In two strongly worded letters, the FCC's Enforcement Bureau has directed the Manassas, Virginia, BPL system to take appropriate steps to eliminate harmful interference to Amateur Radio operators. Several hams in the Manassas area have complained, some repeatedly, about severe interference from the BPL system, operated by COMTek on the city-owned power grid. The FCC minced no words in detailing what it wants the city and BPL operator COMTek to do to ensure its system complies with Part 15 rules governing BPLsystems and even hinted that it may shut down all or part of the system. One of the FCC letters followed up on a complaint from Dwight Agnew, AI4II, of BPL interference to his mobile operations.
FCC Spectrum Enforcement Division Chief Joseph Casey told the city and COMTek June 16 that within 20 days he wants a "detailed report on the actions you have taken and the progress you have made in resolving the interference complaint or reducing the emissions in the area referenced in Mr Agnew's complaint to 20 dB below the Part 15 limit," a level the FCC maintains generally is sufficient to eliminate BPL interference to mobile operations. Additionally, Casey said the Commission wants to know "the specific steps you will take to inform customers of a cessation of service in the event you are directed to cease operations, either in part or system-wide."
ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ, said the League is "especially gratified" that the Enforcement Bureau's Spectrum Enforcement Division has ordered the City of Manassas to take steps to prepare for a cessation of BPL services. "Clearly, the FCC has lost patience with COMTek's reliance on misleading news releases as a substitute for meaningful solutions to the ongoing interference," he said.
In an April 7 news release COMTek Vice President Walt Adams called the Manassas BPL system "a real success story" and said its testing showed "an almost identical" level of interference whether or not the system was in operation. It made a similar claim to the FCC in Agnew's case.
COMTek has indicated it expects emissions can be reduced to 20 dB below the Part 15 limit once second-generation BPL equipment is in place along the Virginia Business Route 234 corridor by the end of July. Casey said that's not good enough. "We note that a failure to respond until the end of July to any complaint alleging harmful interference in an effort to determine if the new equipment resolves the matter is not sufficient," he pointed out in a footnote.
Casey said Manassas and COMTek must address and "reach a resolution" with regard to Agnew's interference complaint "as soon as practicable." Based on the engineering reports the FCC received from the city and COMTek in response to the Agnew complaint, Casey said, "it appears that the BPL system is not in compliance with the Commission's emission requirements at several frequencies," although none were in the amateur bands.
Manassas and COMTek must detail within 30 days steps taken to clean up the system as well as any additional actions necessary for the system to remain in compliance with Commission rules.
In a second letter, Casey requested Manassas and COMTek to examine and address specific longstanding interference complaints from George Tarnovsky, K4GVT; Donald Blasdell, W4HJL; Bill South, N3OH; Jack Cochran, WC4J, and Arthur Whittum, W1CRO. Manassas and COMTek must "take appropriate remedial steps to eliminate any instances of harmful interference" or reduce emissions in the areas cited in the complaints to 20 dB below the Part 15 limit, he instructed. He also reiterated his call for system compliance.
Casey said the FCC wants a report within 30 days on steps taken to address the five radio amateurs' specific interference complaints and eliminate excessive emissions. Tarnovsky said the complainants are encouraged by the FCC's response to COMTek's reports and are looking forward to the results of the Commission-directed testing.
"I think I can speak for all parties in saying that we're looking forward to a BPL interference-free Manassas," he said.