ARRLWeb: 'Uncooperative' Hurricane Wilma Alters Activation Plans

ARRLWeb: 'Uncooperative' Hurricane Wilma Alters Activation Plans

"NEWINGTON, CT, Oct 21, 2005--

The Hurricane Watch Net (HNW) on 14.325 MHz has again readjusted its activation plans to align with revised forecasts for Hurricane Wilma, which has slowed its forward motion. In addition, Florida ARES teams now have several contingency plans based on various forecast scenarios. As of 1500 UTC, the northwestern eyewall of the Category 4 storm was reported over Cozumel, Mexico, and forecasters say Wilma could make landfall on the northeastern Yucatan Peninsula tonight.

'Wilma simply is not being very cooperative,' HWN Manager Mike Pilgrim, K5MP said Thursday evening. 'Plans laid over the past couple of days just don't adequately respond to the need.' "



73 fer nw,
Bob N5IET

10X# 37210, FP#-1141, SMIRK#-5177
http://www.n5iet.com/
Code may be taking a back seat for now,
but the pioneering spirit that put the code
there in the first place is out front of it all.

Who Controls the Weather?

Who Controls the Weather?

"OCTOBER 20, 2005
News Analysis
By Otis Port


Who Controls the Weather?

Theories about Russian agents steering Hurricane Katrina may be off base, but research into weather manipulation has been going on for decades


Pssst. Have you heard? Hurricane Katrina was intentionally steered to hit New Orleans. The Russians -- a clique of KGB secret-police hardliners who took over a secret weather-control weapon developed for the old Soviet military -- did it. In fact, according to retired Army Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Bearden, they've been dickering with U.S. weather patterns since 1976.

Or maybe it was Japan's yakuza mobsters. In 1989, they supposedly leased Russia's weather-control system. Did they make a financial killing by shorting U.S. oil stocks, then shepherding Katrina to swamp offshore oil rigs and onshore refineries?

There's no shortage of such conspiracy theories on the Internet. Search for 'weather warfare' on Google, and you'll get 68,000 hits. Or take a gander at www.freedomdomain.com/weather.html and www.gaiaguys.net/bearden.weathwars.htm.

POPEYE'S PROGRESS. To almost all scientists and weather professionals, this sort of rationalization is ludicrous. But there's no denying that technology capable of controlling the weather would be a potent military and political weapon. One of the pillars of U.S. science, mathematician and computer wizard John von Neumann, started working on weather modification right after World War II. In the late 1940s, he convinced the Defense Dept. to invest in research that he hoped could be used to vanquish Communism by causing droughts and devastating crops in the Soviet Union.

73 fer nw,
Bob N5IET

10X# 37210, FP#-1141, SMIRK#-5177
http://www.n5iet.com/
Code may be taking a back seat for now,
but the pioneering spirit that put the code
there in the first place is out front of it all.

ARRLWeb: Amateur Radio Continues to Prepare for Wilma's Arrival

ARRLWeb: Amateur Radio Continues to Prepare for Wilma's Arrival

"Amateur Radio Continues to Prepare for Wilma's Arrival

NEWINGTON, CT, Oct 20, 2005--Preparations are ramping up in advance of the arrival of Hurricane Wilma. Although downgraded to a Category 4 storm, Wilma still is considered an 'extremely dangerous' hurricane as it continues toward Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula and a possible subsequent landfall along the Florida peninsula this weekend. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) is advising all interests in the Florida Keys and the Florida Peninsula to closely monitor Wilma's progress, which has slowed, and some evacuation orders have been delayed. The Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) will activate today at 1900 UTC on 14.325 MHz. "


73 fer nw,
Bob N5IET

10X# 37210, FP#-1141, SMIRK#-5177
http://www.n5iet.com/
Code may be taking a back seat for now,
but the pioneering spirit that put the code
there in the first place is out front of it all.

Virginia city launches city-wide BPL network

Virginia city launches city-wide BPL network

"Virginia city launches city-wide BPL network
Oct 14, 2005 4:47 PM

Communications Technologies (COMTek)

Announced that it has deployed a city-wide broadband-over-powerline network in Manassas, Va., a 37,000-person suburb outside Washington. The utility said about 12,500 households are within reach of the network--which also is capable of serving 2500 businesses throughout the city--and that it already has 700 subscribers, with an additional 500 requests for service.

COMTek CEO Joseph Fergus said in a statement that the utility is committed to expanding its BPL services. [This] is something that we could be rolling out in a year or two from now in literally scores of communities across the U.S., Fergus said.

The Manassas experiment is a good thing for every American who lives in any city or town with little or no access to affordable broadband.

