Subj : Amateur Radio Newsline (B)
To : All
From : Daryl Stout
Date : Fri Jun 16 2017 08:51 am
FCC GETS TOUGH ON RF TESTING
NEIL/ANCHOR: Manufacturers and marketers of products that generate RF
interference in the U.S. could be facing an ultimatum from the FCC.
Amateur Radio Newsline's Stephen Kinford, N8WB, has that story.
STEPHEN: The FCC has announced that overseas manufacturers who are not
in compliance with RF equipment testing could be barred from selling
their products in the U.S. The products could range from lighting to
devices for the Internet of Things. Any devices that generate RF energy,
including those using wireless connections, are subject to FCC
authorization.
The communications agency's action comes on the heels of the most recent
FCC enforcement action - this one announced in May against AFX Inc., a
manfacturer whose lighting fixtures were reported last year to be
interfering with AM/FM radio signals. The negotiated settlement produced
a $90,000 civil penalty, and the company's agreement to institute tougher
compliance procedures.
The agency's announcement this month formally puts IOT manfacturers and
other producers on notice that their equipment must adhere to FCC rules
before they can be permitted into the U.S. marketplace.
Manufacturers and marketers of unauthorized devices are subject to various
sanctions, including substantial monetary fines.
For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Stephen Kinford, N8WB.
**
IN JAMAICA, NO REMORSE OVER MORSE
NEIL/ANCHOR: It's goodbye dits and dahs for amateurs in Jamaica, as the
island's regulators give a nod to modern technology. Here's Amateur Radio
Newsline's Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, with that story.
JEREMY'S REPORT: Jamaica has joined the ranks of many nations that has
done away with the requirement of Morse Code for amateur radio licenses.
The Regulations Committee of Parliament was told that Morse Code is no
longer relied upon, as it once was, for emergency transmissions,
especially with the development of more modern modes of communication.
The argument was made to the committee by Ida-Gaye Warburton, director of
legal affairs for Jamaica's Spectrum Management Authority. She said the
Jamaica Amateur Radio Association can expect to see a boost in membership
as a result of these changes, and there are hopes this will also result
in greater support for Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency
Management, especially with the start of 2017's Atlantic hurricane season
underway. The Jamaica radio group has a memorandum of understanding with
the Office of Disaster Preparedness and the government, to respond in
times of crisis.
The Jamaica amateur radio group's president, Nigel Hoyow, 6Y5HN, told the
Jamaica Observer newspaper that although older amateurs do use Morse Code,
he has found that younger hams lack the patience to learn. He said
[QUOTE] "Morse Code is not dead, but we need to get rid of it here."
[END QUOTE]
The licensing changes also include a modification of the format of the
exams, which presently follow that of the UK test. The Spectrum Management
Authority is also looking at the test given in the U.S. to make adjustments
accordingly.
For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.
(THE JAMAICA OBSERVER)
NEIL/ANCHOR: Hams in Jamaica will soon discover that sometimes when you
lose something - in this case, the Morse Code requirement - you gain
something - in this case access to a new band. The Jamaica Spectrum
Management Authority recently granted a secondary allocation on 60 meters
to hams in Jamaica operating with a maximum power of 25 watts EIRP. The
allocation covers 5351.5 kHz to 5366.5 kHz.
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