Posts by Paul Widger

Ofcom refuses to interfere on powerline networking interference

Ofcom response demonstrates their ignorance

When Ofcom say that mobile phones held very close to audio equipment "causes interference" it is the audio equipment that is slighly EMC deficient being largely unscreened,the audio gear does not use or need to use any radio frequencies.

What we are suffering is interference coming from up to several hundred meters away caused by the

adaptors using and radiating from unsuitable mains wiring exactly the same freqencies we are trying

to legitmately listen on.

Are not all the cases that have been reported to Ofcom in spite of all the obstructionism we have had to endure proof in themselves that there is a problem ?

By no means all the cases reported have been sucessfully resolved as some owners adopt an im alright Jack attitude and refuse to cooperate, Ofcom then claims to have no powers to act.

Well we all know what to think of Ofcoms claims don't we ?

Are plasma TVs killing radio?

My Plasma trouble fixed by Pansonic

In Jan 2004 my neighbour got a new toy- a Panasonic Plasma TV.

All radio from radio 4 198 khz to shortwave 30 Mhz was blotted out, not FM radio 4 (95 Mhz) as some have incorrectly concluded.Tests proved it could be heard 400m away!

To cut a very long story short 11 months later Pansonic engineer arrived from their UK HQ with a replacement screen which completely cured the problem.

Panasonic took measurements before and after so they including their Japanese HQ know of the

problem and how to cure it.

I have since found out that some Toshiba sets which used the same screen gave similar problems.

My cooperative neighbour was rewarded with a considerably brighter picture !

Panasonic engineer admitted that he had dealt with several other cases.

Please note that I have no objection to the majority of Plasmas including most Panasonics which do

not cause inteference,everyone has a right to interference free reception whatever someone elses view of Radio 4 or any other station may happen to be.

Have been hearing some Plasmas are OK for about 2 years then something deteriorates so interference starts to be a problem.

Didnt involve Ofcom as they are less use than a chocolate fireguard.

Documents show CAA fears over powerline networks

Ofcom are a disgrace

It will be interesting to see what CAAs lawyers and technical investigations reveal.

It is interesting to recall what the Ofcom field engineer said to me in the early stages of this saga

which began for me in Feb 2008.

"If it was up to me I would have them banned"

"We (Ofcom) are on a learning curve on Powerline Adaptors"

" I am surprised how far these things are radiating"

No doubt they would flatly deny having made such comments as they are now being obstructionis

in their approach and appear to be trying to defend the indefensible,not wishing to upset BT Vision,

the supplier of the greatest number of these adaptors,preferring to victimise the victims of the interference.

Ofcom are of course controlled by DE/BIS who take the line that it must be good if someone is making money from it and will do their utmost to disregard the downside.

They will have big problems if the latest generation of adaptors sell in large numbers as listeners

to FM and DAB who get a weak or medium strength signal could have their reception ruined.

No doubt Ofcom are busy working behind the scenes to persuade CAA and BBC (whose research

department reported unfavourably on this flawed concept some years ago ) that there is not really

a problem, this will be an attempt to hide their incompetence from scrutiny.

Ofcom have been made to look very foolish at the recent meeting, sadly they are still Judge,Jury,

Court of appeal and reference point for other goverment departments,MPs etc so their statements,

even if a load of twaddle, carry weight.

Radio Society to Ofcom: Hear See you in court

Anomonous Coward ,you are wrong !

You deny the statements I made regarding Powerline Adaptors.

Well, I unlike you have tested them !

My comments are based on observed facts as others can independently confirm.

Suggest you get educated,then you would not be making ignorant comments.

BT Vision are a disgrace.

BT top brass have been aware of the problems with the Comtrend Powerline Adaptors which the RSGB are complaining about for well over a year, but rather than doing a product recall

are hiding behind Ofcoms failure to act as a regulator.

Indeed some would say BT have influenced Ofcom.

