KB6NU's Ham Radio Blog

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Noise floor report interesting, but Im not optimistic

Posted: 28 Dec 2016 07:34 PM PST
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/kb6nu...m_medium=email


Last June, I reported that the FCCs Technical Advisory Committee was asking
licensed and unlicensed users of the electromagnetic spectrum to answer
some questions about the noise they were experiencing and whether or not it
was affecting their services. Specifically, they asked:

Is there a noise floor problem?
Where does the problem exist? Spectrally? Spatially? Temporally?
Is there quantitative evidence of the overall increase in the total
integrated noise floor across various segments of the radio frequency
spectrum?
How should a noise study be performed?


Well, the results are in, and Radio World recentlyÂ*published a summary of
the responses that the FCC received. The FCC received 93 replies from 73
(great number, eh?) different people or organizations, including:

23 companies/industry organizations
39 RF professionals (broadcast and wireless)
31 licensed radio amateurs
9 responders did not reply to the questions asked


Respondents included the ARRL, the Society of Broadcast Engineers, the
National Association of Broadcasters, the National Public Safety
Telecommunications Council, ATT, and the National Electrical Manufacturers
Association. I found especially interesting comments from the Society of
Broadcast Engineers. They include:

Increased cooperation is needed between manufacturers of Part 15 devices
and users of radio spectrum to identify noise sources and take appropriate
remedial action.
Radiated emission limits below 30 MHz in the FCC Part 15 rules for
unintentional emitters should be enacted. There are presently no radiated
emission limits below 30 MHz for most unintentional emitters.
Reduced Part 15 limits for LED lights should be enacted to be harmonized
with the Part 18 lower limits for fluorescent bulbs.
Better labeling on packaging for Part 18 fluorescent bulbs and ballasts to
better inform consumers of potential interference to radio, TV and
cellphone reception in the residential environment.
Specific radiated and/or conducted emission limits for incidental emitters,
such as motors or power lines, should be enacted.
Conducted emission limits on pulse-width motor controllers used in
appliances should be enacted.
Substantially increase the visibility of enforcement in power line
interference cases.


Other organizations made similar comments.

While all of this is certainly interesting, it wont mean a thing if no
action is taken on these comments. Given that the FCC is cutting back on
its field offices, and our president-elect has said that he plans to reduce
the number of governmental regulations, Im not optimistic that well see the
noise situation get better before it gets worse. What do you all think?





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