ARRL seeks BPL field trial shutdown

The ARRL has asked the FCC to immediately shut down a broadband over power line (BPL) field trial in the Cottonwood, Arizona, area because it's causing "severe interference" to Amateur Radio communication.

Electric Broadband LLC and utility APS have been operating the BPL experiment at two Yavapai County sites since June under a Special Temporary Authorization (STA) the FCC granted Electric Broadband in March. Michael Kinney, KU7W, filed the first Amateur Radio complaint in June. It cited testing by the Verde Valley Amateur Radio Association (VVARA) in the 1.8-30 MHz range to show that BPL interference made attempts at ham radio communication useless.

"The interference on typical Amateur Radio equipment shows received undesired signal levels in excess of 60 dB over S9 on the receiver's signal strength meter," ARRL General Counsel Chris Imlay, W3KD, told FCC officials on the League's behalf. "The utility and Electric Broadband were contacted, and no response was received." The ARRL asserted that both companies are aware that the BPL field trial has been causing harmful interference and "neither has taken any steps to either resolve it or terminate the test."

The League said VVARA and ARRL testing indicates "extremely high" levels of radiated RF energy on amateur HF allocations--well in excess of the FCC Part 15 levels with which Electric Broadband told the FCC it would comply.
VVARA testing revealed "actual harmful interference" from the BPL system to mobile stations in the vicinity and to a fixed station.

The League's shutdown request went out August 16 to FCC Enforcement Bureau Chief David Solomon and Deputy Office of Engineering and Technology Chief Bruce Franca.

ARRL called on the FCC to instruct Electric Broadband and APS to shut down the BPL trial immediately and not resume operation until it can demonstrate that all interference issues have been resolved. It also insisted that the FCC immediately revoke any STAs granted for the Cottonwood or nearby operations, and that it institute forfeiture
proceedings against the two companies for knowingly causing harmful interference.

VVARA submitted a lengthy and comprehensive report to the two companies and to the Commission in late July detailing the interference issues. The club took baseline measurements in January, before the BPL trial began, and it's continued taking measurements since the system's startup. ARRL Lab Manager Ed Hare, W1RFI, conducted independent tests of the Cottonwood BPL system in July, and the League attached a summary of his findings to its letter.

The VVARA and ARRL measurements, the League said, indicate widespread interference to Amateur Radio communication in an area within a mile of the BPL field trial, and radiated emissions from BPL modems at levels "several orders of magnitude higher" than the FCC Part 15 limits. One ARRL measurement cited was more than 32 dB higher than Part 15 allows. The League further accused Electric Broadband of misrepresenting facts to the Commission by saying it would comply with §15.109 of the FCC's rules.

The ARRL said continued operation of the system while violating the conditions under which the STA was granted constitutes "willful and repeated interference," and both the utility and the BPL provider should be subject to fines as a result.

"ARRL requests that this test station be shut down immediately and that the appropriate monetary forfeitures be imposed against both Electric Broadband and APS," the League concluded.

Source: ARRL Letter - courtesy of The American Radio Relay League

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