It is already a bigger problem. Some brands of new traffic light LED bulbs seem noisy. In Southeastern Pennsylvania at least, all the traffic lights for state roads being replaced by PennDot with LED lamps exhibit broadband type noise. I live one county over from Bucks County, PA where the ham in the article lives. Here in Delaware County, PA, the new LED traffic lights cause significant noise even up at VHF High band (for us 144 to 148 MHz). While driving through newly re-lamped intersections, moderately strong two meter FM signals are blanked out as the strong noise masked the signal and closes the squelch. This begins almost 300 feet from the closest LED traffic light. In large interchange intersections with coordinated lights for 600 feet (US Route 1 and PA 252 for eg.), the dead zone is a significant period of drive time, especially if one gets caught at one or more of the lights. I hear the same noise up on public safety UHF-T band (500 MHz), but it is not as strong. I do not yet work HF mobile so I have not checked. Is this our new BPL level of threat? LED lighting may end up as our biggest spectrum threat yet. Bob Famiglio, K3RF Vice Director, ARRL Atlantic Division 610-359-7300 www.QRZ.com/db/K3RF From: arrl-odv [mailto:arrl-odv-bounces@reflector.arrl.org] On Behalf Of Christopher Imlay Sent: Monday, August 01, 2016 11:42 AM To: N5AUS Cc: arrl-odv Subject: [arrl-odv:25542] Re: This Will Become A Bigger Problem - And We a Should Have A Game Plan John thanks for sending that. I have relayed it to Ed Hare and Mike Gruber and Kermit Carlson and we will see if we can help with this. It may be a good test case for RF lighting interference. Mike and Ed have several of these of course but the press coverage makes it a bit more compelling. 73, Chris W3KD On Sun, Jul 31, 2016 at 8:07 PM, N5AUS <N5AUS@n5aus.com> wrote: Buzz kills the fun for Bristol Township ham radio operator | Local | buckscountycouriertimes.com <http://www.buckscountycouriertimes.com/news/local/buzz-kills-the-fun-for-bristol-township-ham-radio-operator/article_a5e03722-4854-11e6-ba19-3773ecb24e3a.html> from Jeff Davis’s Tweet <https://twitter.com/ke9v/status/759891737041133568?refsrc=email&s=11> Download <https://twitter.com/download?ref_src=MailTweet-iOS> the Twitter app Sent from my iPad _______________________________________________ arrl-odv mailing list arrl-odv@reflector.arrl.org https://reflector.arrl.org/mailman/listinfo/arrl-odv -- Christopher D. Imlay Booth, Freret & Imlay, LLC 14356 Cape May Road Silver Spring, Maryland 20904-6011 (301) 384-5525 telephone (301) 384-6384 facsimile W3KD@ARRL.ORG

I didn't flesh this out in my July report for the purposes of brevity, but the issue of LED lighting standards has been identified as one of significant importance, both by the ITU and other standards organizations. I draw a distinction from BPL because, at least so far, LED lighting doesn't have cheerleaders to the extent BPL had cheeerleaders, consequences to radio reception be damned. There is a further distinction: there are individual LED lights that comply with emissions standards. Unlike BPL, which was going to interfere wherever it operated, LED lighting problems are problems of quality control, not unsolvable issues with the technology. If you care to read them, I'm attaching two output documents ("Liaison Statements" in the nomenclature of the ITU) from June's meeting of Working Party 1A (Spectrum Engineering) on this topic. While the LED-centric document discusses a broadcasting problem, the other document discusses noise issues more broadly (not just LED lighting), and cites Amateur Radio as a potentially impacted party. Jon Siverling's effective representation at Working Party 1A ensures that Amateur Radio's concerns are reflected in these statements, which are influential in the work of ITU groups and external standards bodies. Because of its heavy workload, with two WRC-19 issues on its plate in addition to LED lighting and other compatibility work, this group will meet two times per year this cycle instead of the standard one. The enhanced schedule is going to cost us about a $3000 overrun on the Washington International Travel line this year. I can't recommend skipping the meetings to stick to the plan given the issues on the table. Brennan T. Price, N4QX Chief Technology Officer American Radio Relay League PO Box 3470 Oakton VA 22124-9470 Tel +1 860 594-0247 ________________________________ From: arrl-odv [arrl-odv-bounces@reflector.arrl.org] on behalf of arrl-odv Sent: Monday, August 01, 2016 14:24 To: Famiglio, Bob, K3RF; arrl-odv Subject: [arrl-odv:25545] Re: This Will Become A Bigger Problem - And We a Should Have A Game Plan Hello Bob; When you encounter situations like this please contact MIke Gruber W1MG at the lab with the details. The lab has been very actively looking into the problems of interference caused by LED lighting systems but there is a lack of feedback from the field. Also, please encourage hams that you know have encountered these types of problems to contact the lab by email. The ham in the article that was posted by N5AUS had not contacted the lab, and had the reporter not contacted Mike, this particular case would have been an unknown situation. The issue of measurement at VHF for LED lighting devices is a significant issue that is being looked at by the lab and Chris. If harmful interference exists to a licensed radio service the operator of the device must mitigate that interference. 