PLT PowerLine Adapter interference to military frequencies

Nige, G7CNF has produced a video showing the effects of Power Line Adaptors (PLA) on key frequencies used by the Military.

On YouTube Nige writes:

This is the military 60m band which they kindly share with a small number of amateurs with a special permit.

On 27 September 2010 the ITU issued a Recommendation (more authority than a report) which sets the maximum permissible level for PLT interference. That level is exceeded in my video, NOT by the loud screeching you hear - it is exceeded in the part of the video when I state the PLT is turned OFF! Listen hard and you will hear it.

Powerline networking (PLA, PLT, PLC, BPL) was recognised by Ofcom's predecessors as certain to cause unacceptable degradation to radio reception. Ofcom however are encouraging it thanks to BIS and the UK government's attachment to Digital Britain. As a result, every day hundreds of thousands of breeches of the Essential Requirements take place because they failed to undertake their Statutory Duty to effectively manage the spectrum and prevent interference to authorised services, which the UK government are required to do by international Treaty.

Powerline networking has been given many acronyms. PLT (PowerLine Telecommunications), PLA (- Adapter), PLN (- Networking), PLC (- Carrier), BPL (Broadband over -). It is the technology which encodes data into many hundreds or thousands of individual radio signals spread across a swathe of spectrum (Spread-spectrum). Originally used by power companies for remote monitoring and switching at very low frequencies and data rates, in the late 90's it was redeveloped as an alternative to broadband access via the power company network. Trials occurred in the UK in the 0'ties and were abandoned due to the irresolvable chronic radio interference.

At the time of the trials the researchers turned their minds to delivering a solution inside the home or office for local transport and PLAs were born. Initially at 14Mbit, the technology evolved to 50, 85, 200 and most recently, gigabit. All of the solutions have one thing in common, they pollute the radio spectrum. Up to 200Mbit pollutes HF (shortwave) whilst gigabit in addition to HF also radiates into VHF.

Currently the GIGLE chipset GGL541 operates from 2.5 - 30 MHz and 50 MHz to 300 MHz and interference has been observed to commercial broadcast FM (sometimes called VHF stereo) and also DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting), with videos by myself and others showing the effects. Also affected are Radio Amateurs who's bands are supposed to be protected by international treaty (United Nations).

My own life was made hell by BT Vision Comtrend adapters which ruined my hobby for 18 months and deeply affected my quality of life. Many non-technically astute people are being affected but do not realise.

Although Ofcom eventually sorted out most of the problem, some PLT interference remains. I failed to take a recording of the shortwave interference at the time but did note the levels. I have since obtained some PLAs for testing and have reproduced exactly, the levels I experience in the following video:

The most likely people to be affected are migrant workers who do not have internet and rely on shortwave broadcast to hear news from home.

There are millions of shortwave listeners worldwide who have no representation and no voice. Please help put a stop to PLT, report it to your authorities. In Europe, broadcast and amateur radio are protected by the EMC Directive 2004/108/EC in addition to the UN ITU Radio Regulations.

Watch - PLT PowerLine Adapter Interference to Military Frequencies

UKQRM is a group fighting the interference PLT causes to peoples' enjoyment of radio
http://www.ukqrm.org/

UKQRM Yahoo Group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UKQRM/

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