from Ofcom following the Society’s earlier formal complaint to Ofcom
regarding non compliance PLA’s and Ofcom’s interpretation of the EMC Directive
regarding these devices.SPECTRUM DEFENCE FUND (SDF) - DIARY
The RSGB continues to take the Power Line Adaptor compliance fight to Ofcom.
Following
Ofcom’s statement on PLT/PLA on the 3 September 2009
and the RSGB’s response
statement issued on the 4 September 2009. The Society has now received a
formal
reply
from Ofcom following the Society’s earlier formal complaint to Ofcom
regarding non compliance PLA’s and Ofcom’s interpretation of the EMC Directive
regarding these devices.
The RSGB continues to find Ofcom’s responses and position totally unacceptable and has recently met with and instructed its lawyers to investigate a legal challenge on the Ofcom position.
The RSGB will continue the fight to protect the radio spectrum against non compliant devices which cause unacceptable levels of interference particularly to the HF bands. We will issue further statements as the case develops.
Friday 13th and Saturday 14th November 2009 - (Source RSGB Web Site)
Board Meeting of the Radio Society of Great Britain [Extract]
Ofcom/PLA Legal Challenge
The General Manager said:-
Eversheds (Solicitors) had supplied a simplified approach for the next phase, if wish to proceed the cost will be £15-£20k. Board asked for funding options, together with discussion on when and how to establish a fighting fund. Problem may not be only PLA.
Fund to be known a Spectrum Defence Fund, and no action should be taken until the initial fund reaches £20k.
That the Board should establish the principles of the fund and this should include, but not restricted to, the following features – Name, ring fenced, Objectives, Administration etc.
He would draft a set of Terms of Reference for the Spectrum Defence Fund, and launch the concept.
December 2009 - (Source RSGB Web Site and RSGB Shop)
Spectrum Defence Fund [Announcement]
As announced in the January edition of RadCom, the Society has established a Spectrum Defence Fund to challenge Ofcom as regards its interpretation of the various Acts and Directives that cover PLA/PLT and the threat they pose. Thousands of pounds have already been donated but there’s still a long way to go to reach the target. You can now donate online at www.rsgb.org/defencefund. This link routes through to the RSGB shop for donations by card. If you wish to donate by cheque please make it payable to The Spectrum Defence Fund and send it to Spectrum Defence, RSGB, 3 Abbey Court, Priory Business Park, Bedford MK44 3WH. The RSGB is appreciative of the efforts and support from Society members, the UKQRM group and its membership who were amongst the very first of many to donate.
Spectrum Defence Fund [Shop]
Help us protect the future of Amateur Radio
The 'Spectrum Defence Fund' is a restricted fund that will be used in the
first instance to challenge Ofcom on their interpretation of the EMC
directive. This could take the form of a judicial review which could cost in
excess of £75,000. There is no guarantee of success but the RSGB feel that now
is the time to stand up and be counted and make it known that we, as a
community, are not prepared to accept any level of interference from
noncompliant devices. We are looking to our administration (Ofcom) to protect
our interests, which it is their statutory duty. There are other challenges
ahead and the fund will be used only to protect the Spectrum when and where
we need to do so. This is a long term project and all monies donated will be
'ring fenced' for these actions alone.
Please help the RSGB in this most
important area by donating what you can to this important cause.
January 2010
RadCom [Incoming President's Column + small piece by Elaine Richards on IARU view of PLT]
14th January 2010 - (Source RSGB Web Site)
The Manager's Blog [Extract]
The other very pleasing thing is the level of donations that are coming in to the recently launched Spectrum Defence Fund. The fund was launched just before Christmas and primarily the money will be used to defend the Amateur Radio Spectrum from interference and commercial threats. Several thousands of pounds have already been received but the target for the fund is in excess of a hundred thousand pounds so there is some way to go yet. The fund is ring fenced so it can’t be used for anything other than spectrum defence issues.
February 2010
RadCom [Nothing, None, Nada, Nicht, Not a Word]
17th January 2010 - (Source RSGB Web Site)
GB2RS News
Spectrum Defence Fund donations flowing in Donations to the RSGB Spectrum Defence Fund continue to flow in, and the Society is very grateful to all those radio amateurs who have given their support to date. The Fund is extremely important in ensuring the future of amateur radio and the defence of the spectrum allocations we currently enjoy. This should be of concern to all radio amateurs so please support your National Society by making a contribution, whether you are an RSGB member or not. You can now donate online at www.rsgb.org/defencefund/
27th January 2010 - (Source RSGB Web Site)
PW Publishing joins the fight for the Spectrum
PW
Publishing, publishers of Practical Wireless and RadioUser, has joined the fight
for the Spectrum as the first corporate donor to the RSGB Spectrum Defence Fund.
They have also generously given the RSGB advertising space throughout the year
to highlight the problems of PLA and PLT interference. Donations are still
coming in for the fund, although more is needed to carry on the fight for a
clean spectrum and the RSGB would like to thank those people who have already
donated, including many members from the UKQRM group. If you are wondering what
the QRM from these devices sounds like, visit the UKQRM website. You will also
find the necessary information for reporting this QRM at
www.mikeandsniffy.co.uk/UKQRM/
7th February 2010 - (Source GB2RS)
Spectrum Defence Fund
reaches first milestone
The
RSGB Spectrum Defence Fund has reached its first milestone, having received
over £10,000 of donations from concerned amateurs. However, this is still well
short of what the RSGB has already spent in seeking legal advice on the PLA
issue. The Fund is still desperately in need of your donations, which can be
posted to RSGB HQ or you can donate online at
www.rsgb.org/defencefund/ If you would like more details on the noise from
these PLA devices, visit the UKQRM website where you will find a wealth of
information including sound files. The RSGB would like to thank the UKQRM group
for maintaining this website with up to date information.