73, Kermit W9XA ________________________________ From: "Bob Famiglio, K3RF" <RBFamiglio@Verizon.net> To: 'arrl-odv' <arrl-odv@arrl.org> Sent: Monday, August 1, 2016 11:58 AM Subject: [arrl-odv:25544] Re: This Will Become A Bigger Problem - And We a Should Have A Game Plan It is already a bigger problem. Some brands of new traffic light LED bulbs seem noisy. In Southeastern Pennsylvania at least, all the traffic lights for state roads being replaced by PennDot with LED lamps exhibit broadband type noise. I live one county over from Bucks County, PA where the ham in the article lives. Here in Delaware County, PA, the new LED traffic lights cause significant noise even up at VHF High band (for us 144 to 148 MHz). While driving through newly re-lamped intersections, moderately strong two meter FM signals are blanked out as the strong noise masked the signal and closes the squelch. This begins almost 300 feet from the closest LED traffic light. In large interchange intersections with coordinated lights for 600 feet (US Route 1 and PA 252 for eg.), the dead zone is a significant period of drive time, especially if one gets caught at one or more of the lights. I hear the same noise up on public safety UHF-T band (500 MHz), but it is not as strong. I do not yet work HF mobile so I have not checked. Is this our new BPL level of threat? LED lighting may end up as our biggest spectrum threat yet. Bob Famiglio, K3RF Vice Director, ARRL Atlantic Division 610-359-7300 www.QRZ.com/db/K3RF From: arrl-odv [mailto:arrl-odv-bounces@reflector.arrl.org] On Behalf Of Christopher Imlay Sent: Monday, August 01, 2016 11:42 AM To: N5AUS Cc: arrl-odv Subject: [arrl-odv:25542] Re: This Will Become A Bigger Problem - And We a Should Have A Game Plan John thanks for sending that. I have relayed it to Ed Hare and Mike Gruber and Kermit Carlson and we will see if we can help with this. It may be a good test case for RF lighting interference. Mike and Ed have several of these of course but the press coverage makes it a bit more compelling. 73, Chris W3KD On Sun, Jul 31, 2016 at 8:07 PM, N5AUS <N5AUS@n5aus.com<mailto:N5AUS@n5aus.com>> wrote: Buzz kills the fun for Bristol Township ham radio operator | Local | buckscountycouriertimes.com<http://www.buckscountycouriertimes.com/news/local/buzz-kills-the-fun-for-bristol-township-ham-radio-operator/article_a5e03722-4854-11e6-ba19-3773ecb24e3a.html> from Jeff Davis’s Tweet<https://twitter.com/ke9v/status/759891737041133568?refsrc=email&s=11> Download<https://twitter.com/download?ref_src=MailTweet-iOS> the Twitter app Sent from my iPad _______________________________________________ arrl-odv mailing list arrl-odv@reflector.arrl.org<mailto:arrl-odv@reflector.arrl.org> https://reflector.arrl.org/mailman/listinfo/arrl-odv -- Christopher D. Imlay Booth, Freret & Imlay, LLC 14356 Cape May Road Silver Spring, Maryland 20904-6011 (301) 384-5525 telephone (301) 384-6384 facsimile W3KD@ARRL.ORG<mailto:W3KD@ARRL.ORG> _______________________________________________ arrl-odv mailing list arrl-odv@reflector.arrl.org<mailto:arrl-odv@reflector.arrl.org> https://reflector.arrl.org/mailman/listinfo/arrl-odv

I checked in with the Oregon OOC since he does a lot of RFI work in the Eugene Oregon area. He said he got lucky and found out about the switch to LED when the City of Eugene was doing it and worked with the Chief Engineer on testing the lights. The City Chief Engineer had never heard of RFI when Dave NK7Z contacted him but was very responsive. Dave got a list of all the locations and tested each site several times when the lights were active. In all cases the street lights were dead quiet. No RFI of any kind. He said that Springfield, right next door to Eugene, did the LED thing a few years ago, and there appear to be no issues with their lights either, although all evidence of quiet lights is anecdotal. No tests were done. He would know if hams were getting street lamp RFI in either Eugene or Springfield because he does 10-15 RFI hunts a year for anyone who requests it; a lot were related to marijuana grow lights, even before it was legal in Oregon. The local power company also calls him out sometimes to assist on RFI locates. He suggested the following: The ARRL should prepare a pamphlet for distribution to all City