FCC Writes Part 15 Device Users Regarding Alleged Interference to Amateur
NEWINGTON, CT, Jun 13, 2003--Hold the phone! The FCC has written two Northern Virginia residents to follow up on complaints from a local amateur who's alleging that he's on the receiving end of harmful interference from telephone devices with the capability to support multiple cordless remotes. Both are unlicensed Part 15 consumer electronics devices made by a well-known manufacturer. The complaints from Bernie Keiser, W4SW--an ARRL member in Vienna, Virginia, near Washington, DC--represented a bit of a turnabout from the typical interference scenario, where ham operation occasionally generates complaints of interference to cordless consumer equipment.
"Harmful interference to a licensed radio service from a Part 15 device is a violation of FCC rules," warned Sharon Bowers, deputy chief of the Consumer Inquiries and Complaint Division of the FCC's Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau. Bowers explained that the equipment was classified as an "intentional radiator"--a device that generates an RF signal as part of its normal operation. In separate letters June 2 to the two Part 15 users--both also Vienna residents--she pointed out that if their cordless telephone devices cause harmful interference to licensed spectrum users, "the operator of the device is responsible for correcting the interference, ceasing operation, if necessary, whenever such interference occurs."
Keiser told ARRL that the interference--in the form of broadband noise from 2400 to 2450 MHz--impairs his ability to hear the AO-40 downlink and beacon on the band. "I have a 2.4-GHz cordless telephone that does not cause problems," he said. According to Keiser, the devices in question electronically poll various remote stations, and it's the polling function that apparently causes the noise. He was able to track down the noise sources on his own and has discussed the issue with his neighbors, with whom, he says, he remains on friendly terms. He said the owner of the device that's causing the worst interference is a communications attorney who understands the problem and hopes to deal with it through the manufacturer.
In her letters, Bowers cited the applicable sections of Part 15 and advised that the alleged harmful interference must be corrected before they may use the devices legally. She suggested the consumers contact the manufacturer or retailer of the devices to see if they'd either allow them to return them or exchange them for devices that don't cause interference.
Page last modified: 01:41 PM, 13 Jun 2003 ET
Page author: awextra@arrl.org
Copyright © 2003, American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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