This Q&A is with Donald G. Everist, P.E., president of consulting engineering firm Cohen, Dippell and Everist, P.C. In the FCC’s noise floor proceeding, the firm submitted a copy of a 1985 IEEE article that provides an analysis of noise contribution from a 345 KV transmission line. (Read it here.) He told the commission he provided this information now as documentation of an approach to make an assessment of noise from such a line.
Radio World: Summarize your main point for our readers.
Everist: The effort was initiated by the-then Ohio Edison Company. The issue for Ohio Edison was the effect on neighbors within close proximity of new 345 KV transmission lines. RF-generated noise by a 345 KV line was one of several issues raised by the State Planning Commission.
RW: Describe the supporting articles and research you submitted as part of your comments.
Everist: The research at that time indicated for power companies that there were, when the state raised the siting issues, three possible routes: (1) make RF measurements prior to the installation of the transmission line and then repeat the measurements after its construction; (2) construct a test section of the line and measure; and (3) create mathematical model and estimate the RF contribution. In Ohio Edison, engineers opined none were satisfactory and devised a test before and after (typically within 2 hours) of an actual operating transmission line (Hanna-Mansfield).
RW: In your work with broadcasters, how does the issue of incidental radiators play out in their daily operations, what is the impact?
Everist: Noise now impacts reception of off-the-air broadcast signals by households and similarly will impact the Internet of Things (“IOT”).
RW: What specific steps should the commission take to improve the situation?
Everist: The commission should take the recommendations of the Technological Advisory Council as well as investigate some of the noise situations that are and will be filed as a result of the Public Notice issued by Office of Engineering and Technology dated June 15, 2016 entitled, “Office of Engineering and Technology Announces Technological Advisory Council (TAC) Noise Floor Technical Inquiry.”
RW: What else should we know?
Everist: The FCC’s OET Laboratory Division issued on June 17, 2016 a Knowledge Database (“KDB”) item on LEDs. The question that needs to be answered is how will that affect all LEDs manufactured and installed and manufactured prior to June 17, 2016 that do not comply with that OET directive.
Everist also provided the FCC with copies of several news articles about spectrum noise. Sample headline: “Pot Growers Lights Interfering With Ham Radio Chats”
