Part 15 Transmitter Kit Legality Revisited

[jbprptco]

Part 15 Transmitter Kit Legality Revisited

The WILW Part 15 station website, http://www.wilw.com, under “Commentary” listed across the top of the home page, has an article stating that Part15.209 in a Sept. 20th edition of this year by the FCC lists kits as illegal. Home brews and certified transmitters are OK. WILW seems to lean heavily toward the certified Rangemaster and maybe it has a vested interest. Any comments from you serious Part15’ers? Has anyone using a kit had a positive FCC visit, or knows of someone who has? Yes, and one final question, how does the FCC differentiate, as far as kit use goes, between the Part 15’er broadcasting about 50 ft. around his house, and the fellow who has the highly tuned outdoor antenna with a loading coil? JimB

[Rich]

Walker quotes an FCC response about another product, and assumes it applies to Part 15 kits. Here is a link to a thread on Community Radio with more details. Other posts in the CR thread show how this developed.

http://www.radio-info.com/mods/board?Post=580743&Board=community
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[radio8z]

Hello,

I have read several posts here and elsewhere about this issue. Rich is right, the cited reference is for TV equipment.

Even if it applied to AM and FM kits, who is responsible? It looks to me as if the sale of the kit rather than its use would be the problem.

I think the question was answered by the FCC, according to correspondence I saw posted on another board, and I strongly urge all of us to drop it. What do you think the FCC is going to say if pushed? Quit pushing!

Neil

[mlr]

I’m so bored with this topic. And normally, I would ignore the posts, however it is DANGEROUS for this to be left alone.

The FCC are talking about TV. TV does not equal Part15 AUDIO broadcasting or it’s KITS.

The FCC have been very clear in the past, and are very clear now: PART15 RADIO KITS ARE LEGAL.

Now, if I were selling a type accepted transmitter, I would probably do whatever I could to spread the same fear, uncertainty, and doubt.

The danger here is not the concept of something being legal or illegal, the danger is that by convincing people that it is illegal, people are being herded to a particular channel to buy thier equipment.

Now, lets think on this one like sensable people: If the FCC *did* make this illegal, what happens to the folks like Belkin, Cisco, Netgear, etc? See, they sell completed NON-ACCEPTED devices.. which, according to the line of thinking that says the kits are illegal, would make these devices illegal.

So no more wireless networking, folks. Sorry. Unplug those devices and turn em over to the FCC. Cause one guys interpretation says so.

[radio8z]

Hello mlr,

I agree that this has been beat to death, and agree with all you said.

My point is that according to what I recall reading the FCC said sale and use of part 15 broadcast kits is legal and we should not be badgering them further on this. They could prohibit emissions in the broadcast bands and leave wireless networks, cordless phones, etc. operatonal.

Neil

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