BROADBAND OVER POWER LINES GOOD FOR THE CONSUMER BAD NEWS FOR EMERGENCY RESPONDERS RADIO SYSTEMS

 

BROADBAND OVER POWER LINES

GOOD FOR THE CONSUMER

BAD NEWS FOR EMERGENCY RESPONDERS

RADIO SYSTEMS

 

By Nick Markowitz Jr.

Fire Investigator

 

If the various federal agencies permit its use you may soon be able to receive Internet services by simply plugging your computer into a power outlet.

Power company's will be able to use a technology known as PLC or Power Line carrier technology using radio type waves over power lines to provide internet to anywhere there is power eliminating the need for high speed phone lines, fiber optics, satellite dishes etc. Individuals like my self who sit too far back from the phone company Central office for DSL will finally be able to get affordable Internet access without the hassle. . But there are some potentially serious and deadly drawbacks. PLC has been around for decades it is used most commonly in the plug in intercom units you can by at Radio Shack and similar electronic retailers And you will find it used with Home Automation systems in the form of the X-10 relays and switches that turn on lights and appliances etc.

It works fine in these low power limited applications but to use PLC technology for BPL over power lines the radio signal must be significantly increased. This is were the problems can begin.

Do you like to listen to Short-wave Radio you may no longer be able to in congested urban areas because of the noise that can be emitted by BPL when power lines are not properly maintained an become leaky with eddy currents and corona effect. This goes for Amateur (HAM) radio operators there HF bands of 10-120 meters will be unusable in most cases. This also goes for Civil Air Patrol radio bands and M.A.R.S.  Military amateur radio service as well as VLF very low frequencies below 60 cycles which are used to keep contact with our navy submarines even your fire Dept could be effected if you still use the old low band 33.000 to 42.000 you may receive significant interference to your radio equipment.  Even UHF and VHF bands can be affected depending on the noise generated by faulty electrical connections. This is why FEMA is putting up major resistance to enacting BPL because they  use low band and HF frequencies for long range communications and they fear this vital back up emergency communications service will be disrupted. The FCC, ICC and other federal agencies must be told to put a stop to allowing BPL or vastly restrict its use or many nightmare scenarios could well be played out from the electronic interference that BPL can produce.