Broadband over Power line and its effect on

Broadband over Power line and its effect on emergency services Ron La. Pedis, CBCP, CISSP, ISSMP, ISSAP Radio Amateur Extra N 6 QGK When All Else Fails. . . Amateur Radio 9/17/2020

Attribution • The material in this presentation comes from USA and Canadian sources. However, BPL is being proposed with similar specifications in many countries. • Radio waves do not stop at city, state, provincial, nor country boundaries. 9/17/2020 Ron La. Pedis, N 6 QGK

Background • Hertz – Basic unit of frequency in cycles per second – Humans can hear frequencies from 20 -20, 000 Hertz • • MHz – 1 million Hertz High Frequency (HF) – 3 -30 MHz Very High Frequency (VHF) – 30 -300 MHz Ultra High Frequency (UHF) – 300 -3000 MHz • Wavelength (λ) – The distance between one peak of a wave and the next. • λ = c / f where c = 299792458 m/s (speed of light in a vacuum) 9/17/2020 Ron La. Pedis, N 6 QGK

Background • The lower the frequency, the longer the antenna needed to send and receive it • All things being equal, lower frequencies (longer wavelengths) travel longer distances but do not penetrate buildings as well as higher frequencies. • HF needs little infrastructure for extended distance communications • It is also easier to transmit lower frequencies at higher power 9/17/2020 Ron La. Pedis, N 6 QGK

Background • Radio amateurs talk about ‘frequency bands’ by wavelength, not by frequency, hence 20 meter band, 40 meter band so on. • F = (299792458 m/s)/20 m = 14. 9 MHz • Actual is 14. 0 -14. 35 MHz 9/17/2020 Ron La. Pedis, N 6 QGK

Background One cycle One λ One Second = 4 Hertz 9/17/2020 Ron La. Pedis, N 6 QGK

Background • Many public safety radios use VHF • Trunking radios use UHF (800 MHz) • California Highway Patrol uses HF (29 MHz) • Aeronautics/Marine use HF + VHF • ‘Shortwave radio’ uses HF • HF communication makes use of the most important property of the frequencies between 2 MHz and 30 MHz; the ability to establish and maintain communications over great distances without any intervening man made infrastructure. 9/17/2020 Ron La. Pedis, N 6 QGK

Background • Don’t power companies send data over power lines already? • Yes, Power Line Carrier (PLC) is used for command control but it is narrow-band low frequency (100 to 180 k. Hz) and low speed. • Current BPL is wide-band uses 2. 46 to 38 MHz. It offers 1 -3 m. Bits/sec to the end point. 9/17/2020 Ron La. Pedis, N 6 QGK

Broadband over Powerline diagram 9/17/2020 Ron La. Pedis, N 6 QGK

Broadband over Powerline interference paths 9/17/2020 Ron La. Pedis, N 6 QGK

BPL INTERFERENCE PATHS • Near field component • Less than 10 wavelength distance (~70 -1200 m) • Can only be reduced by shielding • Radiated component • More than 10 wavelength distance • Can be reduced by good transmission line technique (but power distribution lines are NOT good transmission lines). 9/17/2020 Ron La. Pedis, N 6 QGK

RADIATED FIELD 9/17/2020 Ron La. Pedis, N 6 QGK

HF/VHF Users 9/17/2020 Ron La. Pedis, N 6 QGK

HF Users 9/17/2020 Ron La. Pedis, N 6 QGK

Broadcast 9/17/2020 Ron La. Pedis, N 6 QGK

Aviation 9/17/2020 Ron La. Pedis, N 6 QGK

Amateur Radio Service 9/17/2020 Ron La. Pedis, N 6 QGK

Marine and Land Mobile 9/17/2020 Ron La. Pedis, N 6 QGK

FCC Notice of Inquiry • On April 28, 2003, the FCC released an NOI requesting comments and reply comments on primarily technical issues regarding BPL. The FCC sought information and data on the relevant technology. • In addition, the FCC sought comment on whether it should change the part 15 rules, 47 CFR § 15, to allow for the legal and feasible deployment of BPL. 9/17/2020 Ron La. Pedis, N 6 QGK

American Public Power Association • ‘Given the tremendous potential of BPL to provide an advanced technology that utilizes additional facilities based mechanisms for providing services the burden should be imposed on challengers to BPL to demonstrate interference in a fact based, empirical proof. ’ 9/17/2020 Ron La. Pedis, N 6 QGK

APPA (cont. ) • Further, to the extent that interference is demonstrated, there should be an attempt to accommodate BPL, even if it means that existing communications providers may have to share or transfer bandwidth. ' 9/17/2020 Ron La. Pedis, N 6 QGK

BPL Is Regulated by FCC Part 15 • Carrier-current must meet limits for intentional emitters • Non-interference stipulated in part 15 • Manufacturer responsible for FCC authorization and maximum limits • Operator responsible for harmful interference • Both are important to mitigate possible harmful interference 9/17/2020 Ron La. Pedis, N 6 QGK

