Cisco, NetGear, D-Link, etc. are in the in-premise BPL business. They aren't driectly involved in the access BPL arena, but they clearly do have at least a passing interest. Cisco people serve on a few of the IEEE Working Groups developing industry standards for BPL.
Ed Hare, W1RFI@arrl.org
The FCC has limits to human exposure to RF energy, but broadband over power line that operates at the FCC limits of 30 uV/m at 30 meters distance cannot, under any circumstances, exceed those RF safety standards. On 30-300 MHz, the part of the spectrum with the most stringent exposure limits, the exposure level is at about 27.5 volts/meter -- a level about 120 dB higher than the levels permitted by Part 15 to unlicensed emitters such as BPL. Expressed in power, the BPL systems are permitted to operate at a level that is 1/1,000,000,000,000 of the FCC's exposure standards.
The risk to broadband over power lines is that the levels are strong enough to cause harmful interfernce. As a secondary issue, at least one system has been demonstrated to be susceptible to interference from amateur radio and presumably other HF operation. The RF levels of BPL systems are, however, nowhere near the levels that could exceed the RF-exposure limits.
Ed Hare, W1RFI@arrl.org
Anonymous Coward writes, "I've seen enough paramilitary, survival-type hams that are just waiting for an occasion to demonstrate their importance, and the ARRL is supporting them by marketing things like neon colored vests with the word "radio operator" or jackets with an ARES logo on it. "
ARRL is supporting them with information about emergency communications protocols and procedures. The League offers a variety of on-line courses (at some real bargain prices, as these things go) and the first developed were the emergency communications courses.
Are you saying that you believe that hams actually communicating in emergencies, the value of amateur radio as practical experience for electronics technicians and engineers and the innovations of amateur radio are no more than "obvious attempt to justify amateur radio" or do you think those things really happen?
Those that would like a glimpse of the technical side of amateur radio can download about half of the technical articles found at:
http://www.arrl.org/~ehare/TISarticles.html.
73,
Ed Hare, W1RFI
Actually, other than HF and 50-MHz amplifiers, commercially made Part 97 equipment does not have to be Certificated. Hams are licensed to design and build their own equipment, if they wish.
Right now, there are no specific limits on Part 97 spurious emissions, just a requirement to use good engineering practice and a provision that if spurious emissions cause harmful interference, the amateur must correct any station problems. Although that wouldn't apply to a Part 15 operation, the HSMM group is paying close attention to filtering and amplifier linearity.
> But, no, instead what I see here is the ham
> radio organizations trying (hopelessly, I might
> add) to kill or restrict one of the best things
> to happen to public communications since
> Marconi flew a kite.
ARRL is not trying to kill or restrict the best thing to happen since Marconi, it is trying to use the 802.11b technology within amateur radio.
Although I am sure that amateurs will make some progress with pushing the state of the art, the concept that the 802.11b standard could have been developed by a handful of experimenters is ludicrous. It took an industry millions and millions of dollars to make it happen.
802.11 is really not even very good spread spectrum. One of the future goals of the HSMM group is to develop ways that amateurs can experiment with non-standard spread spectrum and possibly make some real improvements along the way.
Please don't feel that these amateurs see the Part 15 users as the enemy, because they don't. Some are even professionals in the field. Just as there is overlap in our spectrum, there is also a natural separation, and the goals and intent of unlicensed operation are not necessarily the same as Part 97.
Those that want to build a network so that anyone in their community can access xxx.com should do so under Part 97. Those that want to experiment with protocols and equipment and antennas and amplification should do so under Part 97, with the clear understanding that the result can only be used by licensed amateurs and the prohibition against business use and the content of xxx.com are clearly spelled out in Part 97.
I expect that, just as is happening now, no small number of the Part 15 users will continue to be hams, and those who want to do more experimentation than allowed under Part 15 will become licensed under Part 97. The HSMM group is sure hoping that the latter happens.
Those who are interested in amateur radio and its potential can vistit the ARRL Web site at http://www.arrl.org.
73,
Ed Hare, W1RFI
ARRL Lab
> I think its clear which of part 15 or part 97 users I would relocate.
I am not sure it is clear at all that either service will be required to relocate. The HSMM project does not seek to relocate Part 15 operation at all. It can continue its operation as a secondary user as defined by Part 15.
Frankly, the choice of 2400-2483.5 MHz for unlicensed operation was not an ideal one. That spectrum is also allocated to Industrial, Scientific and Medical devices and no user, Part 97 or Part 15, has any protection from ISM devices. If that microwave oven creams a Part 97 spread spectrum signal, there is no recourse.
If the Part 15 operation is to continue to grow, it needs spectrum not hampered by ISM. ISM gotta' go somewhere and it serves a valid purpose, so spectrum needs to be found elsewhere.
