Television digest with electronic reports (Jan-Dec 1954)

w/th ELKnONKS RtPOm WASHINGTON 5, D. C. • TatPHONE STCKUNG S-1755 Special Report April 17, 1954 Full Text of FCCs Proposed Reslriciions on Spurious Radiations To Control Spurious Emissions of All Radio Devices Not Now Covered by FCC Rules & Regulations including All TV and FM Receivers PROVIDING SYSTEM OF EQUIPMENT CERTIFICATION TO INSURE COMPLIANCE Notice of Proposed Rule-Making Issued April 15, 1954 as FCC Public Notice 54-502, Mimeo 3909 Comments Due by June 16, 1954 (see Television Digest, Vol. 10:16) In the Matter of Amendment of Part 15 of the Commission’s Rules Governing Restricted Radiation Devices 'Docket No. 9288 NOTICE OF FURTHER PROPOSED RULE MAKING 1. Notice is hereby given of further proposed rule making in the above entitled matter. 2. On April 13, 1949 the Commission issued a Notice of Proposed Rule Making in this Docket which proposed to amend Part 15 of the Commission’s Rules relating to Restricted Radiation Devices. By order of July 29, 1949 this Docket was subdivided into four parts: Part A pertained to Incidental Radiation Devices; Parts B, C and D of the Docket pertained to Restricted Radiation Devices. 3. The rules proposed in 1949 would have limited radiation from incidental ratiation devices to 15 microvolts per meter at 100 feet or 15 microvolts per meter at a distance in feet equal to 157,000 divided by the frequency in kilocycles, whichever is greater. Comments addressed to this proposal expressed the opinion that comprehensive studies of the technical and economic aspects of regulation of incidental radiation devices were necessary before any rules governing this type of equipment were put into effect. Studies in this field directed to radio devices have developed limits which can be adopted at this time, whereas the studies of interference from electrical apparatus, such as power, lighting and ignition systems, are inconclusive. For this reason, the Commission proposes to classify radio receivers and some other forms of radio frequency generators as restricted radiation devices and to provide the class of incidental radiation devices for electrical apparatus in which the generation of radio frequency energy is unintentional. No specific radiation limits are proposed for incidental radiation devices but in the event that interference is caused to authorized radio services by operation of these devices, the operators of the devices will be required to take prompt action to eliminate the interference. 4. Subpart A of the attached proposed rules contains general provisions for the operation of restricted radiation devices. These provisions are in the form of minimum power and field intensity limitations, and will apply to all restricted radiation devices except insofar as specific provision for the operation of certain devices is contained in Subparts B and C. These limitations are set forth in terms of decibels above one microvolt per meter (dbu), and, merely for convenience, they are also set forth in terms of approximately equivalent microvolts per meter. Two sets of field intensity limitations are set forth in the proposed rules. The Commission proposes to place one set into effect as soon as these rules become effective, to be superseded by the second set on June 30, 1956. The limits to be placed in effect initially are based primarily on the Radio-Electronics Television Manufacturers Association’s present radiation standards for television and FM receivers. Since it is not now known to what extent the RETMA standards can immediately be made applicable to all receivers, it is proposed to make the rules applicable now only to FM and TV receivers, and land mobile receivers above 25 me, which have been the source of the most serious interference problems caused by receivers. The rules would become applicable to all receivers manufactured after January 30, 1956. 5. The rules proposed by the Commission in 1949 would have limited the operation of carrier current devices to the frequencies 10-200 kc with a radiation limit of 15 microvolts per meter at a distance in feet of 157,000 divided by the frequency in kilocycles. Comments directed to those proposed rules generally opposed the adoption of any rules which would restrict the operation of such carrier current devices. 6. Subpart B of the rules now proposed contains provisions for the operation of carrier current systems. Such systems operating in the band 10-425 kc which meet the radiation requirements of Subpart A could be operated without certification. However, provision is made for such systems to be operated with greater radiation if they are certified in accordance with the procedure set forth in Subpart B. 7. Carrier current systems operating above 425 kc for the purpose of distributing programs to more than one receiver and which are installed after the effective date of these rules would have to be certified as meeting the requirements specifically applicable to them. Such systems which are in operation on the date these rules are made effective would have to comply with all applicable provisions by June 30, 1955, and, until that date, such systems operating in the band 425-1605 kc would continue to have to meet the existing radiation standard set forth in Part 15 of the Rules. Moreover, all systems would immediately be governed by the provision of the rules which provides that the users or operators of restricted and incidental radiation devices which cause harmful interference to any authorized radio service shall promptly take such steps as may be necessary to eliminate such interference. 8. Subpart B of the proposed rules also provides that receivers shall be certified as complying with the applicable radiation limitations by the manufacturers thereof or by an appropriate certifying authority, or where this has not taken place, by the users of the receiver. 9. Subpart C of the proposed rules provides a procedure whereby restricted radiation devices which do not comply 1