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What's wrong with the FCC?

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ShawnLG

Fri Mar 24 2006, 03:48AM

Registered Member #286 Joined: Mon Mar 06 2006, 04:52AM
Location:
Posts: 399

I have been getting minor interference throughout the shortwave band. So I googled the problem and found this. The FCC allowed the use of BPL (broadband over power lines). Watching these videos are very disturbing. The FCC exist to prevent unwanted interferance with radio servicies, but they allow this happen. If the FCC is allowing this, what good are they? We should do away with the FCC and save a few tax dollars.

Dave Marshall

Fri Mar 24 2006, 04:53AM

Registered Member #16 Joined: Thu Feb 02 2006, 02:22PM
Location: New Wilmington, PA
Posts: 554

The FCC has been unabashed in its outward support for BPL, damn the consequences. The manufacturers and service providers claim that there is no threat of interference (sure, you can pump RF into miles long unshielded conductors. They dont call it a dipole or anything like that), and the FCC seems quite content to believe them, despite complaints lodged by dozens of radio operators, and even FEMA. How it will play out, I dont know. I suspect it will end up being pushed through by the powers that be, and it will just be one more tick mark against an ineffective and outdated beaurocratic organization.

Dave

...

Fri Mar 24 2006, 05:00AM

Registered Member #56 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 05:02AM
Location: Southern Califorina, USA
Posts: 2445

I don't really know too much about hams (not being one myself) but I can say this...

The fcc does a very good job considering the amount of devices it has to deal with. It has managed to set a up a system where everything gets it own range, and for the most part it works. Eventually there will be flukes, but they are pretty dang rare (the only two that come to mind are microwaves interfering with out 2.4ghz band and the bpl with the shortwave).

Consider what would happen if they did not exist and people could do whatever they wanted? The whole rf part of the em spectrum would be filled with random people's equipment, and you wouldn't be able to get anyone to shut down the local retard that bought a big shortwave transmitter and is screwing with you... And the other one who decided to build a huge wifi booster that is emitting so much trash that all 2.4ghz appliances are blocked...

Not that I like the fcc

Bored Chemist

Fri Mar 24 2006, 06:53AM

Registered Member #193 Joined: Fri Feb 17 2006, 07:04AM
Location: sheffield
Posts: 1022

Sue the BPL ISP.

Carbon_Rod

Fri Mar 24 2006, 06:59AM

Registered Member #65 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 06:43AM
Location:
Posts: 1155

They became a corporate stick to enforce economic barriers.

Even the remaining GHz bands may be ripped from the hobbyists and auctioned off soon.

The funny part is after recent natural disasters many of the dead CB channels came back to life â€“ and I thought everyone bought cell phones. =]

Steve Conner

Fri Mar 24 2006, 11:29AM

Registered Member #30 Joined: Fri Feb 03 2006, 10:52AM
Location: Glasgow, Scotland
Posts: 6706

BPL is right up there in the cleverness stakes with chocolate teapots and Teflon toilet paper. Hams in the UK fought bitterly against it when it was first proposed about 10 years ago, and for the time being, we have won

The UK is pretty much fully wired for ordinary DSL now, apart from some remote areas, but as far as I know , the preferred way to get internet to these places is with a community satellite uplink that gets distributed by wi-fi. The cost of the satellite gear would make you faint, but the government gives grants for that sort of thing, to try and get e-businesses to set up out in the sticks and boost the rural economy. I live in a major city so I get 2Mb DSL no problem.

Having said that, I still suffer pretty badly from QRM on the HF bands caused by my neighbours' computers, TV sets and such like. At first I thought it was the switched mode power supply that I used to power my HF rig, but even when I filtered the hell out of it, and then turned it off altogether and ran from an old fashioned linear supply, much of the mush and birdies was still there. The weirdest thing is, I actually have a neon sign in my living room, but it doesn't make any difference to the noise level on HF when I turn it on :-o

Ben

Sat Mar 25 2006, 06:25AM

Vigilatny
Registered Member #17 Joined: Thu Feb 02 2006, 02:47PM
Location: NL
Posts: 158

I'm about to switch from 3 mb dsl to 10 mb fiber, for $5 more a month. Hopefully they'll just start using all the dark fiber instead of BPL.

Chris Russell

Mon Mar 27 2006, 02:42AM

... not Russel!
Registered Member #1 Joined: Thu Jan 26 2006, 12:18AM
Location: Tempe, Arizona
Posts: 1052

I have to agree with ..., they have done a pretty good job of minimizing interference, and making sure all these different devices play well together.

However, why they would turn around and allow a system that will pretty much spell the end of SWL and HF Ham radio, I'll never know. What's the point of carefully regulating the airwaves for decades, only to destroy them practically overnight? I guess they're too busy protecting people from breasts on television to care about the people whose services always prove vital during times of disaster. Do we need an FCC? Yes. Does the FCC currently need a huge overhaul? Yes.

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