The FCC approved rules for BPL technologies--which use the nations power grid to deliver broadband connectivity--in October of last year. The amateur radio community, led by ARRL-formerly known as the American Radio Relay League-has expressed concern that BPL interference could be harmful to ham operations. A House resolution introduced in June 2005 sponsored by Rep. Mike Ross (D, Ark.)-one of two amateur-radio operators in Congress-asked the FCC to reconsider and review its BPL interference policies. "


73 fer nw,
Bob N5IET

10X# 37210, FP#-1141, SMIRK#-5177
http://www.n5iet.com/
Code may be taking a back seat for now,
but the pioneering spirit that put the code
there in the first place is out front of it all.

ARRL To FCC: Shut Down BPL System

TelecomWeb: "ARRL To FCC: Shut Down BPL System


ARRL To FCC: Shut Down BPL System

In support of amateur radio operator complaints of interference, the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) is asking the Federal Communications Commission to shut down the two-year-old broadband over power line (BPL) system in Washington, D.C., suburb Manassas, Va. The ARRL action comes barely a week after the Manassas system was declared fully operational and touted as the first citywide commercial deployment as contrasted to a field trial in the United States.

Communication Technologies Inc. (ComTek) operates the BPL system over the municipally owned electric power grid. The ARRL says the network has been the target of unresolved interference complaints dating back at least to early 2004, none of which has resulted 'in any action or even interest' on the part of the FCC's Office of Engineering and Technology staff, the group says.

'The Manassas system currently causes harmful interference, and it is not compliant with applicable FCC Part 15 regulations, including Section 15.5,' the ARRL said in a 16-page filing yesterday to the OET and to the FCC's Enforcement Bureau. 'Whatever actions either Manassas Power or Communication Technologies Inc. might have taken to relieve the problem have not been successful, and it persists to the present time. This is precisely the situation in which the system must be shut down, pending successful resolution of the severe interference.' "


73 fer nw,
Bob N5IET

10X# 37210, FP#-1141, SMIRK#-5177
http://www.n5iet.com/
Code may be taking a back seat for now,
but the pioneering spirit that put the code
there in the first place is out front of it all.

ARRLWeb: ARRL Objects to Limits on Licensee Access to BPL Interference Resolution Site

ARRLWeb: ARRL Objects to Limits on Licensee Access to BPL Interference Resolution Site

"ARRL Objects to Limits on
Licensee Access to BPL Interference Resolution Site

NEWINGTON, CT, Oct 14, 2005--The new Broadband over Power Line (BPL) Interference Resolution Web site provided by the United Power Line Council (UPLC) and the United Telecom Council (UTC) now is open. But the ARRL has taken strong exception to limitations the site's administrator, UTC, appears to be imposing on the number of allowable licensee searches.

A note on the Web site cautions that each licensee 'is allowed to search a limited number of times each month' and advises them not to conduct random database searches lest their access to the database be further restricted. ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ, said the provision is inappropriate and the database fails to meet the letter or spirit of the Part 15 BPL rules. "


73 fer nw,
Bob N5IET

10X# 37210, FP#-1141, SMIRK#-5177
http://www.n5iet.com/
Code may be taking a back seat for now,
but the pioneering spirit that put the code
there in the first place is out front of it all.

Whirlpool News - Large-scale BPL trial begins in Tasmania

Whirlpool News - Large-scale BPL trial begins in Tasmania

"Large-scale BPL trial begins in Tasmania
Tim Gaden | 2005-Sep-13, 12:45 pm | Australia

The world's first large-scale trial of Broadband over Powerline (BPL) technology began in Tasmania today.

TasTel claims the new BPL technology can offer Internet access at up to 200Mbit/s, significantly faster than the speeds reached by ADSL2 and 2+ technology.

However, the actual speeds offered during the trial are much slower. The fastest priced BPL plan offered by TasTel is only 4Mbit/s and includes only 2GB of data for $79.95/month. (It offers a 12Mbit/s plan, 'price on application'). The slowest plan is 256/64 and includes an astoundingly small 20MB of data, which includes uploads. An additional network access charge will also be levied, although it is being waived for the trial, which could last twelve months.

TasTel says that these prices are 'cheap' and lists a number of other questionable 'great benefits' of BPL over traditional ADSL service delivery."


73 fer nw,
Bob N5IET

10X# 37210, FP#-1141, SMIRK#-5177
http://www.n5iet.com/
Code may be taking a back seat for now,
but the pioneering spirit that put the code
there in the first place is out front of it all.

U.S. Utilities Beginning to Offer Broadband Connections - Americas Network

U.S. Utilities Beginning to Offer Broadband Connections - Americas Network

"U.S. Utilities Beginning to Offer Broadband Connections
OCT 17, 2005

U.S. Utilities Beginning to Offer Broadband Connections

American utilities companies are beginning to roll out broadband connections on their grid, following the lead of power firms in Europe. Known as broadband over power lines, or BPL, the service is poised to challenge the cable and phone companies that dominate the high-speed Internet market. Instead of burying cables and rewiring homes, BPL providers use the local power grid, which means that any home with electricity could get the service.

