As usual, all of your email addresses are in the BCC field to protect you
from spammers. Please let me know if there are other hams that would like to
be added to this distribution list. Let me know if you don't want to receive
these, I'll remove your name from the list.

I was able to get the complete text of the Spokesman Review article, I
pasted it into a Word document for your benefit. Is that bad of me?

I was approached on Thursday morning (7/7) by Brent of Avista- and he seemed
concerned that amateurs would be on the defensive, not having been mentioned
as those most likely to receive interference from a BPL trial. He stated
quite clearly that Avista is still planning on and WILL work with the
Amateur community during the implementation and pilot time.

Nothing has changed, and they are still in contract negotiations. On a
positive note, they have been in contract negotiations for 3 months longer
than expected. As Brent says, "The Devil is in the details".

All that looks like it's been settled is the fact that it's going to be in
North Idaho, in a location that can be serviced by fiber to provide backhaul
for the multiple subscribers.

North Idaho hams, please start getting on the air, don't just leave that for
Field Day.  Make contacts, finish that certificate, get on the air! Invite
technicians and non-hams to come and talk, try out radios and get them
interested in HF. Take the time to teach someone about Amateur Radio and get
them interested in getting their first ticket! I personally have encouraged,
funded and facilitated four people under age 35 in getting their tech
tickets since I became a ham in 2003. I have given books to four others, I'm
just waiting for the right time to harangue them again!

As one of our avid readers Cliff said, "One problem is that the noise this
time of year is much higher than the noise in fall and winter so the noise
level is liable to be a wash when the trial starts." That is VERY true and
it's no news to anyone experienced in HF. If I were a North Idaho ham, I'd
be checking everything and comparing it to previous years anyway. The Pilot
could start any week now. We will have a very specific way of measuring the
BPL signal, and will most likely have to organize HF parties in North Idaho.

I propose a weekend in the pilot where we set up as many HF stations as
possible in North Idaho and rough it. Picnic, BBQ, Tailgate party, etc. That
is further down the road, I'm probably getting ahead of myself. 

I have another article made by David E. Burger that relates in a humorous
manner a relationship between BPL and sewage. An excerpt is provided here
for your amusement:

Analogy

The following analogy is proposed in a light hearted way to illustrate a
tangible example of BPL systems, and not to be disrespectful to anyone in
any way.
Lets imagine Broadband data was 'sewerage', and the 'smell' is interference.
. There are odd discharges and occasional smells around large cities, but
manageable.
. There are many types of sewerpipes out of sight, some quite large with no
smell.
. BPL innovators have discovered they can carry sewerage in the open gutter,
but ignoring the issue of the smell.
. BPL proposals are asking the regulator to allow it to spill into people
front yards causing a huge smell.
. BPL proposals are asking professionals to accept the risk of the bad smell
and contamination, as well as affect life and safety systems.
. There are no standards to define the way sewerage flows in gutters, or
indeed the volume of sewerage.
. There is conjecture to how the smell is measured or standardised.
. The regulator is seeking a way to manage the smell.
The conclusion is to contain the sewage to well defined paths taking every
effort to minimize or eliminate the smell. Applying this to BPL, means that
it may be fine in certain areas, but the only way to manage the interference
is to turn it off at the source. 

David E. Burger is a Senior Member IEEE, a Senior Member Engineers Australia
And a Chartered Professional Engineer - Telecommunications. This is an
excerpt from The Management of Interference from BPL Communications
submitted to the Australian Communications Authority

If you cannot read MSWord documents, let me know and I'll paste the text
into an email message. 

Gold Star for the first person to translate 'Full Legal Limit' into Latin! I
need a new tagline.

Todd Cady, K7PKT

Avista to test broadband power line service North Idaho trial hinges on
winning customers

Tom Sowa
Staff writer July 7, 2005

Avista Utilities will switch on its first test of broadband over power line
service later this year in North Idaho, company officials said Wednesday.
The site of the test has not been announced, said Avista officials. It will
be in one of the urban areas of north Idaho where Avista provides electric
power service.
How long the trial lasts and how much customers would pay for broadband
service are being negotiated with another company, said Dave Heyamoto, the
utility's market solutions manager.
That company has provided similar services elsewhere but doesn't want to be
identified until a contract is signed, said Heyamoto.
"We're not putting a deadline on this test," he said. "We'll establish
evaluation criteria that will look at how customers feel about it and how
they accept it," and how well the service helps Avista manage its power
network, said Heyamoto.
If successful, the test would lead to Avista offering many customers a
competitive high-speed data option to existing services like digital
subscriber line (DSL) or cable modems.
Broadband over Power Lines (BPL) uses existing utility power lines to
deliver data and voice transmissions to homes or businesses. The technology
superimposes a data signal over the standard 50 or 60 Hz alternating current
and then dumps that data into a special modem at the homeplug end point.
Utilities around the country, including Idaho Power, have been testing the
service for customers. Advocates have said it would expand broadband to many
rural areas by using an existing infrastructure.
BPL's critics say the technology interferes with shortwave radio frequencies
and is not fully tested.
Over time, the Avista power line network could become a delivery system for
video, phone service and data, according to Heyamoto.
Apart from a content pipeline, the BPL technology also can be used to
measure and manage the utility's power system, said Imhof. Combined with
newly installed automated metering devices, BPL would allow managers to
identify and correct distribution problems in the grid, said Heyamoto.
The test location can't be disclosed because Avista hasn't signed a contract
with a service provider who will operate the data network, said spokesman
Hugh Imhof.
Under the proposed plan, Avista would install equipment that delivers data
through the same distribution system that sends electrical power to home
outlets. The partner company would provide the home equipment that takes the
signal and converts it to Web data, phone messages, movies or TV content.
The provider would also be the company that bills the customer for the
service. In effect, the content provider would be leasing Avista's power
grid, said Heyamoto.
The cost to consumers would be "price competitive with DSL and cable," he
added.
Avista initially will spend money to install the test equipment in the trial
area. If the trial continues and becomes a regular service, the content
provider and Avista would split the customer revenue, said Heyamoto.
Any initial expansion of the BPL system would focus on larger and more dense
population areas within the service territory, said Heyamoto. "We are
interested in looking to the (option of rural BPL service," he said. "But
business economics come into play� Our partner is interested in generating
enough revenue to cover costs and make money," said Heyamoto.
North Idaho was selected because it provides a large enough population
center in an area with access to a data backbone, said Heyamoto. Avista has
to decide if the network data feed will come via wireless, fiber optic
network or microwave, he added.
Another reason to not disclose the test site is concern over competition,
said spokesman Imhof. A phone carrier providing DSL or a cable company in
the test area might respond to the test by dropping its broadband prices.
"That's happened elsewhere" as an attempt to dampen enthusiasm for the BPL
option, said Heyamoto.
James Bellessa, an electric utility analyst with D.A. Davidson in Great
Falls, said Avista's investigation of the BPL option makes sense. He said
Idaho Power ran a BPL trial in the Boise area and has held off introducing
the service across its service territory. "They found the technology works,"
Bellessa said. "But they see room for improvement. The technology seems to
be evolving and changing every 90 days."