EU acts to limit BPL interference

Good news for hams across Europe. The European Parliament now has a new law that may become the global turning point against radio frequency pollution from Broadband over Power Lines systems. With this major development here is Jim Linton, VK3PC.

Europe enters 2005 with some very positive news indeed that the European Union has amended its 1989 Electromagnetic Compatibility or EMC Directive.

Its new Directive includes protection against electromagnetic disturbance for both radio broadcast reception and the amateur radio service - clearly against the hopes of the BPL lobby. This is an important first step in the battle against BPL emission pollution in the radio spectrum.

The International Amateur Radio Union Region 1 EUROCOM Working Group, in its efforts, also gained a much broader definition of Electromagnetic Disturbance.

It was a long process for the Working Group that included meeting with and working through Members of the European Parliament to have amendments submitted to the European Parliament Committee on Industry, External Trade, Research and Energy.

Arguments put by the Working Group stressed the role of amateur radio including its safety and emergency communications and the human right to have access information including that provided through radio
broadcasts.

And of course the inherent protection for radio services from harmful or substantial interference provided by the International Telecommunications Union radio regulations.

The BPL lobby has been trying to have European, and other regulators, let them off the hook in relation to radio frequency interference caused by BPL systems.

Its tactic has been to try and categorise amateur radio and some other radio services as being "less important" and not that worthy of being protected against harmful interference generated by BPL systems.

There is no cause for satisfaction by BPL lobby in the new European EMC Directive that became be European Law on 20 January 2005 binding on the 25 member states of the European Union.

Congratulations to all involved with the IARU Region 1 EUROCOM Working Group - a job well done.

Jim Linton VK3PC, in Melbourne Australia.

While this is an important first step in the battle against BPL pollution in the radio spectrum, the war is far from over. The Pan-European law will not have any effect on the Broadband over Powerline technology rollout here in the USA where our FCC under White House pressure has given providers what amounts to a blank check to interfere almost as they please.

(Jim Linton VK3PC amateurradio.com.au Amateur Radio Victoria)

And more news on the BPL front. This from NewScientist.com which says that some technical fixes may be in the works to minimize interference to shortwave broadcasting brought on by the rollout of the technology.

New Scientist points to the British Broadcasting Company which is reportedly developing a BPL modem that makes use of the fact that the short-wave frequencies for broadcast radio change throughout the day, as ionospheric conditions dictate. The BBC modem reportedly will detect which frequency bands are in use by BPL at any one time and filters them out. Such technology is not part of any BPL system currently in trials.

Meantime Michael Copps, the one FCC commissioner who opposed BPL, believes the organisation has made a major mistake. Copps says that the FCC is going to have to work hard to monitor, investigate and take quick action over any power-line internet interference to radio amateurs and others.

You can read more on line at New Scientist

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