While the technology is not new, the home adapters and equipment on telephone poles that transmit data over power lines as radio signals have only recently become affordable enough for companies to start selling the service.

The Federal Communications Commission is also promoting BPL as an alternative to the cable and phone companies that dominate the broadband market. Since nearly every home has electricity, the commission hopes that utilities can provide high-speed access to rural areas where phone and cable companies typically do not sell the service. "



73 fer nw,
Bob N5IET

10X# 37210, FP#-1141, SMIRK#-5177
http://www.n5iet.com/
Code may be taking a back seat for now,
but the pioneering spirit that put the code
there in the first place is out front of it all.

broadband � News � BPL: Unfounded Optimism - Niche player or major DSL/Cable competitor?

broadband � News � BPL: Unfounded Optimism - Niche player or major DSL/Cable competitor?

"BPL: Unfounded Optimism
Niche player or major DSL/Cable competitor?

Posted 2005-10-17 15:26:55

Investment from Google and IBM has renewed interest in broadband over power-lines, but it has also spawned a new wave of unfounded optimism. The past several months has seen a number of BPL trials shut down, while several research firms (see these two reports) predict the technology simply isn't going to amount to much more than a niche solution - and even that depends on whether or not interference and ROI concerns are addressed. "


73 fer nw,
Bob N5IET

10X# 37210, FP#-1141, SMIRK#-5177
http://www.n5iet.com/
Code may be taking a back seat for now,
but the pioneering spirit that put the code
there in the first place is out front of it all.

Broadband interference

Broadband interference

"Broadband interference
Internet over power lines may jam airwaves, but remedies exist

RELATED LINKS
Manassas, Va., delivers broadband over power lines [FCW.com, Oct. 5, 2005]
Can only you hear me now? [Federal Computer Week, Oct. 3, 2005]
Congress seeks improved disaster communications [FCW.com, Sept. 26, 2005]
Public Technology Inc.
Ole Virginia Hams
American Radio Relay League
Manassas has the power

Manassas, Va., with a population of 37,000, has installed broadband-over-power-lines technology across its electrical infrastructure. That infrastructure consists mostly of underground fiber-optic cables. Here are some facts about the Internet service that the new infrastructure supports.

Potentially, 12,500 households can sign up.
So far, 700 customers have subscribed.
Residents pay $28.95 a month for access speeds of 300 kilobits/sec to 800 kilobits/sec.

Commercial customers pay $39.95 to $79.95 a month for access speeds of 1 megabit/sec to 4 megabits/sec.
-- Dibya Sarkar
BY Dibya Sarkar
Published on Oct. 17, 2005

More Related Links
Amateur radio operators are wary about a new technology that can carry high-speed Internet service via power lines.

They say it causes significant interference with their communications and could potentially interrupt public safety operations.

The technology's supporters acknowledge that broadband over power lines (BPL) sometimes creates interference. But they say technology exists to remedy the problem.

BPL bundles radio frequency with electrical currents either through aboveground wires or underground pipes. Because electric currents and radio waves operate at different frequencies...


73 fer nw,
Bob N5IET

10X# 37210, FP#-1141, SMIRK#-5177
http://www.n5iet.com/
Code may be taking a back seat for now,
but the pioneering spirit that put the code
there in the first place is out front of it all.

eHam.net Speak Out

eHam.net Speak Out

"Speak Out: Emergency Radio Networks & Ham Radio:

A contributor states, 'According to an NPR report, New York State is currently looking at spending two billion dollars to set up an emergency radio network to be used during disaster situations.

Isn't emergency communication the number one reason for ham radio's existence?' Can we lobby for this kind of funding? How will the creation of such radio networks impact ham radio? "

73 fer nw,
Bob N5IET

10X# 37210, FP#-1141, SMIRK#-5177
http://www.n5iet.com/
Code may be taking a back seat for now,
but the pioneering spirit that put the code
there in the first place is out front of it all.

Broadband interference

Broadband interference


"Broadband interference
Internet over power lines may jam airwaves, but remedies exist

RELATED LINKS
Manassas, Va., delivers broadband over power lines [FCW.com, Oct. 5, 2005]
Can only you hear me now? [Federal Computer Week, Oct. 3, 2005]
Congress seeks improved disaster communications [FCW.com, Sept. 26, 2005]
Public Technology Inc.
Ole Virginia Hams
American Radio Relay League
Manassas has the power
Manassas, Va., with a population of 37,000, has installed broadband-over-power-lines technology across its electrical infrastructure. That infrastructure consists mostly of underground fiber-optic cables. Here are some facts about the Internet service that the new infrastructure supports.
Potentially, 12,500 households can sign up.
So far, 700 customers have subscribed.
Residents pay $28.95 a month for access speeds of 300 kilobits/sec to 800 kilobits/sec.
Commercial customers pay $39.95 to $79.95 a month for access speeds of