i'm hoping, since there is no real offerings for carrier current beyond the 10 watt $2500.00 offering from RS that the FCC will overlook the certification issue on imported transmitters in carrier current use. i'm positive for over the air TIS stations, if you were cought using one of these imports that you would get slapped pretty hard but for C-C use i am truly hoping there is just a look the other way attitude with all other things being compliant otherwise.
) Intentional radiators operated as carrier current systems, devices operated under the provisions of §§ 15.211, 15.213, and 15.221, and devices operating below 490 kHz in which all emissions are at least 40 dB below the limits in § 15.209 shall be verified pursuant to the procedures in Subpart J of part 2 of this chapter prior to marketing.
The FCC seldom enforces the certification rule. You would have zero problem purchasing an overseas transmitter. They would never fine the user of the equipment, only the seller. I'm not sure what the rules are for TIS services in regards to certified equipment.
Mr. Druid has now entered three disparate terms into the question of FCC transmitter acceptability:
1.) Certified;
2.) Authorized;
3.) Verified.
Now I've introduced a fourth word - "Acceptable".
We should break this into four separate threads.
B7MTR-6000TIS-WB
B7MTR-6000TIS-WB
The whole issue with imported transmitters is the fact that they are often sold fully assembled and operational.
If the Chinese transmitter makers and buyers were smart, they would sell or purchase partially assembled transmitters, that require some assembly, such as reconnecting PC board jumper cables and screwing the PC boards into place where they belong in the chassis.
If the device is sold in pieces, is it still illegal to ship into the USA as a non-functioning device unless it is assembled by the purchaser?
Lastly, if the transmitter is sold in such a state (disassembled), wouldn't the purchaser also have to have some knowledge of radio and or electronics theory in order to successfully re-assemble said transmitter?
Bruce.
As far as I know its not illegal to ship any transmitter assembled or not to the US. I've purchased plenty of transmitters from overseas.
The illegality is soley the sale of non-certified assembled equipment, which again falls on the seller not the buyer and is seldom if ever enforced. (I can think of ONCE in the past 10 years that the FCC has gone after an assembled transmitter maker, who still sells assembled SSTrans to this day.)
mighty1650 Said:
As far as I know its not illegal to ship any transmitter assembled or not to the US. I've purchased plenty of transmitters from overseas.
The illegality is soley the sale of non-certified assembled equipment, which again falls on the seller not the buyer.
MrBruce Said:
But does that not contradict its self?
It's not illegal to import, but then again it is. Which is it?
I doubt many transmitters from over seas are FCC certified, specially from Greece and China.
So, is it illegal or not to import an already assembled transmitter?
I think you will find most imports are not FCC certified.
If, let's say, I wanted to sell a fully operational transmitter as a US citizen and sold it disassembled in the US, does that remove all liabilty that I sold a non-certified transmitter in the US? Or for that matter, am I breaking the rules by re-selling that transmitter fully assembled and operational?
I think the rules are a bit vauge, contradictory to say the least.
Bruce.
My transmitter arrived marked "Air Cleaning Equipment".
MrBruce Said:
"But does that not contradict its self?
It's not illegal to import, but then again it is. Which is it?
I doubt many transmitters from over seas are FCC certified, specially from Greece and China.
So, is it illegal or not to import an already assembled transmitter?
I think you will find most imports are not FCC certified.
If, let's say, I wanted to sell a fully operational transmitter as a US citizen and sold it disassembled in the US, does that remove all liabilty that I sold a non-certified transmitter in the US? Or for that matter, am I breaking that rules by re-selling that transmitter fully assembled and operational?
I think the rules are a bit vauge, contradictory to say the least."
Mighty Says: Admittedly I'm not well versed in FCC Regulations, there are far too many to remember! This may be a case of simple lack of enforcement. As far as I know neither the FCC nor the Post Office inspect imported transmitters upon arrival to the states. Typically transmitters purchased overseas make little mention of what exactly is in the box, so the PO would typically have no idea as to the contents of the package other than a generic "Electronics" or whatever they put in the manifest.
As to selling a disassembled transmitter in the US, yes that should remove all liablity. After all, thats exactly what the kit makers do. As far as I know with the FCC, nothing is illegal until you use it illegally.
The rule about "certified" transmitters is written so as to apply to U.S. transmitter manufacturers only, and only applies to Part 15 transmitters.
The FCC has no jurisdiction to regulate manufacture outside of the U.S.
The buyer and user of a transmitter is not subject to certification and thus violates no rule by purchasing a foreign made transmitter.
Use of a transmitter is not a manufacturing function and is governed by the technical rules pertaining to the type service (AM) but wholly separate and apart from certification rules.
Excellent John.
You've come around to our side of the argument.
What else could you do?
I'm confused by your comment. Any transmitter or RF device imported has to satisfy FCC requirements. ftp://ftp.fcc.gov/pub/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2013/db0815/DA-13-1755A1.txt
When I was performing FCC compliance testing I tested numorous devices that required a "Grant" before they could be imported into the United States. If Customs seaches and finds no FCC ID/Grantee code the product stops at the point of entry.
From FCC Rules:
"Federal law requires that radio frequency devices must be certified in accordance with the
Commission’s technical standards before they can be marketed in the United States.8 Section 302(b) of the Act provides that “no person shall manufacture, import, sell, offer for sale, or ship devices or home electronic equipment and systems, or use devices, which fail to comply with regulations promulgated pursuant to this section."