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Cisco, NetGear, D-Link, etc. are in the in-premise BPL business. They aren't driectly involved in the access BPL arena, but they clearly do have at least a passing interest. Cisco people serve on a few of the IEEE Working Groups developing industry standards for BPL. Ed Hare, W1RFI@arrl.org
The FCC has limits to human exposure to RF energy, but broadband over power line that operates at the FCC limits of 30 uV/m at 30 meters distance cannot, under any circumstances, exceed those RF safety standards. On 30-300 MHz, the part of the spectrum with the most stringent exposure limits, the exposure level is at about 27.5 volts/meter -- a level about 120 dB higher than the levels permitted by Part 15 to unlicensed emitters such as BPL. Expressed in power, the BPL systems are permitted to operate at a level that is 1/1,000,000,000,000 of the FCC's exposure standards. The risk to broadband over power lines is that the levels are strong enough to cause harmful interfernce. As a secondary issue, at least one system has been demonstrated to be susceptible to interference from amateur radio and presumably other HF operation. The RF levels of BPL systems are, however, nowhere near the levels that could exceed the RF-exposure limits. Ed Hare, W1RFI@arrl.org
Anonymous Coward writes, "I've seen enough paramilitary, survival-type hams that are just waiting for an occasion to demonstrate their importance, and the ARRL is supporting them by marketing things like neon colored vests with the word "radio operator" or jackets with an ARES logo on it. "
ARRL is supporting them with information about emergency communications protocols and procedures. The League offers a variety of on-line courses (at some real bargain prices, as these things go) and the first developed were the emergency communications courses.
The courses and contents are describe at:
http://www.arrl.org/cce/
A tad more than jackets...
73,
Ed Hare, W1RFI
Are you saying that you believe that hams actually communicating in emergencies, the value of amateur radio as practical experience for electronics technicians and engineers and the innovations of amateur radio are no more than "obvious attempt to justify amateur radio" or do you think those things really happen? Those that would like a glimpse of the technical side of amateur radio can download about half of the technical articles found at: http://www.arrl.org/~ehare/TISarticles.html. 73, Ed Hare, W1RFI
Hi, Ron,
Actually, other than HF and 50-MHz amplifiers, commercially made Part 97 equipment does not have to be Certificated. Hams are licensed to design and build their own equipment, if they wish.
Right now, there are no specific limits on Part 97 spurious emissions, just a requirement to use good engineering practice and a provision that if spurious emissions cause harmful interference, the amateur must correct any station problems. Although that wouldn't apply to a Part 15 operation, the HSMM group is paying close attention to filtering and amplifier linearity.
73,
Ed Hare, W1RFI
ARRL Lab
> But, no, instead what I see here is the ham > radio organizations trying (hopelessly, I might > add) to kill or restrict one of the best things > to happen to public communications since > Marconi flew a kite. ARRL is not trying to kill or restrict the best thing to happen since Marconi, it is trying to use the 802.11b technology within amateur radio. Although I am sure that amateurs will make some progress with pushing the state of the art, the concept that the 802.11b standard could have been developed by a handful of experimenters is ludicrous. It took an industry millions and millions of dollars to make it happen. 802.11 is really not even very good spread spectrum. One of the future goals of the HSMM group is to develop ways that amateurs can experiment with non-standard spread spectrum and possibly make some real improvements along the way. Please don't feel that these amateurs see the Part 15 users as the enemy, because they don't. Some are even professionals in the field. Just as there is overlap in our spectrum, there is also a natural separation, and the goals and intent of unlicensed operation are not necessarily the same as Part 97. Those that want to build a network so that anyone in their community can access xxx.com should do so under Part 97. Those that want to experiment with protocols and equipment and antennas and amplification should do so under Part 97, with the clear understanding that the result can only be used by licensed amateurs and the prohibition against business use and the content of xxx.com are clearly spelled out in Part 97. I expect that, just as is happening now, no small number of the Part 15 users will continue to be hams, and those who want to do more experimentation than allowed under Part 15 will become licensed under Part 97. The HSMM group is sure hoping that the latter happens. Those who are interested in amateur radio and its potential can vistit the ARRL Web site at http://www.arrl.org. 73, Ed Hare, W1RFI ARRL Lab
> I think its clear which of part 15 or part 97 users I would relocate.
I am not sure it is clear at all that either service will be required to relocate. The HSMM project does not seek to relocate Part 15 operation at all. It can continue its operation as a secondary user as defined by Part 15.
Frankly, the choice of 2400-2483.5 MHz for unlicensed operation was not an ideal one. That spectrum is also allocated to Industrial, Scientific and Medical devices and no user, Part 97 or Part 15, has any protection from ISM devices. If that microwave oven creams a Part 97 spread spectrum signal, there is no recourse.
If the Part 15 operation is to continue to grow, it needs spectrum not hampered by ISM. ISM gotta' go somewhere and it serves a valid purpose, so spectrum needs to be found elsewhere.
73,
Ed Hare, W1RFI
ARRL Lab