" and turning them into Wi-Fi lans. Something the government would probably like.
Consarnd it!