Broadband over Power Line ARRL Statement

Paul L Rinaldo

Chief Technology Officer

American Radio Relay League

Tel: 703 934 2077, Fax: 703 934 2079

E-mail: prinaldo@arrl.org

July 20, 2004 ARRL-IEEE 2

Who is ARRL?

• Represents 160,000 members, licensed amateur radio operators mostly in USA

• ARRL is a member society of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) which represents 2.6 M amateur radio operators

• ARRL, IARU active in ITU-R SG 1 studies.

July 20, 2004 ARRL-IEEE 3

ARRL on Broadband

• ARRL endorses “universal, affordable access to broadband technology.”

• BPL has the potential of interfering with radio services, particularly amateur radio

• Interference has occurred, complaints filed with FCC, have resulted in shut down of systems (e.g. Cedar Rapids, IA)

July 20, 2004 ARRL-IEEE 4

FCC ET Docket No. 04-37

• On Feb 23, FCC released Notice of Proposed Rule Making on BPL.

• NPRM would permit BPL at Part 15 emission levels for intended emitters, e.g., 30 μV/m measured at 30 m distance. Proposes inadequate mitigation procedures.

July 20, 2004 ARRL-IEEE 5

NTIA Report 04-413

• NTIA report of April 27 addresses potential interference to federal assignments

• For low/moderate signals (which describes amateur radio), interference extends to:– 75 m to land vehicles, 100 m to boats– 460 m to fixed stations– Aircraft 6 km altitude within 40 km of center of

a BPL area.• ARRL tests are consistent with NTIA’s.

July 20, 2004 ARRL-IEEE 6

NTIA Lists Protected Frequencies

2173.5-2190.5 kHz

2495-2505

2850-3026

3400-3500

4125-4128

4177.25-4177.75

4207.25-4207.75

4650-4700

4995-5005

5450-5683

6215-6218

6267.75-6268.25

6311.75-6312.25 kHz

6525-6685

8291-8294

8361-8367

8376.25-8386.75

8414.25-8414.75

8815-8965

9995-10100

11275-11400

12290-12293

12519.75-12520.25

12576.75-12577.25

13260-13410 kHz

14990-15010

16420-16423

16694.75-16695.25

16804.25-16804.75

17900-17970

19990-20010

21924-22000

25500-25670

37.5-38.25 MHz

73-74.6

74.8-75.2

July 20, 2004 ARRL-IEEE 7

ARRL Comments

• FCC’s mitigation provisions are insufficient

• BPL signals raised noise level >20 dB over ambient– Notching helps but insufficient

• Separate tests showed that amateur radio signals will disrupt BPL.

July 20, 2004 ARRL-IEEE 8

ARRL: 0 dBµV/m at 10 m Acceptable

Frequency (MHz)

Our requirement

July 20, 2004 ARRL-IEEE 9

Amateur Bands Needing Protection

1800-2000 kHz

3500-4000

5330-5407

7000-7300

10100-10150

14000-14350

18068-18168

21000-21450

24890-24990

28000-29700

50-54 MHz

• First responders use the band: 30-50 MHz

• CB, in residences and vehicles use the band: 26960-27230 kHz

• Broadcast listeners would receive interference as they are also in residential areas.5950-6200 kHz 13600-13800 25670-26100

7300-7350 15100-15600 54-72 MHz (TV)

9500-9900 17550-17900 76-88 (TV)

11650-12050 21450-21850

• Add the NTIA list of protected frequencies and there is not much spectrum at 1.8-80 MHz left for BPL.

July 20, 2004 ARRL-IEEE 10

ITU Radio Regulations

• 4.11 Member States recognize that among frequencies which have long-distance propagation characteristics, those in the bands between 5 and 30 MHz are particularly useful for long-distance communications; they agree to make every possible effort to reserve these bands for such communications…

• 15.12 Administrations shall take all practicable and necessary steps to ensure that the operation of electrical apparatus or installations of any kind, including power and telecommunication distribution networks, but excluding ISM, does not cause harmful interference to a radiocommunication service…

July 20, 2004 ARRL-IEEE 11

Conclusion

• Unless BPL emissions reduced to 0 dBµV/m at 10 m, amateur radio would receive harmful interference.