Dear shortwave radio user. This is an update from UKQRM the group trying to fight back against Power Line Technologies that are wiping out the radio spectrum. These devices (PLT) are used within a household to set up computer networks using the mains power cables of that house. If you want an example you need only go to our video page http://www.mikeandsniffy.co.uk/UKQRM/videos.htm
Probably the main offender here is the Comtrend Power Line Ethernet adaptors supplied as part of BT's Vision package. But there are many other types that have nearly the same potential to destroy our hobbies and way of life. The interference extends up to 500 yards around the house using the devices! The cumulative effect of many hundreds of these devices is so bad that NATO has even raised concerns! Check our news page for more on that http://www.mikeandsniffy.co.uk/UKQRM/newspage.htm Towards the end of 2008 several of our members submitted sample PLT devices (Comtrend, Solwise, Advent) to accredited EMC test houses to see if these devices could possibly meet the legal regulations. In all cases they failed by a very wide margin! The manufactures make claims of certification against non existent standards and when pushed simply say that their devices would not work if they complied with the regulations and as such they have not bothered to!!!!!! They say, its unfair to expect them to comply. Ofcom, has investigated a much larger number of cases than their web site indicates and have largely had the offending device removed, however in a number of cases it has not been resolved and the radio users nearby still have no hobby! We have sent the data from our test to Ofcom and several other agencies and despite showing a clear breach of our laws and regulations little has been done! Ofcom seems to be suggesting that a crime is only a crime if its observed! So the key thing for us in the radio world is to bring complaints forward, only by doing this can we hope to stop the march of these dreadful and legally questionable devices. Also we have had some interest from Trading Standards! Make no mistake, as time passes more and more PLT devices will come onto the market if we fail to bring them into check. UKQRM, RSGB, WDXC, BDXC and many radio businesses and users have come together to fight this ridiculous situation. However we still need more support! Can you help? Have you signed the UK Government E-Petition? http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/SaveShortwave/ 3218 have already but we need more, we also need reports of PLT interference and those with technical/legal abilities to join with us and take this fight forward. If we fail now, shortwave radio will be a thing of the past very soon. All the best for 2009 ---[Start Commercial]--------------------- Order your WRTH 2008: http://www.hard-core-dx.com/redirect2.php?id=wrth2008 ---[End Commercial]----------------------- ________________________________________ Hard-Core-DX mailing list Hard-Core-DX@hard-core-dx.com http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/hard-core-dx http://www.hard-core-dx.com/ _______________________________________________ THE INFORMATION IN THIS ARTICLE IS FREE. It may be copied, distributed and/or modified under the conditions set down in the Design Science License published by Michael Stutz at http://www.gnu.org/licenses/dsl.html