10th February 2010 - (Source RSGB Web Site)
The Manager's Blog [Extract]
As you are probably aware the RSGB has been seeking legal advice regarding non-compliant power line adaptors (PLAs) and their use in the home, which is causing interference to a lot of radio amateurs and short wave listeners. The advice we have received is wide ranging and goes from seeking a full judicial review to taking out private prosecutions against the government and the UK’s largest telecoms provider for nuisance and interference. All of these options would be costly. The estimated cost for a judicial review would be in the region of £250,000. The problem just does not end with PLAs currently on the market; new devices shortly to come on stream will cover 6 metres and the Microwave bands. The RSGB has already spent over £20,000 on legal advice to date so the need for the Spectrum Defence Fund is even more necessary than originally envisaged. So please keep those donations coming in. We are past the £10,000 mark now, so thank you. Those who are observant will realise that we have already spent more than that on our current fight.
17th February 2010 - (Source RSGB Web Site)
PLA / PLT and OfcomThe RSGB announced last year that it was considering its options in respect of legal action to cause a review of Ofcom's position on the perceived non-compliance of certain "Ethernet-over-mains" (PLA) devices being placed on the market. The Society has now completed a review of its options in conjunction with its lawyers and Counsel.
From this review it is clear that there are a number of avenues to be further explored and until this work is complete the Society will defer for the time being the question of legal action. This will allow other necessary preparatory work to be completed, and will also recognise that a number of factors are in a state of flux, including new staff appointments at Ofcom and the much-awaited report commissioned by Ofcom from PA Consultants on PLT.
The Society will be vigorously pursuing the avenues recommended by its lawyers and others and in the meantime is very grateful to all those who have given support, both moral and financial, to this important cause. It is important that this support continues, as the general threat to the spectrum noise floor from data-over-mains devices (PLT) and short-range-devices is likely to increase.
Funding the work to combat the threat of PLT/PLA remains a priority, and the Spectrum Defence Fund has this work as one of its prime objectives. Further contributions to the Fund will be most welcome to progress the Society's programme in this area.
April 2010
RadCom [RSGB Annual Report - Review of the year RSGB President (Dave Wilson) - Reports (Principal Activities and EMC Committee]Our biggest challenge was/is the continuing saga of Power Line Adapters, their threat to the HF spectrum and the possibility of new devices that will extend up to VHF. Ofcom published their statement on these devices, which resulted in the Society taking legal advice on how best to combat this huge threat. The one thing we quickly realised was that any legal action would be costly so, with that in mind, the Society launched the Spectrum Defence Fund at the end 2009. The response of members and other radio users has been extremely encouraging. We still have a long way to go and it remains probably the most important issue we have at the moment. If we get it wrong the implications to the hobby, to the Spectrum and the Society could be disastrous. Radio amateurs are renowned for their complacency - we can't afford to be complacent about this.
The RSGB were sitting on their arses until the UKQRM group forced
them to do 'something'....So they took the idea of a fighting fund from UKQRM, and used it
to show that they were doing 'something'. Apart from obtaining expensive
legal counsel - that's all they have done...
25th March 2010 - (Source RSGB Web Site)
RSGB writes to Ofcom Chairman (Dated 14th March 2010 and signed by Don Beattie)RSGB takes issue with Ofcom over its September 2009 statement on PLA/PLT, and writes to Ofcom Chairman, Colette Bowe
The RSGB has written to Ofcom Chairman Colette Bowe, giving a detailed response to the Ofcom September 2009 statement about PLA/PLT. RSGB has taken issue with some of the Ofcom assertions in the September statement, and has asked Ofcom for clarification in a number of other areas.
10th February 2010 - (Source RSGB Web Site) as pdf
SDF (Spectrum Defence Fund) ToR (Terms of Reference)
Spectrum Defence Fund Terms of Reference
1. The Spectrum Defence fund is made up from donations from individuals and
organisations with an interest in protecting the Radio Spectrum from noise,
interference, and other issues that may affect licensed Amateur Radio Operation
and Short Wave Listening.
2. The fund is managed by the Board of the Radio Society of Great Britain.
3. The fund is held in a special account titled “Spectrum Defence Fund” and is
administered by the Society’s bankers
4. Payments from the fund can only be approved by the Board and will only be
authorised to fund activities aimed to combat the introduction of
spectrum-invasive technologies and other threats to the band privileges enjoyed
by radio amateurs.
5. The fund is subject to annual audit by the appointed auditors of the Radio
Society of Great Britain. The report of the audit will form part of the Radio
Society of Great Britain’s Annual Report and Accounts.
6. The Fund may be wound up, and the residual balance transferred to the Radio
Communications Foundation or in its absence to Society reserves only with the
agreement of a General Meeting.
The PLT fund has been hijacked to act as a substitute for funding which should be part and parcel of the RSGB operational costs, on activities the RSGB should be doing anyway...
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