Sunday, Aug 29, 2004 at 00:31
They'll do it if we don't object. Lobby your local member.
If it gets in we'll have HF paper weights and shiny new satphones. Don't think that they care too much
about us.
A vocal minority is the worst enemy of a politician.
See Background Briefing on introduction of BPL for more info.
Dave
Copy of my letter to Senator Helen Coonan - Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts. Feel free to edit it and send it to senator.coonan@aph.gov.au
___________________________________________________________________
Hon. Helen Coonan
Senator for NSW
Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts
Level 7, Angel Place
123 Pitt Street
Sydney NSW 2000
Dear Hon. Mrs. Coonan,
RE: Proposed introduction of Broadband over Power Line Technology
I am writing to express my strong objection to the possible introduction of BPL or Broadband over Power Lines in Australia, also referred to Powerline Telecommunications (PLT or PLC).
Australia is a country which through the sheer fact of it’s size relies heavily on interference free
HF radio communications for much of its long distance communications. (High Frequency – 3 to 30 mega Hertz radio frequency spectrum.)
BPL has the potential to so seriously interfere with radio operations in the
HF radio spectrum as to render it completely useless to existing users who rely heavily on it. Nationally these users include Defence, Police,
Ambulance, Fire Service, ABC Radio, various state government departments such as Dept. of Sustainability & Environment (Vic), State Emergency Service, Air
Ambulance services, VKS737 Australian 4wd Radio Network, Amateur Radio Operators, Royal Flying Doctor Service, School of the Air, RadTel (Radio Telephony), marine radio operations such as shipping and yachting and many, many others.
I am a member of the Australian 4wd
HF Radio Network, VKS737**, which provides me with communication while in remote areas. As both a traveler and an
Ambulance Paramedic I rely on HF communications for everything from day to day contact and messages, to messages of life and death importance. I can also use RadTel to make
HF radio to Telstra calls from areas outside of land line or mobile coverage areas, and RFDS for emergency support in the outback.
Some of those remote areas are reasonably close to civilization, others are not. That may seem like a strange statement but I cite examples such as the Wonnangatta Valley in Victoria’s North East. With no mobile phone coverage I rely heavily on a Codan
HF radio while traveling in such areas so as someone is always aware that I am safe. This communication ability has the potential to save millions of tax payers dollars through the ability to communicate and save unnecessary and extremely expensive searches for parties expected to return who may not have for many reasons, if they have the ability to make contact to advise their situation.
I would rely even more heavily on this equipment should something happen that affected the health of my traveling party, family, or someone else I happen across. I am an
Ambulance Paramedic by profession and can implement treatment immediately but without the ability to summon specialist transport by Helimed or 4wd
Ambulance support, the outcome for the patient/s could easily be fatal.
HF radio provides this ability.
An example of this is an incident in the Wonnangatta Valley in early 2004 when, as a result of a high tension winching recovery of a 4wd where equipment failed, a
young child was struck in the face by a steel object sustaining facial and head injuries. Luckily for the child a Dept. of Sustainability & Environment crew working in the area had a
HF radio (standard equipment) in their vehicle and within a short time a HEMS MICA Paramedic arrived and treated and transported the critically injured child to hospital. Should that
HF Radio not have been the child faced an arduous journey of many hours in a 4wd with no medical treatment to the nearest mobile reception area, and then a wait of even more time for help to arrive. The outcome may have been far, far worse.
Other areas I would rely solely on this form of communication in Victoria include
the desert country in Western Victoria and many areas of the
Otways and East Gippsland for the protection of myself, my family and others. Nationally the areas that rely solely on this form of communication are too many to mention.
HF radio communications are used to communicate anywhere from 20-100km, to several thousand kilometers, making them ideal for communication in a country of our size. This is evident through the use of HF by almost all of Australia’s Rural & Remote Emergency
Services, along with many travellers, property owners and government agencies. They rely heavily on the quality of the conditions in the frequency spectrum in which they operate and on the state of the ionosphere. This is a fragile radio frequency environment which has the potential to be destroyed by the introduction of Broadband over Power Lines which operate 2 – 30 MHz signals over unbalanced powerlines which transmit those signals creating massive amounts of interference.
There is already significant evidence from overseas trials that the technology impacts heavily on this area of the radio frequency spectrum but this is conveniently overlooked by the companies seeking to introduce this technology. The necessity for this technology is questionable particularly in light of the fact that broadband or other high speed
services are deliverable by many other means in remote areas such as satellite and ISDN telephone lines.
The Australian Communications Authority Background Briefing into BPL technology states that,
“HF communications is particularly important in Australia for long distance communications, and some of these
services have defence or safety-of-life implications.” (Page 9,
http://www.aca.gov.au/radcomm/frequency_planning/spps/0311spp.pdf)
It goes on to state that:
“There would appear to be a potential risk to HF radiocommunications
services from the widespread use of broadband powerline communications systems; the risks appear to be associated with in-house applications as
well as last-mile applications. This can be seen in the early filings to the FCC enquiry into powerline communications and the findings in ECC Report 24. There have now been broadband powerline communication trials held in the USA, Europe and Asia. The results of these trials have not alleviated concerns over the potential interference risk to radiocommunications.” (Page 16)
The ACA recognises also that conditions which allowed BPL in other countries may make BPL technology dangerous in Australia:
“Europe and the USA have greater degrees of urbanisation than Australia
and the weighting placed on the protection of HF
services in those countries may
well be less than that required in Australia.” (Page 16)
I would urge you to protect the HF Spectrum in Australia from destructive radio interference due to introduction of BPL technology. Please oppose the introduction of this technology as the safety,
well being and lives of your constituents depend in some circumstances on the maintenance of the current conditions of the
HF radio spectrum in Australia.
I request your response to this letter, and your support on this important issue.
Regards
AnswerID:
74397