In a message dated 9/25/2003 4:07:16 PM Eastern Standard Time, dsumner@arrl.org writes:

But my favorite example is March 1988 QST: "TV Answer: What Was the Question?" A quote from that editorial: "Once in a while an idea comes along that is so preposterous, and the actions of its proponents so outrageous, that no amount of human charity can put a reasonable face on it -- or on the actions of those who would even take it seriously."

Well, to continue the debate, Dave, telecom and utility people most certainly DO take BPL seriously, to the extent that a lot of money is going into advocating it. It is really easy to see that the FCC is going to want to push the concept to the extent of at least allowing the industry to try to make a competitive service play. I don't think it will; you don't and we on this reflector don't. But where is our ability to cause those advocating it to cease and desist? I don't think it exists. All this leads me to suggest that, if we can allow FCC to limit BPL to the bands 30-88 MHz, and to "notch" (an inappropriate term, apparently) 6 meters, we should be in a position to allow ourselves to declare victory. As Ed Thomas put it, the success or failiure of BPL is not the FCC's job; they think they have to facilitate the initiation of a competitive service. If they can do so in a way that is responsive to our very legitimate and urgent concerns, I think we ought to step back and let them fail at the attempt. It is like the Federal Government prohibiting both the Wright Brothers and Otto Lilienthal from aviation experimentation. Sure, they could have saved Otto's life in the process, but they would have prohibited the Wright Brothers too. That seems to be their thinking. Chris