ARRLWeb: FCC Amateur Radio Enforcement Letters
Several power companies have received letters in this latest batch about power line noise interfering with amateur radio stations.
I suggest these power companies need to get BPL installed on their lines, after which the FCC will ignore any and all complaints of interference.
I find it ironic that the letters cite Section 15.5(c) requiring that the operator of the interfering device cease operation upon notification. Tell that to the Manassas hams who have been suffering from BPL interference for a year or more.
Of course, the trick is, "upon notification by a Commission representative". If it's BPL, they won't bother to go see if there's any interference; BPL gets an automatic pass.
(b) Operation of an intentional, unintentional, or incidental radiator is subject to the conditions that no harmful interference is caused and that interference must be accepted that may be caused by the operation of an authorized radio station, by another intentional or unintentional radiator, by industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) equipment, or by an incidental radiator.
(c) The operator of the radio frequency device shall be required to cease operating the device upon notification by a Commission representative that the device is causing harmful interference. Operation shall not resume until the condition causing the harmful interference has been corrected.
Yeah, right.
There were two contests this weekend I was interested in, the F.I.S.T.S. winter sprint, and the Louisiana QSO party.
But a major cold front moved into Texas this weekend, and I had no desire to sit out in my truck in the cold trying to work stations.
So maybe next time?
ARRLWeb: League Complains to FCC Regarding BPL Database Irregularities
The UTC has apparently terminated the ARRL's access to the BPL "database".
They tell you going in that too many attempts to access the "database" will result in you being banned.
All in the spirit of mutual cooperation, of course.
These are the guys who want to be the bandwidth provider of choice, remember.
And they can't even manage a simple database with what? one key. Zip code. And if you try to query it once too many times, they shut you off.
Real good indication of expected performance, guys.
ARRLWeb: League to FCC: Order an End to Arbitrary Access Limits to BPL Database
Will this finally get the FCC to get off its butt and act? Don't hold your breath. Complaints about the Manassas system have been sent to the FCC for two years, and they have taken no action whatsoever.
And those complaints involve actual interference to licensed operations. Why would misconduct over the operation of a web site cause more action than real, on-going interference?
Two years. No action. The Manassas operator behaves as though the FCC was the least of his worries in the world, as it apparently is.
Do your damn job, FCC. Or refund my taxes.