Well, I have heard that on Coast to Coast that there are a lot of people
who don't want it, but the FCC went a head and pushed forward with it
 enspite the better advice of other countries who have tried it with bad
results.  I don't know if the town in Virginia is still using the BPL, but
the city I guess owns the electrical utility company.





On Tue, 30 May 2006, John Miller wrote:

> most areas find it's not cost effective to use BPL and don't use it. I know
> they played with it in my area for the big shots in the power company and
> they said they'd take it no further. A lot of the area agrees.
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Jeff Kenyon" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Tuesday, May 30, 2006 10:01 AM
> Subject: Re: BAND conditions
>
>
> > Hi there, I think that BPL will be the  biggest threat, and the antenna
> > issue.  I know that in Virginia the BPL I think is in use, but I don't
> > know if it has started up for sure or not.  Does anyone know where this is
> > going to expand to next with regard to BPL?
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > On Tue, 30 May 2006, Colin McDonald wrote:
> >
> >> personally i don't think it has much to do with echolink or IRLP...since
> >> there aren't a whole lot of HF privvallaged folks on there anyway.
> >> Its probably got more to do with the fact that most people in our day and
> >> age don't have as much time for persuing their radio hobby as they once
> >> did.
> >> Also, with the american operators becoming more and more restricted as to
> >> antennas in housing developments, with hams who previously operated HF,
> >> now
> >> having to stick to 2M and 70CM because they can only use a mobile set up.
> >> I think echolink and IRLP are pretty much the least of the issues out
> >> there
> >> that are causing us to hear less and less folks on the HF bands.
> >> Lets not forget that many many hams simply aren't bothering to get on the
> >> air because they do not like to deal with unstable conditions and are
> >> waiting for conditions to get more stable, if not necesarily better.
> >> the threat of BPL has also thrown a shadow over many, and their plans for
> >> antennas and so on have been put on hold until plans are finalized one
> >> way
> >> or the other for BPL projects...no point in putting in an expensive
> >> antenna
> >> system when it will prove useless when BPL goes through in your area
> >> right?
> >> I think another big problem, especially right now, is that there are less
> >> and less US hams that are getting HF privallages because the regulations
> >> are
> >> still quite stringent.  You will hear many many more hams from Canada and
> >> other countries who have relaxed the code requirements on the HF bands
> >> now
> >> compared with a year ago.
> >> These are surprisingly very good operators and I personally have seen
> >> nothing but good come out of relaxing the code requirement here.
> >> 73
> >> Colin, V A6BKX
> >>
> >
> >
>