BPL Broadband over Powerlines Jory McIntosh, KJ5RM ARRL Assistant Director West Gulf BPL Task Force TXU/Current Technologies BPL Information

What is BPL?  BPL: Broadband over Power Lines – Designed to turn power grid into high-speed network and internet access.  Power Companies also use BPL for “Smart Grid”  Uses power lines to transmit data using RF from 2 to 80 MHz  Throughput speeds per line 200Mb/ 3Mb per user  Uses b/g or direct connection to get signal from pole to user.

The Technology of BPL  Three Parts of BPL –Internet connection to Injector b/ethernet –Injector “injects” data onto line –Repeater, every 1200 feet boosts signal –Connection box b/g, or Ethernet, HomePlug

Our Concerns  Power lines are long unshielded wires.  What is your antenna made of? Wire…  What happens when you inject a RF signal on a wire? It becomes an antenna!!  Look around you and see how many powerlines there are.  Remember they are using 2-80Mhz from 75M thru 6M

Past Dealings Irving, TX System Amperion Results from test In Irving using Yeasu FT- 100, Full DSP, 2.4 Khz Filter ATAS-100 Antenna, 150 feet from BPL Unit. FreqControlBPL 7.208S3S S1S S3S S1S S0S S1S S0S9

Houston, TX System Amperion Preliminary Results from test in Houston FreqControlBPL S0S S1S9

Current Technology  Based out of Germantown, Md  Provides high speed broadband service  Provides powerful Intelligence for electrical distribution networks  Electrical distribution network security  Currently installing system in Cincinnati, OH

TXU and Current  New partnership announced 12/19/2005  Current to implement on 70% of Grid in Dallas and Fort Worth  2 million homes to be passed.  TXU to use “network” for “SmartGrid”  Internet gravy

The System Specs  High Voltage Lines – 31 to 48 Mhz  Ability to notch frequencies or ranges of frequencies  Home Plug for house/business side  4 to 30 Mhz  30 Db notch on all ham bands but 60 meters  Quite operations – Transmits only when needed  New technology to fix 60/add movable notches

Cincinnati Install  5,000 Homes passed working on 50,000  Hams have installs in their homes for testing.  No interference complaints filed  Test shows minimal interference to amateur radio bands  Interference confined to within 200 feet of home.  Slight increase in background noise  Squawks and short burst of noise heard  Shortwave bands more heavily affected.

What to expect??? Theoretically  Increase in background noise HF ham bands  60 Meters S9 + when active possible  Other HF Bands - Increased background noise and some momentary noises  Shortwave bands S9 + when active  31 to 48 Mhz S9 +  No interference to system from Hams

What you will see

Addresses and Links ARRL BPL information Page  TEXAS BPL Information  HomePlug  Current Technologies 

Closing and Discussion We are not against BPL just the harmful interference it produces