Dave Platt wrote:
In article ,
dave wrote:

The horror...

In any case, there is no one enforcing Part 15 compliance in the field.

True... it's rare, and seems to happen only after strenuous
complaints. I *have* heard of it happening, though.

If the Wifi card has a standard connector it should be OK with an
aftermarket antenna. If it has an oddball connector it must be used
with a specific antenna.

That's not the intent of the FCC regulations.

The FCC requires that consumer-type WiFi radios *must* use nonstandard
connectors (for arguable definitions of "nonstandard"). Specifically,
47 CFR 15.203 says:

An intentional radiator shall be designed to ensure that no
antenna other than that furnished by the responsible party
shall be used with the device. The use of a permanently
attached antenna or of an antenna that uses a unique coupling
to the intentional radiator shall be considered sufficient to
comply with the provisions of this Section. The manufacturer
may design the unit so that a broken antenna can be replaced
by the user, but the use of a standard antenna jack or
electrical connector is prohibited... (snip)... the installer
shall be responsible for ensuring that the proper antenna is
employed so that the limits in this Part are not exceeded.

Manufacturers have asked that the "unique coupling" rule be relaxed...
they complain that every time they come up with a new "unique"
connector (e.g. reverse-polarity or reverse-threaded versions of SMA,
TNC, etc.), it rapidly becomes so popular and so easy to acquire that
they have to stop using it and find a *different* new non-standard
connector... lather, rinse, repeat.

The FCC refused to remove this requirement, the last time that the
issue was the subject of a rulemaking (although they did add the above
language which permits a broken antenna to be replaced by the user...
previously even this was essentially forbidden).


They should just worry about the input power to the antenna. So what if
I take radiation off the floor and ceiling to make it go a little
farther sideways? So what if I have a narrow beam in only one
direction? It reduces congestion in the directions it's not pointed in.

I can understand the restriction for FM Modulators or IFB transmitters,
but for a device that shares a band with microwave ovens I think the FCC
better have a hundred higher priorities.