Harmful Interference • Defined as the repeated disruption of radio communications or any disruption of certain emergency communications services • From broadband device (BPL) will interfere with entire band(s)! • Will occur for entire length of line in areas where access BPL is deployed! 9/17/2020 Ron La. Pedis, N 6 QGK

Potential Spectrum Loss 9/17/2020 Ron La. Pedis, N 6 QGK

9/17/2020 Ron La. Pedis, N 6 QGK

BPL Could Interfere With: • Emergency management • National Guard • US Coast Guard • U. S. Military • Fire Departments • Law Enforcement 9/17/2020 • • CAP FAA FEMA NASA Voice of America TV stations Low Power FM Broadcast Stations Ron La. Pedis, N 6 QGK

BPL Could Also Interfere With: • • • Radio astronomy Amateur Radio services Disaster communication networks Land, fixed, mobile services Military Affiliate Radio Systems (Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force) • Citizens band 9/17/2020 Ron La. Pedis, N 6 QGK

A power line and an antenna 9/17/2020 Ron La. Pedis, N 6 QGK

Worldwide Problem • BPL was extensively studied in Japan and rejected • Trials continue in Europe • Multiple interference complaints have been documented 9/17/2020 Ron La. Pedis, N 6 QGK

Organizations Voicing Concern About BPL Interference • US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) • US National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) • National short-wave listener associations • Short-wave broadcasters • Electronic-equipment manufacturers • GE Medical • Aeronautical 9/17/2020 Ron La. Pedis, N 6 QGK

The Consumer • Consumers probably will not be aware of the documented interference potential • Early subscribers may be subjected to needless system problems due to the deployment of technology that has yet to be properly tested • Hams and emergency communications at risk 9/17/2020 Ron La. Pedis, N 6 QGK

National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Comment “Notwithstanding BPL’S Potential Benefits, The Commission Must Ensure That Other Communications Services, Especially Federal Government Operations, Are Adequately Protected From Unacceptable Interference. ” 9/17/2020

NTIA’s Latest Filings • • Rejects the idea of BPL ID Excludes some freqs for aeronautics Coastal station exclusion zones Coordination areas around National Radio Quiet Zones • No other protections are mentioned! 9/17/2020 Ron La. Pedis, N 6 QGK

Canadian Magazine TCA 9/17/2020 Ron La. Pedis, N 6 QGK

BPL Interference compared to other Broadband access technologies • DSL: Tightly-coupled differential transmission line minimizes radiation. • Coax: Fully shielded transmission line minimizes radiation, • Fiber: Completely optical, ZERO radiation • Wireless: Uses dedicated microwave frequencies not shared with other licensed services—interference minimal 9/17/2020 Ron La. Pedis, N 6 QGK

Future of BPL • Limited bandwidth, further constrained by chopping out slices due to interference • The spectrum is what it is, can’t grow more spectrum. Power lines will not sustain microwave transmission, so BPL has finite, limited BW • Cable, wireless and particularly fiber have far greater bandwidth growth opportunity, without interference to other licensed services. • Interference both IN and OUT will lead to a lot of unpredictable service calls 9/17/2020 Ron La. Pedis, N 6 QGK

How you Can Help • If you are a radio amateur • Join your country’s radio society if you are not currently a member • If you are a public safety official • Make contact with your national disaster management and radio licensing commissions 9/17/2020 Ron La. Pedis, N 6 QGK

Radio Amateurs (hams) help recovery efforts • • 9/11 Hurricanes Tsunamis Earthquakes Chemical leaks Train derailments Blackouts 9/17/2020 Ron La. Pedis, N 6 QGK

How hard is it to get a ham license? 9/17/2020 Ron La. Pedis, N 6 QGK

What can hams do? • Communications relating to • Health and Welfare • Property • We cannot communicate about anything relating to business 9/17/2020 Ron La. Pedis, N 6 QGK

What can hams do? • Business • Turn your security radios over to the business and fill in with amateurs • Public safety • • 9/17/2020 Augment your communications with amateurs Many PS systems are not interoperable Infrastructure could be down Hospitals, shelters, other deployments Ron La. Pedis, N 6 QGK

More Information • http: //www. arrl. org/tis/info/HTML/plc/ • http: //www. rac. ca/regulatory/plc. htm • http: //www. arrl. org/tis/info/part 15. html 9/17/2020 Ron La. Pedis, N 6 QGK

Video Ed Hare is the Lab Manager for the ARRL. Ed drove to BPL trial areas in New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland Virginia to document possible interference from BPL. This video is available on the ARRL web site. 9/17/2020 Ron La. Pedis, N 6 QGK

9/17/2020 Ron La. Pedis, N 6 QGK