HARMFUL INTERFERENCE TO AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL FREQUENCY FROM POWER LINE NETWORKING

Shanwick Air Traffic Control frequency, obliterated by noise from power line network adapter at distance. This is so far from my receiver, I've been unable to locate it yet, and neither have Ofcom, although the investigation continues. It could be a mile or more away. It's not in my street, or any adjacent ones.

The antenna is an outside loop which is actually oriented to attempt to REDUCE the noise I get from this power line adapter installation. This video shows the noise reduced as much as possible.

My amateur licence covers reception in 'the standard frequency service' but since I'm not listening to air traffic control transmissions here (being unable to because of the power line adapter mush) this is purely academic.

I posted this to show that power line networking adapters / home plugs such as those made by Comtrend, Netgear, Trend Micro etc etc DO interfere with Air Traffic Control frequencies as well as the myriad other service frequencies they destroy, radiating this noise right across the radio frequency spectrum.

There are NO power line networking devices available that don't cause interference to radio. Ofcom, the regulator whose remit is to protect radio users from harmful interference, need to act now to prevent any more reaching the market before the situation gets even worse. Instead, all the Ofcom top brass are offering is excuses and spin.

Ofcom's own commissioned report showed conclusively that power line networking devices failed emissions limits dismally, by huge margins, in every relevant test applied, yet they still allowed them onto the market!

Ofcom tried to keep the results of this commissioned report secret, refusing a request to release the documents relating to the tests under the Freedom Of Information act, but an appeal by the applicant was successful and they were eventually forced to release 18 months after the application.

Independent testing has shown power line networking exceeds legal emissions by over 1000 times the permitted levels!


When I find the source of this interfering PLT, I'll post another video showing how far away it was.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• bt vision
• power line adapter
• home plug
• homeplug
• pla
• plt

[a120068020]

I agree that PLT devices are a nuisance, but surely they are not being used in an Airport/Air Traffic Control Centre - the interference is localised to a few metres of the PLT itself. Apart from inconvenience to amateur listeners, how will they affect the communications between aircraft and the ground? Mike M0SAZ

[G0IFI]

@a120068020 A few metres, if only that were the case. The household mains radiates the RF from these things like a good long wire and I speak as someone who's had 4 doses of the damned things in 2 years. This is a Comtrend pair, the Ofcom engineer even knows the type. He's failed to locate it yet because it's re-radiating from the 3-phase overhead lines. Sadly, RF doesn't know when to stop travelling. I hope you don't end up with any of these near you, but unless we act, we all will.

[beachsandinspector]

It seems that OFCOM is doing very little to combat the use of this spectrum polluting kit, if there is an emergancy I wonder what OFCOM would have to say then?

In the interest of national security these things aught be outlawed or at least require a licence like any other device that transmits, I still cannot figure out why you Brits still have to pay a TV licence, as here in the colonies that sort of TAX was scrapped many years ago.

[G0IFI]

@beachsandinspector Thanks for the comments,

In spite of PLT being just convenient gadgets and not enabling technology,they seem to be determined to push it upon us, I suppose we'll find out what the agenda was and whose fault it was, when we bolt the proverbial door long after the horse has bolted.

Well, with the licence fee we do get ad-free programming from the BBC. The over 70s (75s?) get a free TV licence too, although how long it is before the axe falls upon that is anyone's guess.

[doktorrob]

How can they let this stuff be sold? I've got someone locally with some PLT devices and shortwave might as well not exist with all the interference :-/

[1002jibp]

Amazing! I wonder what other services will be affected in their vital communications.

[a120068020]

@freddo27 Very interesting. I thought they worked up to a person's main breaker then it was only resonating around the house's internal wiring. It it is travelling yards or miles away, then that is a concern. I can see us having a problem getting these things banned, as most people think it is a god given right to have broadband and computers any way they can, as opposed to ham radio, which is not even known to many people. Worrying times it seems. 73 Mike M0SAZ

[freddo27]

Mike, the PLAs aren't even in his street or any neighbouring ones so it's safe to assume they're going up quite some way. A friend of mine in a nearby village was getting endstop signals from a powerline adapter over half a mile away. It took Ofcom half a day to find it. The danger is in the cumulative effect of several, or even several hundred or thousand PLAs in one area. This could render ground to air comms unusable over populated areas and far beyond. That's what the CAA fear.

[a120068020]

@a120068020 I just read the text accompanying this video and I can't believe anything resembling a PLT device can emit noise over several streets. If it is proven to be the case, we are all in trouble. Not trying to be controversial it just seems incredible. I wonder if it is some other digital source of emission, that sounds PLT ito listen to? Mike M0SAZ