Engineers dealing with RFI, and make it available to all clubs, and on the web for downloading. By doing the above, any Amateur Operator could download it, print it and pass it on to their City of residence, or a shopping complex, store owner, or whoever. Basically spray the pamphlet anywhere there might be a need. The ARRL should contact the top 10 major cities, and the top 10 major light vendors, and provide that same pamphlet, and remind the city engineers that if they spend, let’s say a million bucks on LED lamps, and they tear up HF they might have to replace them all and not get a refund. Not something a City Engineer wants on his/her record. Bonnie AB7ZQ Bonnie Altus, AB7ZQ Northwestern Division Vice Director ARRL, the national association for Amateur Radio™ Grid Square: CN85gb Polk County, Oregon From: arrl-odv [mailto:arrl-odv-bounces@reflector.arrl.org] On Behalf Of Kermit Carlson via arrl-odv Sent: Monday, August 1, 2016 11:25 AM To: Bob Famiglio, K3RF; 'arrl-odv' Subject: [arrl-odv:25545] Re: This Will Become A Bigger Problem - And We a Should Have A Game Plan Hello Bob; When you encounter situations like this please contact MIke Gruber W1MG at the lab with the details. The lab has been very actively looking into the problems of interference caused by LED lighting systems but there is a lack of feedback from the field. Also, please encourage hams that you know have encountered these types of problems to contact the lab by email. The ham in the article that was posted by N5AUS had not contacted the lab, and had the reporter not contacted Mike, this particular case would have been an unknown situation. The issue of measurement at VHF for LED lighting devices is a significant issue that is being looked at by the lab and Chris. If harmful interference exists to a licensed radio service the operator of the device must mitigate that interference. 73, Kermit W9XA _____ From: "Bob Famiglio, K3RF" <RBFamiglio@Verizon.net> To: 'arrl-odv' <arrl-odv@arrl.org> Sent: Monday, August 1, 2016 11:58 AM Subject: [arrl-odv:25544] Re: This Will Become A Bigger Problem - And We a Should Have A Game Plan It is already a bigger problem. Some brands of new traffic light LED bulbs seem noisy. In Southeastern Pennsylvania at least, all the traffic lights for state roads being replaced by PennDot with LED lamps exhibit broadband type noise. I live one county over from Bucks County, PA where the ham in the article lives. Here in Delaware County, PA, the new LED traffic lights cause significant noise even up at VHF High band (for us 144 to 148 MHz). While driving through newly re-lamped intersections, moderately strong two meter FM signals are blanked out as the strong noise masked the signal and closes the squelch. This begins almost 300 feet from the closest LED traffic light. In large interchange intersections with coordinated lights for 600 feet (US Route 1 and PA 252 for eg.), the dead zone is a significant period of drive time, especially if one gets caught at one or more of the lights. I hear the same noise up on public safety UHF-T band (500 MHz), but it is not as strong. I do not yet work HF mobile so I have not checked. Is this our new BPL level of threat? LED lighting may end up as our biggest spectrum threat yet. Bob Famiglio, K3RF Vice Director, ARRL Atlantic Division 610-359-7300 www.QRZ.com/db/K3RF From: arrl-odv [mailto:arrl-odv-bounces@reflector.arrl.org] On Behalf Of Christopher Imlay Sent: Monday, August 01, 2016 11:42 AM To: N5AUS Cc: arrl-odv Subject: [arrl-odv:25542] Re: This Will Become A Bigger Problem - And We a Should Have A Game Plan John thanks for sending that. I have relayed it to Ed Hare and Mike Gruber and Kermit Carlson and we will see if we can help with this. It may be a good test case for RF lighting interference. Mike and Ed have several of these of course but the press coverage makes it a bit more compelling. 73, Chris W3KD On Sun, Jul 31, 2016 at 8:07 PM, N5AUS <N5AUS@n5aus.com> wrote: Buzz kills the fun for Bristol Township ham radio operator | Local | buckscountycouriertimes.com <http://www.buckscountycouriertimes.com/news/local/buzz-kills-the-fun-for-bristol-township-ham-radio-operator/article_a5e03722-4854-11e6-ba19-3773ecb24e3a.html> from Jeff Davis’s Tweet <https://twitter.com/ke9v/status/759891737041133568?refsrc=email&s=11> Download <https://twitter.com/download?ref_src=MailTweet-iOS> the Twitter app Sent from my iPad _______________________________________________ arrl-odv mailing list arrl-odv@reflector.arrl.org https://reflector.arrl.org/mailman/listinfo/arrl-odv -- Christopher D. Imlay Booth, Freret & Imlay, LLC 14356 Cape May Road Silver Spring, Maryland 20904-6011 (301) 384-5525 telephone (301) 384-6384 facsimile W3KD@ARRL.ORG _______________________________________________ arrl-odv mailing list arrl-odv@reflector.arrl.org https://reflector.arrl.org/mailman/listinfo/arrl-odv