Broadband over Power Line Testing

[Frank Gentges KØBRA]

Hi,

Greetings from the members of AMRAD.

AMRAD, a technically oriented amateur radio club, is interested in 
observing the new technology known as Broadband over Power Line (BPL) under 
field operating conditions.  This technology has the potential for 
providing a means for high speed Internet connections to many homes not now 
served with any wideband connection.  The FCC has issued a Notice of 
Inquiry on BPL with comments due on 7 July, 2003.

ARRL is especially interested in this technology and it potential impact on 
amateur radio.  They have put together a lot of good information at 
<http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/HTML/plc/>.

The City of Manassas is a test site for this technology.  Other than broad, 
sweeping statements on the technology, proprietary secrets seem to limit 
the availability of detailed information on these tests.  We do know that 
the City of Manassas has an experimental FCC license to operate in the 
range of 1.7 to 30 MHz which includes all the amateur HF bands.

We are interested in knowing if any hams in Manassas are involved in the 
tests or know of someone who is.  We would like to know how well the system 
works and what interference, if any, has been experienced from the 
system.  We need to know where in the city the testing is being done.  We 
have some test equipment that we can use to observe and characterize any 
such interference.  This information will be shared with the ARRL and will 
help in the preparation of a response from the amateur community to the FCC 
Notice of Inquiry.

Obviously, time is very short.  Please provide any information along these 
lines to:

Frank Gentges, K0BRA  email fgentges at mindspring.com

We enjoyed the OVH hamfest at the Manassas Fairgrounds earlier this 
month.  Thanks for the work and effort your club puts into this.

73,

Frank

Frank Gentges KØBRA
<fgentges at mindspring.com>
LF web site at <http://www.amrad.org/projects/lf>