subcommittee of an International Telecommunication Union (ITU) panel of technical experts responsible for terrestrial broadcasting issues has joined a growing chorus of concern about the interference potential of power line telecommunication (PLT)--better known in the US as Broadband over Power Line (BPL). ITU Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R) Sub Working Group (SWG) 6E1 expressed the view that interference produced by systems employing PLT as well as by Industrial, Scientific and Medical (ISM) equipment and short-range devices, would compromise broadcast reception.

"SWG 6E1 is of the opinion that any increase in the amount of noise due to these systems is unacceptable," said a statement from the group's chairman to the chairman of Working Party 6E (WP 6E). "In particular, broadcast services should be protected from unwanted emissions from PLT systems," the panel asserted, "as these emissions are a byproduct of a system that is not itself a user of the radio spectrum."

WP 6E says it will continue to study the effects of PLT/BPL, ISM equipment and short-range devices on terrestrial broadcasting and send the results to ITU-R Working Party 1A, which is responsible for spectrum engineering techniques.

ARRL Chief Executive Officer David Sumner, K1ZZ, expressed strong support and appreciation for the SWG's conclusions and the ongoing efforts of parent Working Party 6E to study the issue. "If BPL is a problem for broadcasters," Sumner said, "it's easy to see that it would be a disaster for us."

- from  The ARRL Letter,
October 10, 2003. 

spionage through the ages will be the subject of the program to be presented by Dick Bass, W7SMR, at the October general meeting.  The meeting starts at 7:30 p.m., Friday, October 17, in the auditorium on the lower level of  One Liberty Center, 650 N.E. Holladay Street, Portland, Oregon.  Please enter at the south side of the building.  Refreshments will be served.

The VE test session will take place at 6:30 p.m. in the conference room on the lower level.  Please contact n7xb@arrl.net or w7lt@arrl.net or call 503-257-7320 to assure a spot.

his is actually aimed at other organizations who would like to publicize their events with us.  All too often, we get releases about upcoming events that happen too soon after receipt, and we have to leave them out.

PARC currently meets on the 3rd Friday of the month.  Copy is turned over for printing no later than 10 days before that, and we strive to get it out earlier.  If you have an event coming up in the first half of a given month (or starts in the first half of that month, as in license classes), we need to insert that information in the previous month's issue for it to be timely.  It makes no sense to announce a class beginning on the 6th of the month, 2 or 3 weeks ahead of time, because we won't be out much before the 10th or 12th.

We publish a copy deadline of the last Friday of each month and endeavor to enforce it.  This is not only to comply with the tighter regulation for a 501.c.3 organization, but to ensure timeliness of the information contained.  Please, if you have something to publicize, get that information to us ahead of the deadline that applies to the time of month of your event.

-W7LT