Non radio users may find it interesting that these Adaptors can interfere with wireless keyboards and mice.

They dont like mains spikes which can make them stop working.

Recently some users have found they reduce internet download speeds.

Ofcom fails to sweep away power-line networking

What a mess

As a retired radio transmission engineer I can inform you that HM government said

they were looking into the radio intereference aspect of possible PLT systems on an

urgent basis over 10 years ago.

To cut a long story short nothing was done,the task having been passed between

various government departments who were Ofcoms predecessors presumably

it got put on the back burner.

When Ofcom quote the number of complaints bear in mind that if the complainant

does not ask for a reference number no record is kept even when they resolve

a problem.

Radio listeners are also very reluctant to complain to the official regulator Ofcom.

I had 4 separate PLT installations dealt with by Ofcom but just one complaint number.

3 householders were CAT 5 wired one was given a Wi Fi solution.

A 5th installation was interfering but it went out of use before Ofcom got involved.

All this aggro for 4 neighbours and my costly equipment some of which uses

software defined radio,digital signal processing etc was rendered unusable.

Even after all this bother other PLTs are still audible the nearest being 350

yards away.

If I were to move say 400 yards the trouble would have to be tackled again.

Driving round this area reveals more of these damned things.

Note PLTs lock up on mains spikes such as can come from domestic appliances.

This may account for some PLTs in this area going out of use.

Some have discovered they stop some types of wireless keyboards and mice from

operating correctly.

They can in some circumstances reduce Internet speeds.

I own 2 types of these adaptors for test purposes and have installed them

in 3 neighbours houses one 80 yards away,they all caused bad interference here.

Do you think that the 5 PLTs plus the 3 test installations all gave trouble because

of the way they were installed as Ofcom assert ? They are speaking drivel !

Anyway I did find that they did not work on some of my 13 Amp sockets even in

this small house so they are no that good.

If Ofcom fail to address this problem they will signal to manufacturers that they

can ignore the EMC regulations with impunity and the result will be chaos affecting

the wider public not "just radio users"

BT chief: People don't need fibre to the home

Do it now !

Fibre direct to the home may well be underused initially but new uses will soon evolve.

It will be a long term upgrade instead of a series of fudges.

If handled properly it will turn out to be a boost to the national economy.

Come on HMG give this BT goonbrain a kick up the butt!

'Interfering' BT Vision attracts campaigner glares

paul

Josie,

A) You cannot switch the PLAs off if they are not in your house but in my case up to 200 yards

away.

B) The householder who owns the PLAs may not be cooperative or flatly deny the have such

a device in the home,this happened to me.

Ofcom confirmed that I had correctly identified the houses.

C) BT locally try to wriggle out of their responsibility to clear what Ofcom describe correctly as

spectrum abuse,this happened to me.BT fed my neighbour a load of technical bullshit

as to why "nothing could be done",of course being a retired radio frequency engineer

I knew better and complained to BT headquarters.

They soon changed their tune then and to be fair sorted the problem out fairly quickly.

D) Have had to have 4 sets of these damned adaptors removed.

Three were direct wired,one used WiFi.

E) You are correct in saying you dont have to use the PLAs,an unknown fraction of BT

Visions customers use them.

F) If a listener thinks of changing the make of PLA to be used in their own house they

will at best get a modest improvement.

paulw

Graham T

You are now entitled to interference free radio reception.

This is covered by EMC regulations 2006.

First make sure the noise isnt coming from your own house.

Listen to the station on a battery operated set,then switch your

electricity off at the main switch (on or near the fuse box) if the

noise stops it is something in your house!

If not Complain to Ofcom.

Ofcom DO NOT use BT to do interference investigation.

BT stopped doing this many years ago.

Legal licenced CB users.

You are entitled to reception free of PLT noise.

It does not matter that you no longer have to pay a fee.

Complain to Ofcom.

Best regards.