[amsat-bb] cordless phone QRM the lost war!

[Luc Leblanc VE2DWE <lucleblanc6@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I don't want to be pessimestic but it is an already lost crusade...See what's ARRL was planning to 
do in 2001!!!


ARRL Asks FCC to Investigate Long-Range Cordless Telephone Sales

NEWINGTON, CT, May 30, 2001--The ARRL has asked the FCC to investigate and "take appropriate 
action" against several companies it alleges have been marketing so-called "long-range cordless 
telephones" via the Internet. The ARRL took the action in the wake of numerous complaints from the 
amateur community about sales of the devices, some of which operate on VHF and UHF frequencies 
allocated to the Amateur Service.

"Because these devices operate on Amateur bands and are capable of causing severe interference to 
ongoing Amateur communications, and because these devices likely will not meet MPE [Maximum 
Permissible Exposure] levels for RF exposure, the matter is considered urgent," said the May 29 
letter from ARRL General Counsel Chris Imlay, W3KD.

The letter was addressed to FCC Enforcement Bureau Chief David Solomon as well as to Raymond 
LaForge of the FCC's Office of Engineering and Technology's Equipment Authorization Division and to 
FCC Special Counsel for Amateur Radio Enforcement Riley Hollingsworth.

"ARRL has not been able to locate any FCC certification for these devices and, based on the 
advertised frequency bands and ranges, it is believed that none of these devices could be 
certificated, or legally marketed or sold, under FCC rules," Imlay wrote.

Imlay said the ARRL also is looking into the marketing of products such as 434-MHz video 
surveillance equipment and other "apparently non-certificated devices" that use amateur frequencies 
but are being marketed in the US to non-amateurs.

ARRL Lab Supervisor Ed Hare, W1RFI, said he's received several reports concerning long-range 
cordless telephone devices advertised for sale on the Internet and via auction sites such as eBay. 
"One of the reports, from Bill Erhardt, K7MT, involved actual harmful interference to amateur 
communications," Hare said. Erhardt tracked the telephone to a neighbor's home. The neighbor told 
him he'd bought it on eBay.

Hare said he was glad to see the issue put into the FCC's hands. "All intentional transmitting 
devices that are marketed in the US must be FCC certificated, as described in the FCC rules," he 
said. "At the advertised power levels and frequencies, I do not believe that these phones could 
have been certificated."

Optima 8810

The Optima 8810, an apparently uncertificated telephone device being sold in the US. This unit uses 
a 2-meter frequency. [ARRL Photos]

The ARRL was able to obtain one of the long-distance cordless telephones for testing. The device, 
manufactured in China, bears no FCC identification number or label. The ARRL technical staff 
determined that the device--an Optima 8810--operates at an output power of greater than 3 W near 
147 MHz. Other such phones are advertised as having ranges of up to 100 km operating at power 
levels of up to 35 W on VHF and UHF. Some models use frequencies in the amateur 2-meter and 1.25-
meter bands.

The ARRL offered to send the telephone device "and as much information as it can obtain about the 
eBay seller" to the FCC. In his letter Imlay noted that the vendor has since disappeared from the 
auction site.

One of the companies selling the long-range cordless telephones had originally indicated that one 
such device operated on 147 and 230 MHz. Apparently after it heard complaints from amateurs, the 
company altered its Web site listing to indicate that the phone operated at 249 and 375 MHz. The 
ARRL attached to its letter a copy of the Web site of another seller that showed the same telephone 
as operating on 150 and 230 MHz. The League said some of the companies also may be selling similar 
wireless products that may operate on amateur or restricted bands.

Hare said some long-range devices are legally certificated to operate on the 900 MHz or 2450 MHz 
Part 15 bands. "These legal devices are only an issue if they cause actual harmful interference to 
the Amateur Service," he said.

Hare requested reports of unlicensed devices causing actual harmful interference to Amateur Radio 
operation. Reports may be sent to rfi@arrl.org.


Even more FCC in an exchange of letter ask the parties to setlle the problem by themselves...

al Counsel Riley Hollingsworth, rholling@fcc.gov.

March 3, 2004

Mr. Mark A. Glover
10632 Artcraft Avenue
Garden Grove, CA 92640

RE: Amateur Radio License KE6TTL: Warning Notice

Dear Mr. Glover:

In reference to your letter dated February 26, 2004, concerning the Catalina Amateur Repeater 
Association, enclosed is the letter sent to you requesting that you not use the repeater.

Our letter of February 2, 2004, explained the right of the repeater association to make such a 
request. If there are any further questions, please feel free to contact us.

If you have an objection to the decision of the repeater owner, you are free to pursue legal action 
locally. No Commission hearing procedures are provided in such matters.

Enclosure: 1

CC: FCC Western Regional Director
Catalina Island Repeater Association
February 26, 2004

Mr. Wayne H. Brunetti
Chairman, President and CEO
Xcel Energy
414 Nicollet Mall
Minneapolis, MN 55401-1993

RE: Radio Frequency Interference

Dear Mr. Brunetti:

The Federal Communications Commission notified you by letter on December 1, 2003, that it has 
received complaints of harmful radio interference possibly caused by equipment operated by Xcel 
Energy. This interference has been reported by an operator in the Amateur Radio Service. The 
complainant is:

(name and address deleted)
Wellington, CO 80549

In the letter you were advised that this problem, if unresolved, could be a violation of Commission 
rules and could result in a monetary forfeiture. For this reason, we encouraged the parties 
involved to voluntarily resolve this matter without Commission intervention.

You were further advised to inform the complainant within 60 days of what steps would be taken to 
correct the reported interference problem. In addition, if unable to resolve this matter by 
February 1, 2004, you were advised to inform this office about the nature of the problem, the steps 
being taken to resolve it and the estimated time in which those steps could be accomplished. 
Although you responded to Mr. ---------- within the specified time period, the harmful interference 
he reported to this office still remains unresolved.

In order to avoid possible enforcement action, please advise this office within 30 days of 
receiving this letter of what action you have taken, or intend to take, in order to identify and 
correct the source of these radio emissions if they are being caused by your equipment.

If you have any questions about this matter, please contact me at 717-338-2502.

CC: FCC Northeastern Regional Director 

I doubt FCC can extend his jurisdiction into China mainland

To close this post have a look at this link and just remember that in some countries where cell 
phone are unavailable theses phone are the only one alternative.

http://www.globalsources.com/manufacturers/Long-Range-Cordless-Telephone.html

One one my client who is working actually  in China mainland just told me there is Wall Mart size 
store where the entire floor is devoted only to cell phone and all kind of cordless phones. As per 
his own words "I never see that and the store is always crowded as much as the  streets are by 
peoples."

Just wait and watch when the news will reach the young teckies folks...Wow 30 miles free phone! We 
better be prepared with our DF stuff!

"-"
"It is not the class of license the amateur holds, but the class of the amateur that holds the 
license."

Luc Leblanc VE2DWE
AMSAT 33583
Skype VE2DWE
www.qsl.net/ve2dwe 
----
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